What a find this afternoon. Looking around and seeing this brilliant color, I was sure someone had been using a can of bright blue spray paint. It didn’t seem possible to find this color in nature. And certainly not a fungus. But for sure, it was a fungus I was seeing, growing on a downed, quite thick grape vine.

A quick Google search and I found what I was looking for. This is indeed something of nature. Cobalt Crust Fungus (Terana caerulea). A saprobic crust fungus. A saprobic fungus is one that feeds on dead or decaying woody plants. These fungi are wonderful for our environment, breaking down wood and other debris in forests, helping to create healthy soil, making nutrients available for plants and animals in the woods.

I still can’t get over that color. So bright and beautiful.

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