What is a Fairy Ring Mushroom?
A fairy ring is a mushroom growth habit which tends to occur in areas with evenly distributed nutrients. One particular type of mushroom, the edible Marasmius oreades, is heavily associated with fairy rings, leading many people to call it the fairy ring mushroom. However, wild mushroom collectors should exercise caution, since technically any mushroom species could form a fairy ring. Since many mushrooms are not so pleasant to eat, mushroom foragers should rely on several visual cues before collecting and consuming mushrooms which grow in a fairy ring.
