Did you ever figure out where to get luminous mushrooms at? I would *LOVE* to line my wood path with jack-o-lantern for those late night jaunts :)

Just a hunch, but I doubt they will be "glowing" bright enough for you to see them with the naked eye. I think I read somewhere that it takes extended time-lapse photography to detect their luminescence?

There are fungus species with fruiting bodies that are bright enough to easily see with the naked eye, but you're not likely to get any of them to grow in your house or your yard....ceratinly unlikey that you could line garden paths with them or any such thing. One common luminescent species (well, the mycelium sometimes glows -- "foxfire") would be particularly undesireable in your yard as it damages trees -- Armillariella mellea, the "Honey Mushroom."

CACO- why wouldn;t I be able to grow them? I only want a few in a tray/pot or something... I'm not trying to line paths with them (though that would be cool!) We could get acess to a Biology lab if needed as well. My friend mentioned kits they sell for this, but I haven't looked at it yet.

Mushies need a certain consistency to fruit. You won't likely be able to reproduce it in such a manner as to fulfill your wants. For example (and just an example) they will need shade, humidity, moisture and a specific food. Next, they can be quite fickle and hard to predict outside.

We can grow them indoors with a lot of predictibility (just ask the 40+ mil a year industry) because we control the environment. Oustide Mother Nature controls the environment. So given you provide everything you can, you would probably end up with a few here and a few there for only short sporadic times (couple days). Of course, the air is FILLED with spores of mold and other fungi. You could place spawn and do everything else perfectly, but still end up with another species of mushie growing - or just mold. Imagine a giant bed of bread. If left alone it will soon be green.

Better yet, imagine trying to grow ginko trees from seed in a forest of walnuts. The walnuts already have the land, have seeds in the soil, are preparing A LOT more seeds, and spew chemicals to prevent other trees from taking space from their babies. They have evolved into that space and climate. With effort you will get some gingko trees to grow- but you'll have a lot more walnut volunteers for sure.

It's not that what you are seeking is impossible, just highly unlikely you will get the effect you are seeking. I grow several varieties in outdoor beds, with GREAT SATISFACTION and SUCCESS, but they are not roses and I cannot count on blooms in june. And if I wanted a lot of full and hearty meals, I would have to grow them indoors in a controlled climate.

Sporeworks.com, with whom I have no affiliation, offers spores or cultures luminescent fungi for sale. You'd be better off growing some indoors for novelty purposes. You'd be best off going to fungiperfecti.com (also no affiliation) and ordering some of Stamets' excellent books on the topic.

I hope you do cause it is a killer hobby. I hope I didn't dash your dreams- maybe a few nights of few sporadic mushies with low glow would tickle you pink. If that's the case you may do okay.

You know, I'm really really sorry for that long post when you specifically said you only wanted a few in trays or pots. My bad.

Welllll, that's more feasible for sure. You could get a few spawn bags going and later put them out when fruiting.

Still, they aren't plant. Go to sporeworks or any other site that offers a SYRINGE and a GROW BAG that has been STERILIZED. (caps aren't for insulting an intelligence, but making sure you don't end up a bag of crap and a spore print) Then, while your awaiting the arrival, head on over to shroomery.com. *******it is a site that condones and encourages production and use illegal mushrooms******** but it is a site with A LOT OF GOOD INFO for any type of "grower". :)

I would be interested to hear about your results.

Bobcat,
Thanks for all your suggestions, I'm glad to have found someone who knows about this stuff. I'm probably just going to grow a couple of the mushrooms inside. They have a bunch kits and stuff on sporeworks.com for specifically luminous mushrooms. The kind I want to try growing is Panellus stipticus; it's also the only kind I could find for sale. Do you know how much these actually glow? Can you really see them glow much once they become slightly mature or is it a very, very faint almost invisible glow the can only be seen in pitch black rooms?

Thanks!

Here's the URL to a bag I might buy: http://www.sporeworks.com/xcart/catalog/Edible-and-Medicinal-Spawn-Starter-Kits-Grain-Based-MycoBagTM-p-16243.html

From what I've read, the glowing will be visible in complete darkness...after your eyes adjust. Evidently not all populations of this species luminesce.

I suppose this involves growing mycelium in agar, then innoculating a wood medium, which will need to be sterilized first, etc...then some process to get the chunk of mycelium to fruit.

I was unaware that this species luminesced. Sounds like it's not much more difficult to cultivate than oyster mushrooms.

Cool. Not likely to light your garden with it, but it will make for an interesting science project, and the techniques you learn can be used to cultivate some edible mushrooms. Pleurotus ostreatus is easy and is highly underrated, if you ask me...delicious.

hi there!

i hope this forum is not totally dead, as i have become inspired to experience the foxfire myself. i live in a very swampy moist area, so i have high hopes. in fact, my area is so wet and surrounded by water that i battle against mold and shrooms in my house just growing naturally!

well, the night photos ive seen of the gills of the panus stipticus - bitter oyster are really astounding.

i would like to create a garden of foxfire mushrooms.

any news of persuits of luminscent gardens would be much appreciated...

cheers,
david