#Mushroom spore art how to#

#Mushroom spore art how to#

Knowing how to make and work with spore prints is a must for any aspiring mycologist. It’s crazy to think that a spore print can contain thousands, even millions of spores in a single print. Mushroom spore prints are the patterns of spores left on a flat surface such as paper, foil, or glass. This powder is exactly what we need to create a spore print. When a mushroom releases its spores, they form a fine powder on the surface of the mushroom. Spores are typically dispersed to new environments through the air by wind currents as well as through animals and other living organisms. Spores come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors depending on the species of mushroom. When a mushroom reaches maturity it releases spores from its gills which are located underneath the cap of the mushroom. In order to truly examine them, you must look at the spores through a microscope.

Have you ever noticed dark-colored staining below and around a mature mushroom fruiting body? These are mushroom spores. The human eye can only see the colors of spores, and only when they are clumped together by the thousands. They are the propagative element of a mushroom and they enable the fungus to reproduce and disperse itself. Mushroom spores are the reproductive microscopic cells of fungi.

In this guide, you will learn how to make long-lasting contamination-free mushroom spore prints. Making your own spore print is a relatively simple process, although it does require patience and a bit of experience. Spore prints have other functions as well such as identifying different mushroom species and making decorative art. Spore prints are essential to the mushroom growing process, their most important function is mushroom propagation, which is accomplished by introducing spores to a growing medium.