Spalted Wood: Fungal Decorations

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Food, clothes, hats, funeral garb, environmental aid, and even potential for houses are all mushroom topics that have been covered here before. There’s more, though. Spalted wood has come to be coveted by woodworkers all over for its unique beauty. The varied colors and contrast, which make for eye-catching goods of all kinds, are caused by mushrooms infecting the tree.

What is Spalting?

When mushrooms start to colonize trees, they damage the wood in various ways. This causes new designs to show up on the wood. There are three different types of spalting: pigmentation, zone lines, and white rot. Each one has a different effect on the tree. 

How Do Mushrooms Create Spalted Wood?

There are several different mushrooms that cause spalting, including the Beef Steak Polypore. Each mushroom changes the tree in different ways, leading to different types of spalting. 

• Pigmentation is caused when the mycelium starts to digest the cell walls in the wood, leaving its own colors behind. The colors in the wood vary between yellow, green, red, blue and combinations where individual strains meet. Although the other types of spalted wood occur almost exclusively in hardwoods, pigmentation is found in both hard and soft woods.
• Zone lines are caused by two different mushroom strains fighting over the tree. The lines are essentially walls built around their camps to keep the enemy mycelium from taking hold in their territory. 
• White rot spalting is caused by the mycelium consuming the lignin of the tree, which holds its color. This causes blotchy spots that look like they have been bleached.  

Uses of Spalted Wood 

Since the coloration and patterns of spalting are caused by damage to the wood, it’s not recommended for use in projects that will need stability. For decorative pieces, however, the mushroom lines are in high demand. Bowls and vases are a couple of the more popular uses, but things like guitars are sometimes also made with spalted wood. 

Making Spalted Wood

Making spalted wood is a simple process, but be prepared for it to take plenty of time. Basically, you’ll need to introduce mushroom spores to your wood and keep it damp enough to allow the spores to grow. As they colonize the wood, you’ll be able to see the spalting patterns. It takes at least six weeks for decent spalting to appear. 

Who would’ve thought beauty could come out of mushrooms attacking a tree? Of course, the mushrooms play a part in the tree’s demise while adding their characteristic markings. Still, though, increasing the aesthetic of wood is an additional amazing feat pulled off by something often considered boring.