My mother used to talk about a wood/tree that glowed in the dark called fox fire.anyone know what it is?

Question

She said that at night, her brothers would put a piece of it outside of her and her sisters bedroom door so that it looked like there was a fire in the house and scare the girls.I just wondered if anyone knew of the type of tree it was.

Answer 1

THERE IS A HONEY COLOURED FUNGUS ARMELLUS WHICH GLOWS ON OAK/YEW WOOD AND LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A FIRE ON AND IT FRIGHTENS FOX AWAY IF KEPT NEAR THE GATEWAY OF THE HOUSE, USUALLY IN THE FOREST REGION.

Answer 2

It is wood (often oak) infected with honey fungus Armillaria mellea. The fungus, when the outer sheathing of its black rhizomorphs are removed, is luminous,emitting light when exposed to air (oxygen). Mediaevel barns were said to be lit by bunches of the fungal rhizomorphs, and it is believed that magic wands derive from use of the infected wood in witchcraft. There are many species of luminous fungi in the world, some luminous in all parts, others only in their spores, or stems, or stipe (stalk), and some a much stronger light emitters than others. Some, including honey fungus, are extremely sensitive to pollutants and may emit more, or less, light when exposed to them so they are being developed and used as a biosensor.

Answer 3

I have never heard of fox fire "trees".

I've heard people speak of fox fire regarding "lights" in the woods.
The only unscientific explanation that I had ever heard that it was "gases" of some sort that formed and glowed at night.

Never heard any satisfactory answers and never saw it.

Always heard about "it" moving. Wonder if a swarm of lightening bugs could be the answer?

Answer 4

Never heard of it, My mother used to always talk about some tree money grew on, I never saw that either...

Answer 5

firefox is the glowing created by the fungus on the wood

Answer 6

I don't think such a thing exists