Hi there! I’m Maisy and welcome to… the Fruit & Root Crew!

With my friends, we’re on a mission to uncover some of the stories behind our hero seasonal food – from juicy fruits to veggies with va va voom. 

Now, here’s some fun-gi facts about the healthy and helpful humble mushroom!

Mushrooms grow all year around, but moisture loving mushies often seem to pop up in the misty autumn.

Did you know you can grow your own mushrooms too? Look out for fun kits in garden centres. 

The Mighty Spore!

Mushrooms don’t grow from seeds – they grow from spores, which are so tiny you’d need a microscope to see them. Each mushroom can release millions into the air! The bit you see above ground is just the fruit.  It’s underground where the real fungus lives as a web of threads called mycelium – these can spread for miles and miles. It connects trees and plants, helping them share nutrients… so you could say it’s the ‘world’s woodland web!’

The largest mushroom ever is a honey mushroom in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest – it covers about 3.7 square miles. It’s considered the largest single living organism on Earth and some say it could be up to 8,000 years old.

One mushroom – many names.

Button, chestnut and portobello mushrooms might look different – but surprise… they’re all the same species called ‘Agaricus Bisporus’. The baby white button is picked early, the brown chestnut grows a little longer, and the big, flat portobello is the mature version. Their flavours deepen as they age – that’s why portobellos are so “meaty.”

Nature’s very own recyclers!

Without mushrooms, forests would be buried under piles of old leaves and logs! Fungi are nature’s decomposers, breaking down dead plants and trees into nutrients that feed new life.

Super-Fast Growth Spurt

Mushrooms can grow faster than almost any living thing on Earth! Some can double in size overnight if the conditions are right – that’s moist, dark and cosy. Instead of growing cell by cell like we do, mushrooms inflate quickly by filling their cells with water, like tiny balloons. That’s why they seem to magically pop up after rain. Fairy rings – circles of mushrooms on lawns – are made when mycelium,  grows outwards in a perfect ring.

Super Mushroom!

Some mushrooms are real-life superheroes! The oyster mushroom can break down nasty stuff like oil, plastics and even chemicals in polluted soil. Scientists call it mycoremediation – using fungi to clean the planet. These mushrooms release enzymes that turn toxic waste into harmless matter. Imagine forests of fungi quietly cleaning the Earth while we sleep. The oyster mushroom doesn’t just taste good – it helps save the world!

Funghi Far and Wide

Mushrooms are global travellers! They’re grown in at least 70 countries, and the common white mushroom is the most popular of all.  China grows more mushrooms than any other nation, but the UK loves them too – over 30 species are eaten here. Mushrooms are packed with vitamins B and D, and that savoury “umami” flavour chefs love. They’re low-fat, healthy, and super sustainable – the perfect planet-friendly food.

Murderous Mushrooms

Some mushrooms are delicious… but others are deadly! The death cap looks innocent but is one of the world’s most poisonous fungi – just one bite can be fatal. It attacks the liver and can’t be cooked safely. That’s why mushroom picking is for experts only! The good news? Most mushrooms are harmless and helpful – but it’s important to never eat mushrooms you might find in the wild.

Nature’s Fairy Lights

Some mushrooms literally glow in the dark! Bioluminescent species like the Jack-o’-Lantern shine with a greenish light thanks to a special chemical reaction – the same type that makes fireflies glow. Scientists think the glow might attract insects to help spread their spores. In tropical forests, glowing mushrooms turn the night floor into a magical lantern show.

Spores in Space

A single mushroom can release millions of spores, lighter than dust! They float on the wind, ride raindrops, or cling to insects to reach new homes. Once they land somewhere damp, they grow into new mycelium – and the cycle begins again. Some spores have travelled miles on air currents, and scientists have even found fungal spores floating in the upper atmosphere

More Magic from Mushies

Mushrooms aren’t just for dinner – they’re for discovery!  Scientists use fungi to make antibiotics like penicillin, eco-friendly packaging, and even mushroom leather. NASA’s experimenting with using fungi to grow building materials for future Mars missions – imagine mushroom houses on Mars! They’re living proof that the fungi kingdom is full of surprises and might even shape our future on Earth and beyond.

Click here to find some fab Mushroom recipes

And remember to collect the Crew’s activity sheets

THE MORRISONS FRUIT & ROOT CREW – EXPLORING OUR SEASONAL FRUIT AND VEG. FIND OUT MORE AT MORRISONS.COM