Leucocoprinus birnbaumii

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (also known as the yellow houseplant mushroom) is a small saprotrophic mushroom with an easily identifiable, bright yellow cap. It has a finely striated and powdery surface, the powder itself pale sulfur yellow. The free gills and stipe are slender and fragile. A short-lived species, the mushroom may appear suddenly and disappear after just a few days [1][2].

The fruit body grows in rich, organic soils such as mulch, compost or potted soil, where it does particularly well in warm and humid environments. The species is native to tropical regions, but has become widespread around the world, appearing unbidden in greenhouses and on houseplants. While commonly known as the "houseplant mushroom", Leucocoprinus birnbaumii is really a wild decomposer, albeit one often encountered on houseplants. It helps break down and recycle decaying plant matter, and is considered an indicator of fresh, decomposing organic matter in soil [3][4][5][6].

Ecologically, Leucocoprinus birnbaumii is a minor player that recycles carbon, improves soil structure, and helps maintain microbial diversity in both agricultural and disturbed habitats [4][5][6][7]. The mushroom also shows that the natural world of fungi blurs the line between human habitations and wild habitats. Forest processes are occurring in our gardens and under our pots as well.

[1] Assyov, Boris. “Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (Agaricales: Basidiomycota), Attractive Yellow Houseplant Mushroom Revisited After 100 Years.” Acta Mycologica 55, no. 1 (2020): 1–8. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342164477

[2] Ahn, Jee Young, et al. “Rapid Dereplication and Identification of the Bioactive Constituents from the Fungus, Leucocoprinus birnbaumii.” Natural Product Communications 10, no. 1 (2015): 21–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X1501000124

[3] MushroomExpert.com. “Leucocoprinus birnbaumii — MushroomExpert.com.” https://www.mushroomexpert.com/leucocoprinus_birnbaumii.html

[4] Mushroom-Appreciation.com. “Yellow Mushrooms in Potted Plants (Everything You Need to Know).” https://www.mushroom-appreciation.com/yellow-mushrooms.html

[5] Zombiemyco. “Yellow Houseplant Mushroom (Leucocoprinus birnbaumii).” https://zombiemyco.com/pages/yellow-houseplant-mushroom-leucocoprinus-birnbaumii.html

[6] EHouseplant. “Decoding Yellow Mushrooms: Your Houseplant’s Fungal Friends.” https://ehouseplant.com/decoding-yellow-mushrooms/[7] Ultimate-Mushroom.com. “Leucocoprinus birnbaumii: The Ultimate Mushroom Guide.” https://ultimate-mushroom.com/inedible/16-leucocoprinus-birnbaumii.html