We had a stretch of rainy days in Brooklyn in August 2024. If April showers bring May flowers, then what do August summer showers bring? I had not thought much about the question until I looked down at a tree pit. There, I found my answer: Summer showers bring mushrooms.
While I know that I took this photograph on August 11, 2024, I am sad to say I do not remember precisely where I took it other than that it was in Brooklyn in the broader Brooklyn Heights-Carroll Gardens area. This is a very striking mushroom. It has a rich brown color and texture. It grows out of a tree and appears to be working on consuming a concrete brick (I would not bet against it, given enough time). When I find a notable mushroom, I am curious as to its identity. Recall that I sought opinions regarding the identities of several Brooklyn mushrooms I photographed in the summer of 2021. My photo of this mushroom was clean enough that I figured sending it to Google and Yandex might lead me to an answer. Indeed it did. It appears to be a reishi mushroom of some sort. I know those are used for tea – but I did not know one could find them in random Brooklyn tree pits (not that I would necessarily gamble on consuming any particular wild mushroom). With that being said, I would not recommend consuming anything found in or adjacent to a New York City tree pit, which are much loved by dogs and their owners, but this (likely) reishi mushroom shows that you may occasionally find something photogenic if you keep your eyes peeled.
