If you’ve been spotting the amanita mushroom in and around Vancouver, you’re not alone. These highly photogenic fungi are taking locals by storm.
Amanita muscara looks like something you’d find in Super Mario Bros.
Fly agaric, a species of amanita inspired the designs of some mushrooms in the Super Mario franchise, including Toad’s head.
But unlike Mario, ingesting these mushrooms will not cause you to grow bigger. Instead, it will lead to some “quite unpleasant” consequences, according to Mary Berbee, a professor of botany at UBC.
Residents have been sharing sightings of the mushroom all over BC, including Vancouver Island and around Vancouver proper.
These were in Tofino On Vancouver Island. Amanita parking only. pic.twitter.com/GY7lsV1J3n
— FaustianPact🇺🇸🇦🇫 (@PactFaustian) October 23, 2024
“You’ll notice they pop up almost every year around mid-October in Vancouver,” Berbee told Daily Hive.
“They’re beautiful, elegant, and their mycelium is good for trees.”
Last week, Reddit was filled with numerous threads where people showcased their photos of amanita muscaria in the wild in Vancouver.
We are doing amanita photos now? Better than rainbows.
byu/lutherdriggers invancouver
“How come I never find cool mushrooms like this,” one Vancouver Redditor lamented.
“They’re so cute,” another user said.
Berbee told us more about why these mushrooms are good for nature.
“They’re mycorrhizal, which means that their underground mycelia are using sugars from the trees to produce mushrooms. In exchange, the mycelium benefits the trees by bringing mineral nutrients to roots. Amanitas are especially common underneath city oaks, hornbeams, and birches, which support their fruiting.”
While touching one isn’t dangerous, eating one can cause some interesting effects, which include gastrointestinal distress and hallucinations.
“Apparently, the consequences are quite unpleasant, although not usually life-threatening.”
Berbee has some advice for people who encounter these eye-catching mushrooms.
“Look at them without eating them. The Amanita muscaria are a lovely and beneficial part of our fall outdoor biodiversity.”