By Monty Siekerman
Drew Mowery, 2, sits among a display of large mushrooms in the 200 block of West North Avenue last week (they have since been mowed down).

He's the son of Eric and Jessica Mowery. Wanting to know more about the mushrooms, the Ada Icon turned to Curtis Young, Ph.D., who lives not far away.

He has seen the mushrooms pop up in the yard for many years and could readily identify the variety and tell us something about it. In fact, they also grow in his yard.

He is Extension Educator for Van Wert County.

Curtis wrote:
"The mushroom's common name is the Green-spored Parasol Mushroom (Chlorophyllum molybdites.  It is a very common mushroom in Ohio.  It is called the green-spored parasol because it produces a green spore.  

"Although it looks like a meadow mushroom (dark chocolate colored spore producer), it is not an edible mushroom.  It is not a deadly mushroom, but it will make consumers of the mushroom sick.

"Just an additional comment, mushroom poisoning only comes from eating the flesh of the mushroom not from handling it."