Fairy Rings

As the dry conditions of late summer cause lawns to turn light green (before changing to brown) I've noticed dark green circles, some with mushrooms, start to appear in the lawn at our barn. Unlike the crop circles of England, these are fairy rings, also known as fairy circle, elf circle, elf rings or pixie rings.




Fairy rings are caused by soil-inhabiting fungi breaking down organic matter, such as old tree stumps and roots, in the soil. As the fungus feeds on the decomposing organic material nitrogen is released which the grass uses, causing it to grow and develop a contrasting green ring. A ring or arc is caused by the fungus feeding on the organic material until it consumes the material. To continue growing, the fungus must spread outward from the a central starting point and towards nutrients. As the fungus moves outward from the central starting point, a ring is formed.



Multiple rings can be formed, but the ring will stop and not cross another ring because nutrients have been consumed in the inside of the ring.



Sometimes the mushrooms are visible on the outside edge of the ring and the dark green grass on the inside of the ring,

Several dead trees had been removed from this area of the lawn a few years ago and the fungus is feeding on the old tree roots.