Luminescent mushrooms: information, pictures & cultivation instructions

Luminescent mushrooms (bioluminescent mushrooms) glow in the dark. Here you can find out everything about the different species, breeding and cultivation of these bizarre mushrooms.

Mushrooms that glow in the dark? For many, that sounds like a dream or fairy tale world. The fact is, however, that the immense variety of mushroom species (estimates are around 100,000) also contains more than 70 species that begin to glow at night. The technical term for glow in the dark is bioluminescence. But what is that exactly?

What is bioluminescence

Bioluminescence is the ability of a living organism to generate and emit light, i.e. to send it out. This is possible through certain chemical reactions that take place within the organism. A fluorescent substance (luciferin) is oxidized to oxyluciferin with the help of an enzyme (luciferase) (consumption of oxygen and energy). When oxiluciferin decays, energy is generated that is almost loss-free in light of a certain wavelength (λ

_Max 530 nm). Due to the wavelength, we perceive the glow as green.

Why do the mushrooms glow?

Nothing happens in nature without a reason. The unusual appearance of the mushrooms also has a biological function. The emitted green light is visible to insects and attracts them. Similar to the “bees and flowers” ​​principle, the insects land on the mushrooms and, as they fly on, transport spores that have stuck to them. Because of their noticeable glow, the mushrooms have advantages in terms of reproduction and distribution.

Bioluminescent species: a small selection

The variety of luminous mushrooms (syn. Lichtpilze) is very large. In the next sections we will go into more detail on four representatives that occur in our latitudes. The selected species belong to the mushrooms / "cap mushrooms" (Basidiomycota).

• Honey yellow honey mushroom (Armillaria mellea)

The honey yellow honey fungus predominantly colonizes hardwood. It occurs mainly outside of closed forests. The species is widespread in Europe and Germany and is relatively common everywhere. The fungus forms a whitish fan mycelium under the bark, which glows in the dark under certain weather conditions. The fruiting bodies appear mainly in late summer and autumn from June to November. They are edible, but not really enjoyable in terms of taste. The term mycelium, which was just mentioned and which will appear in the article, stands for that Mesh of fungal cells (also called hyphae) strung together like a thread, mostly underground grows.
Curious: cultures of this kind were found in the first war submarines at the end of the 19th century. Century used as lighting for measuring devices and clocks.

• Herber dwarf ball, fairy fire (Panellus stipticus)

Old trunks, stumps and branches lying around are colonized by oak and red beech, but also other hardwoods. This luminous representative is rarely found on softwood. The bitter dwarf ball can be found in Australia, Pakistan, North Asia, North America, North Africa, the Canary Islands and throughout Europe. In Scandinavia, its distribution area extends up to the age of 65. Latitude. The species occurs in almost all forest types, parks, gardens, rows of trees and also on solitary trees. Here mycelium and fruiting bodies glow in the dark. The fruiting bodies appear all year round. They are not poisonous, but inedible and therefore unsuitable as edible mushrooms.

However, many species do not thrive in the Central European climate. They prefer warmer, more humid climates. This includes, for example:

• Dark olive funnel (Omphalotus olearius)

The heat-loving dark olive tree funnel is widespread in the Mediterranean area; it is very seldom to be found in Central Europe. The preferred habitat of this luminous representative are deciduous trees. It usually grows in clusters on olive trees, sometimes also on oaks or sweet chestnuts. The mushroom appears from July to October and is poisonous, although not fatal. In this species, the mycelium and the lamellae glow.

• "Flor de coco" (coconut flower) (Neonothopanus gardneri)

This mushroom is one of the most luminous and is (as the name suggests) mainly found in Brazilian coconut forests. Here it grows at the foot of the coconut palms. Unfortunately, you can't buy either spores or mycelium to grow this particularly beautiful species at home.

Grow fluorescent mushrooms

A couple of the species described are freely available and can be easily grown at home or, to stick with the correct choice of words, they can be grown.
If you want to grow the glowing mushrooms at home, you can either fall back on spores of the desired type or on mycelium. The use of mycelium is particularly recommended for beginners, but also for experienced mushroom fans.
Spores are very susceptible to contamination - work must therefore be carried out in a sterile manner. However, this is difficult to do in most households. The mycelium is available in various forms on the Internet or in special shops. There are mycelium syringes, inoculation dowels, wooden trunks, pure cultures in Petri dishes and ready-made kits / glass cultures. Inoculation dowels have proven to be particularly insensitive and versatile. Inoculation dowels are small wooden dowels with mycelium growing through them. For example, they can be used for growing on logs or in mason jars. The cultivation on wooden trunks is particularly suitable for species whose fruiting bodies glow. Species with glowing mycelium do particularly well in mason jars.

Grow fluorescent mushrooms on tree trunks

In addition to the inoculation dowels, only a log is required. Dead wood is best. Depending on the type, it is important to note which types of wood are preferred as a substrate. Appropriate holes are drilled in the trunk with a commercially available drill and the inoculation dowels are inserted, if necessary with the aid of a hammer. The holes can then be sealed with wax, foil, or tape. Then it is time to wait. With climate-friendly species such as Armillaria mellea you can inoculate old tree stumps in the garden. At night your own garden is transformed into a shimmering wonderland. It's especially nice to join in Panellus stipticus streaky roots as an eye-catcher in terrariums.

Grow luminous mushrooms in mason jars

Growing in a mason jar is a bit more complicated compared to the tree trunk method. But the effort is rewarded.

Required materials:

• Pressure cooker
• Substrate container (mason jar)
• Substrate and raw materials (for approx. 2 kg wood substrate):
  • Wood chips 320 g
  • Wheat Bran 170 g
  • Sawdust 650 g
  • Plaster of paris 25 g
  • Water 820 g

The wood chips are completely covered with cold water and soaked overnight. The wood chips are then allowed to drain over a sieve for 15 minutes. Here, too, care must be taken to ensure that a suitable type of wood is used as the substrate. Wheat bran, sawdust and gypsum are now weighed, mixed and added to the damp wood chips. Finally, add the specified amount of water and everything is mixed properly. The substrate is now poured into the previously thoroughly cleaned mason jars. The jars are sealed and placed in a pressure cooker. This is filled with so much water that the glasses are half covered. The whole thing is boiled for at least an hour to sterilize the substrate.
When the glasses with the substrate have cooled down (room temperature), one or more inoculation dowels can be added. Then the jar is closed again. It takes around 3 to 6 weeks for the whole thing to grow through nicely. The more inoculation anchors are used, the faster it goes. Such shining glasses are very special gifts for friends or acquaintances. A jar with the mycelium of some sort like that Panellus stipticus arouses great astonishment, especially in children, and is a beautiful and natural alternative to the night light in the children's room. In this form it shines Panellus stipticus for about. 3 to 6 months.

Tip: If the inoculation dowels get into the jar, there is a risk of contamination. Therefore, you should work in the cleanest possible place. The area below an extractor hood is best suited for this. To do this, set the trigger to full power, disinfect your hands, open the lid and as quickly as possible into the glass with the dowels.

Storage of the mycelium

The mycelium and / or the spores can be stored at cool temperatures and in the dark, for example in the refrigerator. Spores can thus retain their ability to germinate for months. The mycelium can be stored for several weeks to months, depending on how much substrate and oxygen are available.

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