Catskill Fungi Mural
The story of the Mural:
It was a long-held dream to paint a mural on the side of this white cement building that stood out like a blank canvas, waiting for something fun and whimsical to liven up the NY-28 corridor from the side of the Catskill Fungi commercial kitchen. At first, we imagined the Catskill Witch of local folklore, stitching rainclouds from spider webs, with mushrooms growing underneath. Ultimately, we decided to represent the fungal diversity of the region from which Catskill Fungi has grown, branching out like mycelium from a tiny spore of a company to a fruitful business and thriving community of mushroom lovers and learners. After months of planning with Lady Pink and weeks of painting, our mural painters, Chloe Moss (Mosbacher) and Matt O'connor, brought our vision to colorful fruition.
From left to right, the mural transitions from winter to spring to summer to fall, depicting common mushrooms of the Catskill Mountains that fruit throughout the seasons. In the winter, you can see black Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) growing as parasitic sclerotia on birch trees. Just below it is an orange jelly fungus which could be Dacrymyces chrysospermus on a coniferous tree, or Tramella mesenterica ("Witches Butter") on a deciduous tree. Both species are edible when cooked, and make a delicious addition to soup.
On a nearby tree stump, the beloved Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) may fruit in frilly layers throughout the year, with healing properties as varied as its colors. Other shelf mushrooms or "polypores" (poly=many, pores=spore-bearing surface) grow from the side of standing trees, including the common Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis betulina) and the Tinder Polypore (Fomes fomentarius), historically used as wound dressings and fire starters respectively.
Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), a common mushroom sold at farmers markets, are represented here in their original habitat, growing from a tree to the right of the stream. The stream represents the life blood of these mountains and of the fungi, whose "fruiting bodies" (mushrooms) are 90% water. Also included is the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), my favorite flower due to its resiliency and outstanding health-promoting properties. The roots, leaves, and sunny flowers of this plant are all useful; it is a potent ally for your liver or digestion. My main myco-mentor, Gary Lincoff, also shared my affection for dandelions.
There's an American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) peaking out around a tree covered in one of our first spring edible mushrooms "Pheasant's Back Mushroom" (Cerioporus squamosus). It grows in the spring around the same time as the prized Morel Mushrooms (Morchella esculenta) which occur under the luckiest apple trees in the Catskills around the time those trees are blossoming.
As spring gives way to summer and the dandelion heads let their seeds go, Chanterelles and Boletes burst forth in delicious delight. The Reishi/Ling Zhi/Mushroom of Immorality (Ganoderma tsugae) grow slowly on hemlock stumps bringing many medicinal compounds for people and the forest. White puffballs appear in the fall under this fruiting apple tree and below ground an insect larvae is being parasitized by a Cordyceps mushroom (Cordyceps militaris). This mushroom has been harvested and made into tea to improve energy and stamina. Our stout, orange mushroom with white milk coming from the yellow gills is a particularly important mushroom. "Peck's Milk Cap" Lactarius peckii which was originally described by NY native Gertrude Simmons Burlingham in 1908. She named this mushroom for Charles Horton Peck, New York State botanist for 48 years (1867-1915) who described over 2,700 species of fungi in North America. This mushroom is currently our proposed official New York State Fungus.
As the mural fades to fall the white cascading pom-poms on the tree are Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus). Also known as Bear's Head, this delicate mushroom grows on beech trees and is excellent for brain and nerve function, with a taste and texture reminiscent of crab meat. On the far right, a big bouquet of brown is the prized Hen-of-the-Woods or Maitake (Griflola frondosa) this delicious mushroom occurs with a wide variety of trees but primarily oaks. Prized as both a culinary and medicinal mushroom, maitake is known for its flavor and texture on the dinner plate, as well as its immune supporting properties and its ability to modulate blood sugar.
Around the side of the building is the popular Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria var. guesowii). You've run after this mushroom in Super Mario Bros. You've sent it to your friends as an emoji. Its stories span throughout human history from SOMA to Santa Claus. It can be poisonous or medicinal. Many varieties of this mushroom are red, but our Catskill Mountain species is a deep orange, with warts on its cap that are the remains of its universal veil.
Thank you to all of the Catskill Fungi community that helped to make this mural possible.
Want to learn more about these mushrooms? We invite you to come learn with us at a Catskill Fungi mushroom event! Check for the walks and events that meet at the Mural.
Click here to watch the time lapse of the painting of the Mural.
Check out the Mural in the News.
Visit the Mural at 8553 NY-28 Pine Hill, NY 12465
While we do not staff the kitchen regularly, you are welcome to pull in and take photos. We love seeing who drops by when people tag @CatskillFungi in their posts.