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What to See Currently at The Arboretum

Shaggy Mane (Coprinus comatus) mushroom
Photo by Alison Maxwell

poisonous Amanita mushroom being eaten by a slug
Photo by Alison Maxwell


Hypsizygus tessulatus
Photo by Alison Maxwell

Mourning Dove nesting in “Happy Cloud” statue outside Arboretum Centre
Photo by Chris Earley

Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Learn About Fungi
by Alison Maxwell, Interpretive Naturalist Intern

It’s getting to be that time of year again.  The squirrels have been out in full force collecting food, the days are getting shorter and the fall fungi are starting to appear!  On Wednesday August 11th we had our Wednesday Night Walk at the Arboretum on “Fascinating Fungi” and it was a big hit.  There were a good number of participants out for the program and they seemed to learn a good deal about fungi and have a great time doing it.  For example, did you know that fungi are not plants or animals but have their very own kingdom of life that is separate from other organisms?  Did you know that you likely consume fungal products on a daily basis, and that mycorrhizal fungi are essential to efficient forest growth?  Well now you do, and now is also the perfect time to learn more about these amazing and often beautiful organisms.

Late summer is the perfect time to start getting interested in fungi because it is in late August that the majority of the gorgeous mushrooms and polypores start to fruit.  In the fall you can walk along just about any trail in a wooded area and find a plethora of alluring mushrooms to appreciate.  They come in all different sizes, shapes and colours and are a nature photographer’s best friend.  Because of their textures, shapes, colours and general beauty they are attractive to the camera (or camera-less observer) to begin with, but fungi are also the perfect nature photography subject because they don’t move!  This allows you to get amazing shots of them without needing an amazing camera, special equipment or lots of photography experience. Just remember to use your macro setting!

Fungi are also great to get to know because many of them are not only edible but delicious as well!   It’s fun, rewarding and very tasty, but no collecting in The Arboretum!  Please note: while eating them can be a delightful option, I would strongly suggest that the beginner stick to photography and general admiration.  WARNING: The consequences of eating the wrong mushroom can range from merely unpleasant, to completely lethal.  So, unless you can have the mushrooms identified by someone that really knows their stuff (and even then I would double check this in a good mushroom field guide), observing is a better idea than tasting.   Incidentally, there are places you can visit around Guelph in the spring where you can go on an edible mushroom hunt with an expert so you can taste some of your finds.

In the meantime, though, if you are interested in learning more about these intriguing organisms, The Arboretum will be hosting a Mushroom Workshop on October 1st or 2nd.   It will be run by naturalist Richard Aaron who is completely full of mushroom names and natural history facts.  Richard will teach you how to identify mushrooms through a guided walk in The Arboretum followed by a classroom learning session. There will also be a mushroom walk led by Richard at Algonquin Provincial Park on September 1st if you want to start your fall mushroom hunt off early.

Whether you decide to take a mushroom workshop, buy a field guide and go searching, or just keep your eyes open while you are walking along a trail, I encourage you to appreciate these intriguing organisms and keep an eye out for them this fall.  There is always more to learn about nature, and in my experience, it gets more interesting all the time.

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Plant Sale

Join us Saturday, September 11, 2010 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. for our Annual Auxiliary Plant Sale.  The sale is at the R.J. Hilton Centre on College Avenue East.  This promises to be one of our best sales ever with an eclectic selection of edibles, herbs, hard-to-find native plants and unusual exotics. This year the sale boasts hundreds of varieties of perennials and over 90 species of woody plants. The Arboretum plant sale is known for its extremely affordable prices with people lining up from across the province for the chance to take a unique plant home with them so come early for the best selection. Check our website soon for a listing of the plants that will be available at the sale.

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Wednesday Evening Walks

Join us for our final Wednesday evening walk of this year.  The walk will begin at our J.C. Taylor Centre at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 25, 2010.  The cost of the walk is $2 / person and children under 5 are free.  The walk will run until approximately 8:30 p.m.  This week’s walk is on Storytelling and a complete description is available on our website .  These walks are supported by The Gosling Foundation.

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Wall Custance Memorial Forest Dedication

Christmas Parties

Looking for a great place to hold your Christmas Party?  The Arboretum can accommodate up to 150 people for lunches or dinners.  We still have a few good dates available … book soon before they are gone.  For further information please contact Barb Watson – Ash , Marketing and Bookings Co-ordinator at extension 54110 or check out our website .  All catering is provided by Hospitality Services , University of Guelph.  For further information on the catering please call extension 53350.

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Workshops

Below is a list of our upcoming workshops at The Arboretum.  A detailed description of each course is available on our website .  Help us promote our programs … please forward this e-mail onto your friends and colleagues who may be interested.  The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

To register please call 519-824-4120 ext. 52358.
Please note that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants.  You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

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What to See Currently at The Arboretum

• 3 young short-tailed weasels were on the fence by the J.C. Taylor Centre on Wednesday July 14th, 2010
• A female deer with 2 fawns have been around for a couple of weeks
• Lots of praying mantids in the field by the J.C. Taylor Centre
• There is a mourning dove nesting in the ‘The Happy Cloud’ statue outside the Arboretum Centre.
• Black and yellow garden spider was seen Thursday August 12th, 2010
• A few voles were seen on Thursday August 12th, 2010
• A very tiny Sorex shrew was spotted on Friday August 13th, 2010
• The squirrels are out foraging in abundance in preparation for winter.
• In The Gardens: Black-eyed Susan, phlox, daylily, Sneezeweed, Sedum 'Strawberries and Cream', and Monkshood (English Garden); and Japanese Anenome (Porter Japanese Garden).
• In the Gosling Garden, to name a few: Butterfly Bush, Garlic Chives, Ironweed, Virgin's Bower, White Snakeroot, Dense Blazing Star, and a magnificent stand of Cup Plant in the Native Plants Garden.

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The ARBORETUM
Ontario Agricultural College
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON
N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 ext. 52113
Fax: 519-763-9598
e-mail: arbor@uoguelph.ca
www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum