North Shore Lichens & Mushrooms
The diversity of North Shore terrain and the proximity of cold, moist Lake Superior lead to a great diversity of microhabitats in which lichens and mushrooms thrive.
A selection of North Shore Lichens & Mushrooms
Rocks looming. Waves crashing. Gulls pooping. Put all three together on the North Shore and you will very likely see this Elegant Sunburst Lichen (Xanthoria elegans). It grows on the surface of rocks and concrete. It is one of the most common lichen species on the North Shore, and research suggests that it requires the fertilizer of gull excrement to grow. Consider it an ambassador to humans from the many hundreds of other, more obscure lichen species.
Sugarloaf: The North Shore Stewardship Association · Copyright 2012