Mushrooms growing in poop is an image many of us are familiar with. The iconic red mushroom cap popping up from a pile of dung is practically embedded in our cultural psyche. But is this mushroom myth or fact? Do fungi actually fruit from feces?
The short answer is yes, some mushrooms do indeed grow in poop under the right conditions. But the relationship is more nuanced than you might expect
Why Do Mushrooms Grow on Poop?
Mushrooms don’t actually eat poop or derive nutrition directly from manure. Instead they feast on the bacteria microorganisms, and organic matter decomposing the manure.
Here’s how it works
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Mushroom spores land on fresh animal dung. This provides a prime habitat for germination.
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As bacteria colonize and begin breaking down the poop, the mushrooms grow dense webs of mycelium.
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The mycelium secretes digestive enzymes onto the poop. This releases nutrients.
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The mushrooms absorb the soluble nutrients, allowing them to fruit and grow.
So while mushrooms grow on dung, they consume the nutritious byproducts of the mini ecosystem decomposing the poop. The manure provides the ideal moist, nutrient-rich, microbe-filled substrate.
What Mushrooms Grow in Poop?
Several mushroom genera contain “coprophilous” (dung-loving) species that can fruit from poop under the right conditions.
The most famous is Psilocybe cubensis, the psychedelic “magic mushroom.” This mushroom often fruits in cow patties in humid, tropical areas. The spores survive the cow’s digestive system and germinate in the nutrient-rich dung.
Other coprophilic mushrooms include:
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Panaeolus – Psychoactive mushrooms in the same family as magic mushrooms. Grow in cattle and equine manure.
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Coprinopsis – The ink cap mushrooms. Some species grow in herbivore dung.
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Plicaturopsis – Unusual cup fungi with caps splitting into star shapes. Found on moose and horse manure.
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Conocybe, Galerina, Pholiotina – Small brown saprotrophic mushrooms common in pastures and dung.
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Bolbitius – Primarily coprophilous mushrooms similar to the lawn mushroom Conocybe apala.
In total, around 10-20% of mushroom species produce fruiting bodies from poop. But most can also grow on other decaying organic substrates.
Why Don’t Mushrooms Grow in Human Waste?
You likely won’t find mushrooms growing from human feces. Our digestive system makes it very difficult for mushroom spores to survive and colonize.
Here are some of the obstacles:
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Acidity – Stomach acid kills most spores before they can pass through.
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Composition – Human waste contains less plant material and more bacteria.
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Temperature – Cooler than animal dung and less insulation for spores.
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Environment – Modern management like sewers prevents spores from accessing feces.
While not impossible, conditions need to be just right for mushrooms to fruit from human poop. Ruminant dung offers far more hospitable habitat.
Mushroom Farming Doesn’t Use Poop
You won’t find any poop on commercial mushroom farms! Instead, meticulously formulated substrates and composts provide ideal fruiting conditions.
These substrates contain:
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Plant materials like straw, sawdust, hulls for nutrition.
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Nitrogen sources such as seed meals, feather meal, and gypsum.
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Coco coir or peat for moisture retention.
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pH buffers like limestone.
The substrates are carefully composted and pasteurized before use. Mushroom spawn is then introduced in very controlled conditions to encourage large, consistent yields.
While manure can be used in small amounts, it is not a primary ingredient in mushroom farming. The inconsistent nature of poop makes standardized cultivation difficult.
The Takeaway
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Mushrooms can absolutely grow in poop under the right conditions.
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However, only ~10-20% of mushroom species grow exclusively on dung.
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Mushrooms don’t actually consume the manure. They absorb nutrients from microbes decomposing it.
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Cow patties offer ideal habitat, but mushrooms can grow on any decaying organic matter.
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Human waste is less hospitable for mushrooms due to acidity, temperature, and environment.
So while the imagery of a mushroom sprouting from poop is iconic, the reality is far more complex!
Rotting, composting, or fermentation?
The manure heap can be broken down in 3 ways:
- Rotting: due to the moisture in the manure heap, plant residues in the manure rot. This makes the manure heap sloppy, causing a lot of odor.
- Composting: plant residues in the manure are broken down by heat, causing the manure heap to shrink. This causes the manure heap to lose CO2, nitrogen, and methane gas. Manure heaps can reach temperatures of 60-80 degrees Celsius inside, for proper composting, the manure heap should be turned regularly so that air can enter. Worm eggs and other parasites remain active in this pile and can therefore cause recontamination in the land. Also, a compost heap causes a lot of problems with flies and odor.
- Fermentation: This form of conversion can be compared to making sauerkraut. Bacteria control the digestion of the manure and plant material in an acidic environment, this happens at a lower temperature (about 30-40 degrees) so that nutrients are not lost. Effective microorganisms (happy bacteria) are needed for this process, resulting in easily absorbable fertilizers for the land. And an additional advantage: fewer problems with flies and worm eggs do not survive the low pH of the fermented manure heap. In fermentation, you do not need to turn the manure heap, just add effective microorganisms regularly.
Conclusion: mushrooms help in the conversion
A mushroom is a fungus that grows from the undigested food residues in the manure. This is not a problem at all because they help clean up the residual products in the manure. And mushroom growers are not for no reason so fond of horse manure (with straw), mushrooms grow extremely well there. It is therefore very logical that mushrooms like to grow on the manure heap. Mushrooms thrive on slightly acidic soil, so you can also come across them on a fermented manure heap.
#MagicMushroom cow dung battle. Psilocybin growing in the wild. The reason #Hindu worship cows?
FAQ
Do mushrooms appear in stool?
Similarly, the consumption of mushrooms, such as Agaricus bisporus, can lead to undigested food in stool.
Are mushrooms grown in manure?
For example, Agaricus mushrooms are commonly grown in well rotted horse manure or a synthetic compost, while wood mushrooms such as shiitakes are grown on logs. If you want to grow Agaricus mushrooms then you should obtain some fresh horse manure and mature it by composting.
Why is a mushroom growing in my bathroom?
Bathrooms frequently have high humidity levels, particularly after showering or bathing, and poor ventilation, which can produce a damp, stagnant environment that mushrooms adore. Bathrooms are often damp due to water use, and moisture is necessary for mushrooms to thrive.
Do mushrooms grow in poop?
Perhaps the best known mushroom-in-poop is the psychedelic variety Psilocybe cubensis This “magic mushroom” is found growing in cow dung, particularly in humid, tropical areas The spores pass through the cow’s digestive system unharmed, allowing them to germinate in the nutrient-rich manure. However, P. cubensis does not grow exclusively on poop.
Are mushrooms good for health?
Mushrooms are an excellent source of selenium and vitamin D. They are low in calories, fat free, cholesterol free, gluten free and very low in sodium. It is also rich in B2, B3, B5, ergothioneine, copper, potassium and beta glucans. B vitamins help in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism and nervous system. Mushrooms have beneficial effects in improving the immunity, could suppress the growth of breast and prostate cancer and weight management.
Do mushrooms eat poop?
Mushrooms don’t actually eat poop. They don’t consume nutrients from manure the way plants would. Instead, mushrooms break down and digest complex organic matter through excreting digestive enzymes. Their food source is the bacteria, microbes, and other organic material colonizing the poop.
Do mushrooms grow in cow poop?
While mushrooms may grow in cow poop, they do not originate from it. The process starts with fungal spores, which are microscopic reproductive structures produced by the mushrooms themselves or other fungi. These spores are dispersed by various means, such as wind or animals, and can land on different substrates, including cow poop.
Why do mushrooms poop?
Poop just happens to provide ideal moisture, nutrients, and spore germination conditions. So next time you see an iconic mushroom on poop image, know that this symbiosis is more nuanced than it appears. The fungi are actually feasting on the bacteria decomposing the poop, not the manure itself! Where do Portobello Mushrooms Come From?
How do mushrooms Digest poop?
Instead, mushrooms break down and digest complex organic matter through excreting digestive enzymes. Their food source is the bacteria, microbes, and other organic material colonizing the poop. Mushrooms derive nutrition by absorbing the byproducts left behind as this mini ecosystem decomposes the manure.