I've got a little cycad plant (cycas revoluta) potted in a deep 8 inch deep pot. Today I noticed there were mushrooms growing from the bottom of the pot (little brown ones, not sure what kind). So is my cycad in danger of being diseased? I used such a deep pot to let the roots grow down, but perhaps using such a deep pot has allowed the fungus to thrive? so heres some questions: 1) despite the cycad not looking like its dying, is it in threat of dying? 2) would repotting the cycad in new soil solve any problems with fungus? 3) should I just spray it with a fungicide? 4) is it possible this is a case of commensalism?
It's likely getting watered too often (they can go almost dry a lot of the time, esp. in winter) and not nearly enough light (mushrooms love the dark). What is commensalism? Don't spray it with anything, let it dry out more, get it into much better light and scrape the mold off the pot. If you repot in future (be careful not to overpot at all, and don't mess with the roots) add a bunch of grit to the mix.
commensalism's classic case is a ramora and a shark, neither really affect each other's existence even though they hang out together. maybe I have been watering it too much. However there is enough light. The mushrrom was poking up through the drainage slit in the bottom of the pot.
Hmmm and I thought that was called symbiosis - or is it a more specific term meaning they neither ask for nor get anything (food) from each other, but still hang out (on)? Something absolutely gross happened to us last year - we had a blind rabbit's 'home' in the family room corner, where he could run around on newspaper covered galvanized trays, etc. as well as in his 2 storey cardboard 'house'. There was hay all over (within a large fence) and water got spilled on the papers, etc. (as well as the odd pee, and one day I was cleaning up and found mushrooms growing straight out of the (mushy/stinky) newspaper.. dead white, narrow caps, looking like poison on a stick. Needless to say we changed the set-up, but it was a horrible experience!
1) unlikely 2) nope 3) dont waste your money 4) probably :) if the fungus hasnt killed the plant, and the plant is showing no adverse effects from its lodger than i would think just leave it be. if it does snuff it, be sure and let us know Oo
Ya, Ramoras just eat leftovers and hang around for the ride. Commensalism, parasitism, mutualism are form of symbiosis, but when they both help each other its called mutualism.
