Ericaceous transplants: Mycorrhizae question.

[truffler1635 at my-deja.com]

In article <Titj4.990$e56.41716 at monger.newsread.com>,
  "Mike the Tree Doctor" <mlamana at bestweb.net> wrote:
> Folks:
>
> General question re: subterranean biology of ericaceous transplants.
>
> In a nutshell do such plants as Oxydendrum, Gaylussacia, Artcostaphylos,
> etc. have mycorrhizal associations with sensitive fungal species??
>
Yes. Many mycorrhizal associations are species specific, meaning you may
need to ask the question at lower levels.
> I ask because over the years I have had a HECK of a time getting these
> plants to establish after being dug, and I've run the gamut of pH,
> temperature, digging protocol, soil amendments, yadda yadda. This last
> hypothesis is that the soil fauna do not being moved, or that they are slow
> to re-colonize or achieve compensatory growth of mycelia.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
I have cultivated only one mycorrhizal fungi with _some_ erinaceous
plants: Scleroderma sps. This species seems to cross-over lines, and can
sometimes be collected under rhododendron. I _think_ some species of
Alpova may also be involved with Heath family host plants, but have not
found them myself. Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) _does_ form mycorrhizae
with many fungi, including matsutake (and perhaps Rhizopogon
sunrisensis), but little collecting has been done in that area to my
knowledge.

So, the best I can do is tell you that Scleroderma laeve, S. hypogaeum,
S. areolatum, S. citrinum can form mycorrhizae with some erinaceous
species. It is easy to grow, but is also poisonous (and therefore not
cultivated very often). <g>

Scleroderma sps. are widely mycorrhizal: I have collected samples under
rhododendron, Italian oregano, Italian spruce-pine, Red alder, chestnut,
Douglas fir, Lodgepole pine, Grand fir and other plants. I can't
guarantee it will help with the above genus though.

Daniel B. Wheeler
www.oregonwhitetruffles.com
> Thanks to all for all your help - as always :)
>
> --
> Mike the Tree Doctor
> www.treedoctors.com
>
>


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