Why Does Mold Come in Different Colors?

1/25/2016 (Permalink)

Moldy orange.

After extensive research on the subject of the different colors of mold, this topic appears to be enigmatic. Scientists have come up with several different reasons why mold comes in such an array colors but can’t seem to nail down one over the other. There is a good chance a number of things are influencing the color of any give mold.

Colors of mold for example, vary regionally. The colors in the Pacific Northwest tend to be more green and blue whereas oranges appear more often in the Amazon. Some molds secrete pigment known as melanin that can act as a barrier to protect them against other rival molds. Other studies indicate that the color of this particular fungi comes from its food source, genus, conditions under which it grows and it’s age. While all of these things do contribute in some way, shape or form, mycologists (scientists that study mold) still haven’t been able to pinpoint one single reason why this mysterious fungi comes in all colors of the rainbow to this day!