Come into the backwoods and I’ll show you something absolutely magical. Fungi abound in this neck of the woods, but this bracket fungus is doing something I’ve not seen others do. It’s crying.
These tears may look like raindrops, but they cover only the fungus, not the surrounding area, except for where they’ve dripped below and discolored the moss. Present on one of the oldest, tallest spruce trees in the yard, one can only wonder what could have caused tears to appear on this Red-belted polypore.
Red-belted polypores are thought to hold anti-bacterial, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties by native and oriental cultures. If this is so, can you imagine what pharmacological mysteries their exudate droplets hold? Since this old spruce tree reigns in a stand of smaller firs and magical Rowan and Elderberry trees, some whimsical wonder must surely be at the bottom of this.
Could this bracket fungus serve as an awning to a fairy door entrance into another realm? An awning, perhaps, which sheds tears of joy when visitors arrive on the doorstep and tears of sadness when they depart. One can only wonder.
For more information on bracket fungi and their exudate droplets, see Red-Belted Bracket Fungi
This post is written in response to Karma’s ‘In Want of Whimsy’ Challenge. Deadline for submissions is June 22nd.
Text and photographs copyright Amy-Lynn Bell 2014
How absolutely fascinating! And what a perfect response to Karma’s Whimsy Challenge.
I love the fairy door, by the way… did you put that there for your grandchildren? (Whispering) May I ask if it has ever … um … been opened from the inside? … you know… by … um … fairies…?
Thanks Reggie. I created the fairy door last fall with input from my mom while she was here for a visit. It was a bit of whimsy for the sake of whimsy itself at the time.
Has it ever been opened from the inside? Oh, I do hope so 🙂
Giggle… I’d *looove* to have a peek inside. Maybe, the next time you see it standing open…?
It is lovely to do such fun, magical things with one’s little ones.
Reggie, I think I would do such things regardless of whether there were little ones around 😉
What a wonderful response to Karma’s call for whimsy! I love the little fairy door. There is a rumor going around that the fairies are going to install one in my house just in time for a visit from my granddaughters. I’ve heard that they need to paint it and then it will be ready to install. 🙂
Robin, these fairy doors are such an enchantment aren’t they? I’m sure your granddaughters will love the one at your place once it’s installed. Not sure what my grandsons make of this type of thing. The oldest is skeptical and the youngest finds more wonder and mystery in fungi than anything else.
Very cool! I love the imagery of the bracket fungus shedding tears of joy and sorrow for the guests. Thanks for the link to my post!
Glad you enjoyed the post btweenblinks 🙂
I found your post about the bracket fungi and their exudate droplets very helpful in confirming what I had discovered in my backyard.
I think “tears” sounds so much more magical than “exudate droplets” 😉 Love the lil’ door.
I do too Sybil. We’ll check out the door when next you visit 🙂
How adorable! “Whimsy for the sake of whimsy itself” – I love it!
Karma, whimsy is wonderful. Thanks for the challenge.
Oh yes, this tree must be magical to provide a perfect awning over the fairy door. I love the moss on either side of the door, a lovely fairy lawn. Perhaps the tears keep the lawn watered…
Barbara, perhaps they do. Lovely thought 🙂
Strange phenomenon – a weeping mushroom! Who would ever have thought? xo
Stacy, I think there’s more to fungi than first meets the eye. They’re a pretty amazing life form.
Enchanting and magical blog. The pictures are great and what about this “Tears of the Fairy Tree”‘s title ? I loved reading it and imagining… Very interesting information about this weeping mushroom too. Thank you Amy-Lynn.
Isabelle, so glad you enjoyed this blog post. Mushrooms in their many forms certainly spark the imagination.
I missed this while we were downstate celebrating my dad’s 80th birthday. Yes! It’s a portal to another world. I have never seen anything like it. Therefore, perhaps it’s a specific portal for YOU. There is a fairy buzzing around (it could be a mosquito) who is saying something like that.
Kathy, I do hope it’s a fairy and not a mosquito buzzing around. A portal to another world sparks the imagination. Imagine a world without black flies, mosquitoes or ticks to worry about!
[…] from Flandrum Hill was the third post and found a little whimsy out in nature. I loved the idea of imagining just what could be found on the other side of that […]
Thank you Amy-Lynn! After reading your great post here, I went in search of more information about your weeping fungus and found this amazing resource from the U.S. Forestry Service… http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_nrs79.p
P.S. Hope your fairies made it through the winter safely; )