Fairy Ring

fungi · nature mystery · mushrooms

Mushroom circles. Fairy rings are rings or arcs of mushrooms that pop up in forests, grasslands, and fields. They're completely real and created by fungi growing underground.

Underground roots. You see the mushrooms in a circle, but the real action happens below ground. Threadlike fungal roots called mycelium spread outward under the soil, creating the ring shape.

Huge rings. Some fairy rings grow to over 33 feet across, which is bigger than a school bus is long. They can keep growing bigger over many years as the fungus hunts for more food underground.

Green grass marker. You can spot a fairy ring even without seeing mushrooms because the grass grows dark green and thick in a ring shape. This happens because the fungus enriches the soil with nutrients.

Magical name. People in old times didn't understand what made these perfect circles, so they thought fairies or elves made them at night. Today we know it's just fungi doing what fungi do best, spreading outward to find food.