Xanthoria wall belongs to the genus of lichens. They, in turn, are a hybrid combination of fungus and algae. Therefore, this mysterious organism cannot be fully called either a plant or a fungus.
Xanthoria wall lichen is a yellowish or orange outgrowth, most often rounded. For its color, it received its second name "goldenberry", although the xanthoria is yellow only if it grows on the sunny side of the tree, in other cases the lichen has a grayish-green color.
Where does he live?
Xanthoria parietina, the scientific name of the lichen, grows almost throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is especially common in temperate deciduous forests. On coniferous trees, xanthoria also sometimes appears, preferring dried branches. The wall xanthoria loves rotten, already dead trees, and sometimes even settles on a stone surface - boulders and rocks. Apart fromnatural environment, you can see this lichen on old wooden houses and fences.
What does it eat?
All the nutrients necessary for their life, the goldenrod gets from the air, water vapor contained in it and those droplets of water that remain on the surface of the lichen after rain. Xanthoria does not parasitize on a tree in any way, that is, it does not use the resources of the plant to maintain its life. Therefore, if xanthoria has appeared on your garden trees, do not be alarmed and do not rush to try to remove it by all means - it is absolutely harmless to the plants on which it lives. For xanthoria wall they are only a habitat.
How does it reproduce?
On the photo of wall xanthoria, special departments are visible, in the deepening of which lichen spores ripen. They are carried by the wind or carried by various insects, such as ticks that feed on goldenrod. Reproduction, like growth, in xanthoria is very slow. So, for a year, the body of a lichen increases by only 1 mm of area.
Benefits and harms
As already mentioned, wall xanthoria does not parasitize plants, therefore it does not harm them. However, if lichen has appeared on a wooden structure, then this may be a sign that it is starting to rot. In this case, goldenrod can contribute to the process of decomposition of wood, because because of it, sunlight does not fall on a rotten place, moisture does not evaporate- Wood deteriorates faster.
Extremely little is known about the beneficial properties of xanthoria. In ancient times, lichens were actively used in medicine, doctors of that time treated with them those organs whose shape they resembled. Of course, over time, practice has shown that this method is not effective.
Later, an attempt was made to use xanthoria as a cure for jaundice, perhaps the reason for this was the color of the lichen. The experiment also failed.
Dyes and even cosmetics were made on the basis of xanthoria, but these ways of using it for economic purposes did not justify themselves and remained in the distant past. Currently, Xanthoria parietina has no practical use, although research is ongoing to discover the beneficial properties of the lichen.
However, do not think that xanthoria is a completely useless product of nature. It is a valuable and nutritious food for animals in the cold winter. Moose, deer, hares often peel off lichen from the bark of trees to feed themselves in famine years, because over the summer it has accumulated enough useful substances to ensure life.
Also, lichens, including xanthoria, can help a lost traveler determine the cardinal points and find his way home. Zolotnyanka, like her other brethren, prefers the sunny, southern side of the tree, stone on which she settled for her habitat. If xanthoria grows on the entire surface, then its color will become a guide for you - from the south it will be yellow or orange, from the north it will be much paler or even gray.
Cleanliness thermometer
Due to the fact that lichens in general are very resistant organisms to adverse environmental conditions (they easily tolerate heat and frost, easily cope with drought, and react negatively only to the anthropogenic factor), they began to be used as bioindicators. The lichen is placed in an environment in which they want to reveal the negative impact of economic activity. If he dies, this means that the harmful influence of man on nature has been detected and it is urgent to restore the ecological situation in this place so as not to aggravate the situation even more.
Natural beauty
Nature is the best artist, sometimes she creates real masterpieces. Just look at the photo of Xanthoria parietina, or goldenrod! These colorful lichen growths with bizarre, ornate patterns are eye-catching. And people are more creative, they also inspire creativity. The latest fashion trends urge us to take a closer look at natural motifs, things made from natural materials. The trend is jewelry made from what Mother Nature gave us. Therefore, in stores you can see various pendants, brooches, earrings, inlaid with the same wall xanthoria! Its pieces look good under glass or in amber. Such an original jewelry will take its rightful place in the jewelry box of any fashionista. Or maybe you can do something unusual with your own hands using this improvised material. Even if you are still far from creating jewelry masterpieces, take into service whatthat wonderful crafts will turn out from the xanthorium. You can make them with your children by telling them an informative story about lichens beforehand.
