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mushrooms-1 mushrooms-2 mushrooms-3

Some facts:

  • I have some Basil growing in a pot, for the past 7-8 months, with some Thyme right next to it.
  • Last week some mushrooms grew on the soil in-between them and under the Basil.

What I know:

  1. These mushrooms are only the fruiting body of the underground Mycelium present in the soil, and probably came with the soil itself.
  2. Mushrooms feed on dead organic matter.
  3. These mushrooms probably grew due to high-moisture and convenient temperature - possibly caused by over-watering of the pot.

What I am not asking:

This question is not about the mushroom, its identification and / or classification. For the purposes of what I am asking - this is a toxic mushroom species.

What I am asking:

I am asking about the Basil plant (or the Thyme).

Assuming the mushrooms touched the Basil (or Thyme) leaves - can the Basil (or Thyme) still be consumed safely?

If not - is trimming the leaves that came in contact with the mushrooms, and getting rid of the mushroom safely safe, or should the whole plant be treated somehow?

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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orangesomethingorange
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  • it depends on the type of mushroom, because some mushrooms are symbiotic and improve plant values, and others are parasitic, and will kill them. – black thumb Jul 15 '18 at 16:45

1 Answers1

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You can avoid eating any leaves you think might have been sitting against the mushrooms, otherwise they should be perfectly safe to consume after washing, its the mushrooms themselves you shouldn't eat. I am, though, curious regarding what mushroom you believe this to be...and is the second photo of a mushroom the same mushroom shown at the top, just a few days later, or a completely different mushroom?

Bamboo
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  • Hi, sorry I missed this one... just seeing now. Yes, the mushroom shown in the second photo is the same one shown in the first photo, only several days later - after the plant was deprived of water. I'm never really quite sure about the genus of the fungus, and I've seen some fungi experts (at universities) make mistakes telling them apart not once. I usually do the same as you've advised, and completely avoid eating mushrooms, or plants they've been in contact with, that I'm not sure that were grown for eating purposes. I know some people, though, who freely eat them from the ground. – orangesomethingorange Sep 08 '20 at 13:48