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Shared February 19, 2026
The red goblet fungus (Sarcoscypha coccinea),
Winter mushrooms have found a way to grow in the middle of winter: it's slower, but they have weeks or even months to spread their spores. And apparently, that's a good survival strategy.
This week I came across the most beautiful color you can find in winter: the scarlet red of the red goblet fungus.
Special
Red goblet fungus are true winter mushrooms.
They appear when it gets cold, sometimes as early as November, and disappear by mid-March.
Although the fruiting bodies are not drought-tolerant, experiments have shown that the mycelium can withstand drought well and even produce fruiting bodies again up to ten years later under favorable conditions. It appears that goblet fungus infects living branches, decomposing the wood tissue during favorable (moist) periods. Only after the branches have fallen and are permanently in a moist environment, often becoming covered with moss, do fruiting bodies begin to form on the branches. This process continues every year until the branch is completely decomposed.
Snails, springtails, and insect larvae love to feed on them. Perhaps the red color plays a role in attracting these creatures. As soon as the weather warms up, the goblet fungi will disappear like snow in the sun.
