They’re kind of creepy and I have lots of them near my ash tree.
It has been damp this year, so mushrooms in the yard are not exactly a surprise. But I was a bit taken aback by the number and size of some of these mushrooms that appeared recently near our ash tree in the backyard. The tree is one of my favorites, but its branches were getting a little too close to the house, so we recently had it trimmed up. The mushrooms appeared about 10 days after the trimming.
After a little checking around, I figured out the mushrooms are probably ash tree boletes (Boletinellus merulioides), which are commonly found near ash trees. According to Wikipedia, the fungus that causes the mushroom has a beneficial relationship with an aphid that commonly inhabits ash trees. I’ve had the ash tree for the 13 years we have lived in this house and it’s generally seemed healthy. I’m not sure if the tree trimming or the damp weather (or both0 led to their appearance, but I’m inclined to just let it go and see what happens next year.
Has anyone else seen the ash tree boletes? What mushrooms are you seeing in your garden?
commonweeder says
August 21, 2013 at 11:30 amI’ve had lots of unidentified mushrooms in the garden this year. Partly because I used woodchips in my paths. Fortunately I have a neighbor who raises shitakes, and reacognizes oyster mushrooms which he says are everywhere in town this year. Somebody else found winecaps in their woodchips. I love winecaps.
Mary Schier says
August 22, 2013 at 10:15 amPat — I’m pretty sure these came about because of the tree trimming. They are supposedly edible, but I don’t trust my identification skills enough to try them.
Deborah B says
August 30, 2013 at 8:31 pmThese mushrooms come up in the lawn all around my shade garden every year about now, and I hate them because when they get old, they dissolve into a disgusting dark drizzle that looks like dog poop. And then we have the neighborhood picnic here, in mid September! So for the next 3 or 4 weeks, I’ll be on patrol for the mushrooms. When I find them (and some days there are a LOT), I pull them out and heave them into the nearby field. I wondered what they were, so thank you for the information. Yes, there are ash trees in my shade garden. They’re very common here in upstate NY (for now anyway – the beetle is coming).
Mary Schier says
September 2, 2013 at 4:17 pmHappy to provide some information, Deborah. I agree–these are really ugly mushrooms.
Leslie says
October 28, 2013 at 2:23 pmHow do you get rid of them??
Mary Schier says
October 28, 2013 at 3:20 pmI cut mowed most of them with the lawn mower and they disappeared on their own as the summer went on.
Steve Gravitt says
October 7, 2017 at 11:09 amI definitely have ash tree bolete mushrooms. They are increasing in numbers even though I’m pulling them up weekly. Havent seen any way to treat for them. Is there a way to get rid of this fungi?