Wild mushrooms abound in woods and along trails. A nature walk in the right area can yield half a dozen different types of the fungus, each one different in appearance and texture. But you can’t partake of every mushroom you see when you’re out camping or hiking. Here’s a quick guide to identifying wild mushrooms that are safe to eat.
Tips for safe collecting:
Buy a regional field guide for the area you like or prefer to camp in. This will have information focused on the mushrooms you’re likely to encounter rather than overwhelm you with information not relevant to your location.
Take two baskets with you when collecting mushrooms, one for positively identified edible ones and the other for questionable picks. You can make a positive ID later, and you won’t get sick from just touching the mushrooms.
Learn the signs for identifying the genus of a mushroom. Different types are indicated by factors like the stem, a spore point, what surface the mushroom gowns on, and the stem base.
Do eat:
Chanterelle
These have a golden-yellow, leafy top and a peppery, peachy flavor. They grow in small clusters on hardwoods like oak trees, and can be found on the east coast of the US in the summer and fall, or from September through February on the west coast.
Morel
Ranging in color from cream to almost black, morels have a distinctive, honeycombed head. They grow throughout the US except for Florida and Arizona. They are found most frequently in April and May.
Lion’s Mane
Also called a pom-pom, these bulbous fungi have a unique taste that is often compared to seafood. They are found growing on hardwood trees in late summer and early fall, especially beech trees. They can grow as high as 40 feet up the tree trunk.
Stay away from:
Destroying Angel
Fabulous name, but deadly if consumed. In their budding stage, the Angel looks much like the common button mushroom found in grocery stores.
False Morel
Often mistaken for the edible morel mushroom. Both of these have a wrinkly, spongelike head on a smooth stem. False morels, however, have a cotton-like substance inside the stem while the edible morel will be symmetrically hollow. This image shows a true morel just to the right of the larger false morel.
Jack-o’-lantern
These look very similar to chanterelles. Peel the stem; if the inside is orange, you have a jack-o’-lantern. Chanterelle stems have a paler interior than the outside.
Now that you’ve read our list of wild mushrooms that are safe to eat, check out our list of 5 edible bugs and roots.
Featured Image from Timothy Dykes/Unsplash
