What is the biggest mushroom? The world's largest mushroom

In China, scientists have found the most big mushroom, which belongs to the tinder fungus (F. Ellipsoidea). The weight of its fruiting body is approximately 500 kg, the macromycete reaches about 10 meters in length and about 80 cm in width. According to preliminary estimates, its age is at least 20 years. It contains 450 million spores.

Polypores are fungi that grow on wood and soil. Externally, they differ from “classical” macromycetes. Their fruiting bodies, as a rule, are hard and flat plates. The largest one discovered in China for a long time grew underground, so it remained hidden from view. This allowed the macromycete to grow to such enormous sizes. The scientists who found the mushroom say that there are a lot of tinder fungi in that area, but no one has ever found such gigantic specimens before. They claim that they were simply studying local macromycetes and accidentally stumbled upon a strange brown hill. Upon closer examination, it turned out to be a huge tinder fungus.

However, biologists discovered the largest mushroom in the world in the relict forests of the USA. It is considered the largest living creature on the planet. However, if the reader imagines a mushroom the size of a cottage, then he will be disappointed. The macromycete honey or dark honey fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) fits easily in the hand and is not too noticeable. It's all about the area of ​​the mycelium, which has been growing throughout the Oregon forests for about 2,500 years, destroying the root systems of trees in its path. That's why the mushroom is considered a monster. Its mycelium, which is a single organism, occupied 880 hectares of one of the national parks in Oregon. Its tentacles are located underground and entangle an area equal in size to 1665. Therefore, this macromycete is considered the largest on the planet.

Of course, many will be interested in the question, is it possible to eat the largest mushroom? Oregon biologist Tina Dreisbach says honey mushroom is edible. However, she would not recommend eating the “monster”. Tina says that although the mushroom is called honey, it does not taste sweet at all, and can only be eaten with a large number garlic and butter.

For American biologists, the main task now is to learn to control the growth of the macromycete mycelium. Because the largest mushrooms in the world, like honey mushrooms, can destroy entire forests. The problem also lies in the fact that the macromycete has been developing naturally for thousands of years. Therefore, interrupting its development could negatively impact the ecosystem of Oregon forests. Scientists are still studying the body and trying to predict the consequences of any actions. A photo of the largest mushroom can be seen in this article.

If we talk about traditional macromycetes in the usual sense, then the leader in size can be called Macrocybe Titans, which grows in Caribbean countries and the USA. In one of the southern Mexican states in 2007, a specimen was found whose mass was 20 kg and height - about 70 cm. However, this find is not the only one. In 2005, a mushroom was found in the United States that weighed as much as 28 kilograms. Such large sizes make this macromycete the object of close attention of the scientific community.

The largest mushroom in the world, as we know it, was found in 2007 in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. Its height was more than 60 centimeters and its weight was 23 kilograms. This is not the only major find in Mexico; in 2008, a local biologist accidentally found a mushroom that weighed more than 20 kilograms.

However, the largest mushroom in size is the mushroom located in at the moment V American state Oregon in Malheur National Park. According to experts, its age may be about 2.5 thousand years. Its size is impressive; the large mushroom can be compared to 1,230 football fields. The giant belongs to the species Armilaria ostoyae, which cannot be eaten.

The largest mushroom in the world that can be eaten is a mushroom discovered in 1987 by Canadian Jean Guy Richard. The giant's weight was 22 kilograms and its diameter was 2.64 meters.

In 2011, a large mushroom weighing more than 2 kilograms and 47 centimeters in diameter was discovered in the English county of Staffordshire. The giant was found by a young girl named Terri Hodson Walker. The 25-year-old girl owns land in the county where large mushrooms can often be found, but as the girl says, most of the mushrooms did not reach such large sizes because they were eaten by animals. In addition, such mushrooms are very delicate and any, even the most insignificant impact on them has a detrimental effect on their further growth.

Remember the gnome who sat on a fly agaric hat. He so often becomes the hero of fairy tales in some Western countries. His decorative sculptures adorn many parks and attractions around the world.

Mushrooms are very interesting for housewives who create culinary masterpieces. They are of particular interest to a certain category of young people who are addicted to hallucinogens.

Yes, for many it is not easy to pass by even just an image of an unusual specimen of a giant mushroom found by someone.

And when you go to the forest to pick mushrooms, you hope that you too will come across such an unusual find, a really huge mushroom, even a giant. But usually you pick the most common boletuses, boletus, milk mushrooms, trumpet mushrooms and others forest beauties. And some people are much luckier. And then the find becomes the subject of active discussion on long time and gives hope to subsequent mushroom pickers that such luck awaits them too.

By the way, giant mushrooms are not an anomaly, as biologists believe, and most of them are edible. And they find them in the most different parts Sveta.

Armillaria ostoyae (honey mushroom)

It was found in the relict forests of the United States. It is considered one of the largest creatures living on the planet. The largest part of it settled underground, leaving at the top only small mushrooms, macromycetes, and honey mushrooms, any of which could easily fit even in your hand. But its mycelium is a single organism and is conveniently located on 880 hectares in national park Oregons. This is a real monster.

It grew for about two and a half thousand years, destroying tree roots along the way, and has now reached a weight of more than 600 kilograms. But hardly anyone can make soup from it. To the general public one of these giants was first reported in 1992 by the New York Times.

This giant tinder fungus, almost eleven meters high and with a cap width of 82-88 centimeters, was found in China. Similar outstanding representatives of the mushroom kingdom have been found here more than once since 2007. But a half-ton giant like this had not been encountered until 2010. Yes, and it was discovered by chance during a study of tree mushrooms in the forests of Hainan Island, because for about 20 years it grew underground and remained unnoticed for a long time.

During a routine walk along forest paths, Canadian residents caught the eye of this 26-kilogram handsome man, who also became a fashion model.

A specimen weighing 20 kilograms and almost 70 centimeters tall was discovered in 2007 in Mexico among coffee trees. And two years earlier, a similar giant weighing only 28 kilograms was found on a coffee plantation in the USA. They are also called giant rows and ten-kilogram specimens no longer surprise anyone.

Macromycete from China

This giant, weighing 15 kilograms, was also of an unusual shape, as if on its single leg there were a hundred small mushroom caps, up to a meter in diameter. The species of this fungal organism, so eccentric, has not yet been determined.

A lucky mushroom picker from Italy carried this giant, weighing 14 kilograms, on his shoulder with great difficulty. If not for the car, it is unknown how he would have gotten home. Doubly lucky. The fungus even turned out to be edible, and in order to eat it, we had to call our neighbors for help.

Was found in Perm region. Half-meter handsome man, hat in 1.72 meters diameter He weighed more than 12 kilograms, but they say that they have met more, almost 20 kilograms. Of course, the mushroom is edible, but it has served science because it is no longer young and is not as tasty as those that are much younger. By the way, this is the largest mushroom found in Russia. And it is absolutely certain that in the previous mushroom season nothing grew in this place. And in 2011, this giant grew among fellow raincoats, who were only slightly smaller than it.

White mushroom

Once “Moscow Radio” reported in live about a completely extraordinary find that can amaze the imagination and arouse the envy of any mushroom picker, even the most experienced one. This delicious miracle weighed almost eleven kilograms, and the diameter of its cap reached almost 60 centimeters. It is a pity that there is no information about the place of discovery, only the year 1961 is known. But one thing is clear for sure. For a mushroom picker, such a find is true happiness. About nutritional beneficial properties boletus is known to everyone, here he will leave behind any edible mushroom that is known to man. And that makes such a find even more valuable.

This is what they call the lacquered tinder fungus in China, a huge specimen of which weighs seven and a half kilograms and has a diameter of more than a meter was discovered in Hezhou. A real find for Chinese medicine. It was not in vain that it received the name “mushroom of immortality” for its remarkable ability to enhance immunity and has been actively used for more than two thousand years.

This find in southern Italy can be considered the most expensive mushroom. If the owner had sold this unique seven-kilogram beauty, he would have earned a lot, because there is no more expensive than mushrooms than truffles. But the family enjoyed the fried delicacy.

In certain areas of the country searches white truffle, the rarest and most coveted food ingredient in the world, is handled by dogs specially trained for it and only three last month year. And from time to time there are giants weighing up to two kilograms, most often sold at auctions and tens of thousands of dollars are paid for them.

He was found in the Tomsk region. A 28 cm leg held a giant's hat 36 centimeters in diameter. And he weighed 2.4 kilograms. And given his parameters, he wasn’t even wormy.

He grew up in the garden, where his owner discovered him when the rainy season ended. Handsome, weighing just over two kilograms and with a hat reaching 46 centimeters in diameter. In general, just touching such a mushroom is enough for it to break and stop growing.

And yet, it is quite rare to come across mushrooms of truly impressive size. And then the lucky one will notify the world about such luck.

Mushrooms are a special form of life that combines the characteristics of plants and animals. Among them there are record holders for height and weight. Biologists believe that giant mushrooms are not an anomaly. Any mushroom can become a giant if it grows in favorable conditions. And oddly enough, most of the largest mushrooms are edible, which by some miracle did not end up in the mushroom picker’s basket and were not eaten by animals.

The list includes the largest mushrooms in the world, which became known to the media.

weight 2 kg

Opens ten large mushrooms. The record holder was discovered by a young gardener, Terri Hodson-Walker, after the rainy season. The width of the giant's cap was approximately 46 centimeters, and he weighed 2 kilograms. After the discovery, the girl decided to submit an application to the Guinness Book of Records so that the macromycete would be officially recognized as the largest mushroom in the world. The scientific name of the discovered mushroom is Calvatia gigantea. This is an ordinary raincoat that can be found almost all over the world. This type can reach colossal sizes, but often becomes a victim of forest animals who are not averse to feasting on the raincoat.

Boletus from Russia weight 2.4 kg

Another contender for the title of the largest mushroom in the world was discovered in the Tomsk region. Local mushroom picker Alexey Korol found a giant boletus mushroom in the forest near his village. The diameter of the giant mushroom cap was 36 centimeters, and the height of the stem was 28 cm. The weight of the record holder was 2 kilograms 400 grams! As the Rossiya TV channel noted, this is not some mutant alien from outer space, but common boletus, not even wormy.

Lingzhi from China weight 7.5 kg

The found huge lacquered tinder fungus, or as it is called in China - (Ganoderma lucidum) - weighs 7.5 kg and its diameter is 107 cm. The find was discovered in one of the provincial Chinese cities of Hezhou. This mushroom belongs to the genus Ganoderma, which has been used in Chinese medicine. It is also called the “mushroom of immortality.” Lingzhi is believed to boost immunity due to active compounds called polysaccharides, which can increase the activity of white blood cells. The impressive size and weight of the tinder fungus allow it to occupy one of the rankings of the largest mushrooms in the world.

Raincoat from Russia weight 12 kg

The largest mushroom in Russia is found by mushroom picker Vladislav Grabosinsky in the fall of 2011 in the Perm region. The diameter of the giant's cap was 1 meter and 72 centimeters, and the height was about half a meter. The weight of the find exceeded 12 kilograms. Biologists do not consider this find to be rare. Raincoats grew in size and reached 20 kg in weight. Puffballs are eaten when they are still young. Since it was too late to eat the giant, Vladislav took him to the Department of Botany of Perm University for study. This edible miracle was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Champignon from Italy weight 14 kg

In Italy, a kind of record was also recorded. A huge champignon, weighing approximately 14 kilograms, was found by Francesco Quito, a resident of the province of Baria. Despite the fact that the mushroom was discovered near the village, Francesco could hardly carry it on his shoulder, so he had to use a car. The mushroom turned out to be unspoiled and edible. I had to call my neighbors to eat such a giant.

Macromycete from China weight 15 kg

A giant one was discovered in the Chinese province of Yunnan, weighing 15 kilograms. The mushroom not only turned out to be huge, but also had unusual shape. Outwardly, it resembled a hundred small mushroom caps growing on one stem! The diameter of the cap reached almost 1 meter. Scientists have not yet determined what species the eccentric fungal organism belongs to.

Macrocybe Titans from USA weight 20 kg

If we talk about traditional macromycetes in the usual sense, then the leader in size can be called, which grows in the Caribbean countries and the USA. In one of the southern Mexican states in 2007, a specimen was found whose mass was 20 kg and height - about 70 cm. However, this find is not the only one. In 2005, in the United States, Mexican biologist and mushroom specialist Rene Andrade came across the same mushroom, which also grew on a coffee plantation, and its weight was a whopping 28 kilograms. Such large sizes make this macromycete the object of close attention of the scientific community.

Macromycete from Canada weight 26 kg

Canadian macromycetes they can also compete in size. Canadian resident Christian Therrien discovered a raincoat weighing 26 kilograms. A man discovered a mushroom while walking with his son in the forest. The Canadians were amazed by their discovery and admitted that they had never seen such large raincoats in their lives. They took the mushroom home and had a photo shoot with it.

Fomitiporia ellipsoidea from China weight 500 kg

Another mushroom, found and studied by Chinese mycologists, grew 10.85 meters in height with a cap width of 82-88 cm. Scientists believe that this outstanding representative of the mushroom kingdom has been growing for at least 20 years. The giant tinder fungus with the world's largest fruiting body was found on Hainan Island in 2010, and has now been studied and classified. The brown monster turned out to be a perennial tree fungus - a representative of the species. One of the authors of the discovery, Yu Cheng Dai, from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, says that he and his colleagues first found solid specimens of the same mushroom in Fujian province back in 2008. But still, those macromycetes were not as large as the giant from Hainan. Interestingly, the authors of the study did not deliberately look for the record holder, but simply studied the diversity of tree fungi in the forests of the island. “None of us ever imagined that a mushroom could grow so huge,” says Professor Dai. “We didn’t recognize him right away in the forest because he was too big.” Biologists estimated the volume of this mushroom to be 409-525 thousand cm3, and its weight to be approximately 500 kilograms. Discovered by scientists, F. ellipsoidea grows underground, so it went unnoticed for a long time and was able to grow to such an impressive size.

Armillaria ostoyae from USA weight more than 600 kg

The first line of the ranking is occupied by the largest mushroom in the world, which mycologists discovered in the relict forests of the USA. It is considered the largest living creature on the planet. This giant belongs to the Armillaria family, whose representatives have been known for their size for quite some time. Most of this living organism was underground; only small mushrooms could be clearly seen on the surface. The name of these macromycetes is otherwise called honey mushrooms. One such honey fungus fits easily in the hand and is not too noticeable. But its mycelium, which is a single organism, occupied 880 hectares of area in the Oregon National Park! Its tentacles are located underground and entangle an area equal in size to 1665 football fields. The mycelium has been growing throughout Oregon forests for about 2,500 years, destroying the root systems of trees in its path. That is why this macromycete is considered the largest on the planet.

Mushrooms combine characteristics of plants and animals. Among them there are record holders for height and weight. Any mushroom can become a giant if it grows in favorable conditions. Biologists believe that giant mushrooms are not an anomaly. And oddly enough, most of the largest mushrooms are edible, which by some miracle did not end up in the mushroom picker’s basket and were not eaten by animals.

10. Calvatia gigantea from England (weight 2 kg)

Discovers ten large mushrooms Calvatia gigantea from England. The record holder was discovered by a young gardener, Terri Hodson-Walker, after the rainy season.

The width of the giant's cap was approximately 46 centimeters, and he weighed 2 kilograms.

After the discovery, the girl decided to submit an application to the Guinness Book of Records so that the macromycete would be officially recognized as the largest mushroom in the world.

The scientific name of the discovered mushroom is Calvatia gigantea. This is an ordinary raincoat that can be found almost all over the world.

This species can reach colossal sizes, but often becomes a victim of forest animals that are not averse to feasting on the raincoat.

9. Boletus from Russia (weight 2.4 kg)

Another contender for the title of the largest mushroom in the world is the boletus from Russia, discovered in the Tomsk region.

Local mushroom picker Alexey Korol found a giant boletus in the forest near his village. The diameter of the giant mushroom cap was 36 centimeters, and the height of the stem was 28 cm. The weight of the record holder was 2 kilograms 400 grams! As the Rossiya TV channel noted, this is not some mutant alien from outer space, but an ordinary boletus, not even worm-eaten.

8 Lingzhi from China (weight 7.5 kg)

The found huge lacquered tinder fungus, or as it is called in China - lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) - weighs 7.5 kg and its diameter is 107 cm. The find was discovered in one of the provincial Chinese cities of Hezhou. This mushroom belongs to the genus Ganoderma, which has been used in Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. It is also called the “mushroom of immortality.” Lingzhi is believed to boost immunity due to active compounds called polysaccharides, which can increase the activity of white blood cells. The impressive size and weight of the tinder fungus allow it to occupy one of the rankings of the largest mushrooms in the world.

7 Raincoat from Russia (weight 12 kg)

The largest mushroom in Russia is the raincoat, found by mushroom picker Vladislav Grabosinsky in the fall of 2011 in the Perm region. The diameter of the giant's cap was 1 meter and 72 centimeters, and the height was about half a meter. The weight of the find exceeded 12 kilograms. Biologists do not consider this find to be rare. Raincoats grew in size and reached 20 kg in weight. Puffballs are eaten when they are still young. Since it was already too late to eat the giant, Vladislav took it to the Department of Botany of Perm University for study. This edible miracle was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

6 Champignon from Italy (weight 14 kg)

In Italy, a kind of record was also recorded. A huge champignon, weighing approximately 14 kilograms, was found by Francesco Quito, a resident of the province of Baria. Despite the fact that the mushroom was discovered near the village, Francesco could hardly carry it on his shoulder, so he had to use a car. The mushroom turned out to be unspoiled and edible. I had to call my neighbors to eat such a giant. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle

5 Macromycete from China (weight 15 kg)

A giant macromycete weighing 15 kilograms was discovered in the Chinese province of Yunnan. The mushroom not only turned out to be huge, but also had an unusual shape. Outwardly, it resembled a hundred small mushroom caps growing on one stem! The diameter of the cap reached almost 1 meter. Scientists have not yet determined what species the eccentric fungal organism belongs to.

4 Macrocybe Titans from USA(weight 20 kg)

If we talk about traditional macromycetes in the usual sense, then the leader in size can be called Macrocybe Titans, which grows in the Caribbean countries and the USA. In one of the southern Mexican states in 2007, a specimen was found whose mass was 20 kg and height - about 70 cm. However, this find is not the only one. In 2005, in the United States, Mexican biologist and mushroom specialist Rene Andrade came across the same mushroom, which also grew on a coffee plantation, and its weight was a whopping 28 kilograms. Such large sizes make this macromycete the object of close attention of the scientific community.

3 Macromycete from Canada (weight 26 kg)

Canadian macromycetes can also compete in size. Canadian resident Christian Therrien discovered a raincoat weighing 26 kilograms. A man discovered a mushroom while walking with his son in the forest. The Canadians were amazed by their discovery and admitted that they had never seen such large raincoats in their lives. They took the mushroom home and had a photo shoot with it.

2 Fomitiporia ellipsoidea from China weight 500 kg

Another mushroom, found and studied by Chinese mycologists, grew 10.85 meters in height with a cap width of 82-88 cm. Scientists believe that this outstanding representative of the mushroom kingdom has been growing for at least 20 years. The giant tinder fungus with the world's largest fruiting body was found on Hainan Island in 2010, and has now been studied and classified. The brown monster turned out to be a perennial tree fungus - a representative of the species Fomitiporia ellipsoidea. One of the authors of the discovery, Yu Cheng Dai, from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, says that he and his colleagues first found solid specimens of the same mushroom in Fujian province back in 2008. But still, those macromycetes were not as large as the giant from Hainan. Interestingly, the authors of the study did not deliberately look for the record holder, but simply studied the diversity of tree fungi in the forests of the island. “None of us ever imagined that a mushroom could grow so huge,” says Professor Dai. “We didn’t recognize him right away in the forest because he was too big.” Biologists estimated the volume of this mushroom to be 409-525 thousand cm3, and its weight to be approximately 500 kilograms. Discovered by scientists, F. ellipsoidea grows underground, so it went unnoticed for a long time and was able to grow to such an impressive size.

1 Armillaria ostoyae from the USA, weight more than 600 kg

The first line of the ranking is occupied by the largest mushroom in the world, which mycologists discovered in the relict forests of the USA. It is considered the largest living creature on the planet. This giant belongs to the Armillaria family, whose representatives have been known for their size for quite some time. Most of this living organism was underground; only small mushrooms could be clearly seen on the surface. The name of these macromycetes is Armillaria ostoyae or otherwise they are called honey mushrooms. One such honey fungus fits easily in the hand and is not too noticeable. But its mycelium, which is a single organism, occupied 880 hectares of area in the Oregon National Park! Its tentacles are located underground and entangle an area equal in size to 1,665 football fields. The mycelium has been growing throughout Oregon forests for about 2,500 years, destroying the root systems of trees in its path. That is why this macromycete is considered the largest on the planet.