May 6th Photo-A-Day F
F is for fun. F for forest. F is for a very bad cuss word. F could be so many things but I chose F for FUNGUS.
Okay, don’t get all excited. I’m not going to show you a toenail or some gross skin condition. I am not that mean. Well, I am but, not today I’m not. You are welcome.
Bear and I went on our daily nature walk. I am bound and determined to find discarded antlers. We have so many bucks all year and I just KNOW someone dropped at least ONE antler on the property. Right?!?!
Yes, I know…. shiny….sidetracked…… back to my F during this hike Bear and I found these things attached to the base of a couple of trees:
Truthfully, I first thought it was a pipe, old lantern top or piece of trash.
I asked The Husband and he said it’s a Fungus. I had to look this up cause really? “whaddya mean it’s a fungus??” This thing is SOLID. I mean solid as stone. Yes, I did attempt to remove it from the tree (I really did think it was a piece of trash).
However after stepping on it, pulling at it and breaking a fingernail I am hear to report said FUNGUS is still firmly attached to the tree.
It really is pretty and the picture doesn’t do it justice.
It’s called a CONK.
A conk grows on the trunk–a sure sign the birch is decaying from the inside out. Conks, also known as shelf fungi or bracket fungi, are an external indicator that a tree may be rotten inside. Since it was a stump I can attest it is a dead tree.
6 Comments
Kate Sarsfield
I know them as shelf fungi and yes, they’re wonderful. The tree giving life even as it’s dying.
Connie Gruning
Kate, I had never seen a shelf fungi before. They are unique looking. Thankfully I’ve only found 5 of them.
Tamra Phelps
That’s something new I learned today. Interesting, too.
Rosie
Conk – never heard of it before, and pretty cool! Maybe there is a season for antlers, do they fall off, or only break off if they get in a fight over a buxom dame.
Connie Gruning
Rosie, antlers just fall off, like the baby teeth for kids. The first set come off then another set grow in. SUPPOSEDLY they are everywhere. I WILL find some. I WILL!!
Michele Soyer
So interesting… you learn something new everyday..