Fairy Rings

Fairy rings can be caused by many different species of fungi but the mushroom fungus, Maramius oreades, is the most common organism responsible for fairy rings in both turf grass and pasture. The first sign of fairy rings may be a ring of mushrooms followed by rings of darker green grass with an inside border of dead grass. Small tan-coloured mushrooms usually develop on the outer border of the ring especially during rainy weather or later in the season. A great deal of folklore surrounds fairy rings. Fairy ring folklore can be found through out Europ, each having some element of metaphysical or magical undertones.