In temperate climates around the world, late summer and autumn are the fruiting seasons for wild mushrooms. From dainty chanterelles to big boletes, forests and woodlands offer up a few edible species, plus many more that are best regarded as exotic flowers of the woods.
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi that live in rotting wood and other organic materials. The gills shed microscopic spores, which may grow to form new colonies. Many species live in close association with certain trees, and the extensive underground networks maintained by mushroom mycelium may be part of the forest’s secret underground messaging system. Fruiting fungi are essential for the late stages of the decomposition of trees, which is why you often see mushrooms popping up in hardwood mulch or even potting soil.
![Wild oyster mushrooms]()
In the wild, oyster mushrooms are always found on rotting wood. This cluster grew on a poplar stump
4 Tips For Identifying Wild Mushrooms
Most wild mushrooms are not edible, but all are beautiful and interesting. When identifying wild mushrooms, here are the four field marks that require attention.
1. Habitat: Where was it growing? Near pines, hardwoods, or in the open? On a rotting tree stump, or scattered on the ground?
2. Body Parts: Take a photo of an entire specimen, including the base, stem and cap. Flip the mushroom, and take a close up of the gills and how they attach to the stem.
3. Smell: Clip the cap from the stem with scissors or a sharp knife and smell the flesh. Some species have distinctive odours, others don’t.
![Amanita mushroom spore print]()
Suspecting that the spores would be white, I made a spore print of an Amanita mushroom on black paper
4. Spore Print: Place the cap, gill side down, on a clear glass plate or a piece of paper. Let it sit overnight to make a spore print. Mushroom spores vary in colour from yellow to white to black, and knowing the spore colour is essential to identifying wild mushrooms. A hand magnifying glass is useful for studying gill patterns, especially how they attach to the stem or base.
Even with these basics in mind, identifying wild mushrooms is complicated. Often I find that I skip over some detail that later proves important, like the texture of the stem, or the smell of the raw flesh. Still, solving mushroom mysteries is fun!
![Similar-looking edible and toxic mushrooms]()
Choice chicken of the woods (left) and poisonous Jack o’ Lanterns (right) both grow on stumps in the eastern US, and fruit in the autumn
Safe Mushroom Hunting
Beginning mushroom hunters want everything they see to be edible, which is far from true. In any location, there are a few edible species to get to know, and a few dangerous look-alikes. Learn these first. You will need a field guide to mushrooms in your area, and bookmarks to websites that are serious about fruiting fungi. In the UK, Wild Food UK provides an extensive guide online. In the US, look for state-based mushroom information, which narrows the possibilities. Local mushroom clubs often host group forays you can join, or you can learn from a local foraging guide.
Experienced mushroom hunters know exactly when and where to look for choice mushrooms, which reappear in the same spots year after year. Until they don’t come back, or they move to the next hillside or to a newly dead tree. Wild mushrooms can be unpredictable, sometimes skipping years and then coming back strong.
Mushroom foraging manners include gathering edible mushrooms only if you plan to eat them, and harvesting no more than one-third of the stand or clump so the rest can complete their life cycles. Always get permission when gathering mushrooms on private land.
![Wild chanterelle mushrooms]()
Delicate orange chanterelles are clean and ready to cook
Cleaning and Cooking Wild Mushrooms
Slugs, beetles, ants and other tiny creatures often feed on edible mushrooms, plus mushrooms grow in rotting wood and leaves where organic matter gets splashed around. To clean wild mushrooms, clip away the dirtiest parts, and then use a dry artist’s paintbrush to whisk away as much loose soil as possible. Rinse quicky under cool water and pat dry.
All wild mushrooms should be thoroughly cooked before they are eaten, and you can cook and freeze them to enjoy later. Place clean, cut mushrooms in a dry pan, and cook over a medium-low heat for about 12 minutes, or until the mushrooms have given up their juices. Adding a bit of butter or oil at the end helps keep cooked wild mushrooms from drying up in the freezer.
