Figuring out what type of mushroom you have found can be an exciting experience for any nature lover or forager. However, it’s also vitally important to properly identify mushrooms before consuming them, as some types are poisonous and can cause severe illness or even death if eaten. When trying to identify a mushroom, there are some key features to look for that can help narrow it down to a species or genus. In this article, we’ll go over the steps for identifying common wild mushrooms, provide tips on distinguishing edible vs. poisonous varieties, and give an overview of some of the most common types found in many regions.
Examine the Mushroom’s Physical Features
When you find a mushroom, your first steps should be examining its physical characteristics. Take note of the following features:
– Cap shape – Is the cap rounded, conical, bell-shaped, flat? What about the texture – is it smooth, scaly, grooved?
– Gills – Are there gills under the cap? What color are they? How closely spaced are the gills?
– Stalk – Is there a stalk? Is it centered or off-center? What is the texture and color?
– Color – Note the colors of the cap, gills, stalk and flesh. Be specific – “brown” covers a broad range of shades.
– Texture and Bruising – Feel the mushroom texture. See if it bruises when handled.
– Size – Measure approximate cap diameter and stalk length.
– Habitat – Note what it was growing on and in what conditions. Was it on soil, wood, in grass?
Making detailed notes on a mushroom’s physical characteristics will allow you to compare it to mushroom species guides and narrow down the possibilities. Features like color, bruising and gill placement are often key identifiers.
Consider Whether the Mushroom is Wild or Cultivated
When trying to identify a mushroom, it helps to know if it is a wild mushroom or a cultivated variety. Wild mushrooms grow naturally while cultivated mushrooms are varieties purposefully grown for food.
Some tips for determining if a mushroom is wild or cultivated:
– Cultivated mushrooms often grow in dense clusters or shelves on logs or compost. Wild mushrooms typically grow singly or scattered.
– Look for evidence of artificial cultivation like mulch, compost piles, trumpet-shaped bases on stalks. These indicate a mushroom was intentionally grown.
– Wild mushrooms are usually found growing in leaf litter, soil or rotting wood while cultivated ones grow in manure-based composts.
– Common cultivated mushrooms like buttons, criminis, portobellos and oyster mushrooms have uniform features. Wild mushrooms show more variability.
– Check the habitat. Is it a landscaped area, garden bed, lawn or natural forested area? Cultivated mushrooms are more likely to grow in landscaped areas.
Knowing your specimen is wild helps narrow the identification possibilities considerably vs. cultivated varieties.
Use a Mushroom Field Guide
Once you have taken thorough notes and photos of the mushroom, it’s time to put that information to use identifying it. Mushroom field guides are the best resource for this task. These guides allow you to narrow down the possibilities by comparing your notes and looking through photos, descriptions and keys of regional mushroom species.
Some things to note when using a mushroom field guide:
– Choose a guide that covers your geographic region to limit possibilities. Mushrooms can vary widely based on climate and habitat.
– If possible, use a guide with high-quality mushroom photographs for comparison.
– Pay close attention to descriptions of cap shape, gills, stalk, color and habitat for your specimen.
– Read the keys carefully, evaluating each step based on your observations.
– Consider all possibilities in a genus – don’t jump to conclusions.
– If needed, consult multiple guides to check your identification.
Field guides take patience and practice to use effectively. But with diligent work comparing your sample, you can correctly identify many mushrooms using this method.
Take a Spore Print
Examining a mushroom’s spore print is one of the best ways to identify poisonous vs. edible varieties. A spore print shows the color of a mushroom’s spores which helps confirm its genus or species. Here’s how to take a spore print:
1. Place mushroom gills or pores face down on white and black paper. Use two papers to better see spore color.
2. Cover the mushroom with a bowl and leave undisturbed overnight. This allows spores to drop onto the paper.
3. Next day, remove mushroom. Spell shape indicates spore color.
4. Compare spore print color to mushroom field guide descriptions. Spore print color is often diagnostic for genus or species.
Key spore print colors to know:
– Rusty brown – Many edible mushrooms like shaggy manes.
– Purplish-brown or black – Potentially poisonous species.
– White – Look for other ID tips to confirm if edible or poisonous.
– Pink – Includes toxic Amanitas and edible Volvariella species.
A spore print is a simple yet powerful identification technique for all mushroom hunters.
Get Expert Help Identifying if Unsure
If you are still uncertain on an identification after using a field guide and taking a spore print, it is best to seek expert advice before consuming any mushroom. Mushroom foraging clubs, universities or extension services can often provide identification help. You can also post photos to mushroom groups and forums for input from more experienced identifiers. Over-caution is warranted with mushroom identification to avoid accidental poisoning. If in doubt, throw it out.
Edible vs. Poisonous Lookalikes
One reason identifying wild mushrooms is tricky is that many poisonous species resemble edible varieties. It’s vital to be absolutely certain of an identification before eating any foraged mushrooms. Here are some common edible/poisonous lookalike pairings:
| Edible | Poisonous Lookalike |
|---|---|
| Chanterelle | Jack-o-lantern |
| Morel | False morel |
| Beefsteak fungus | Poison fire coral |
| Chicken of the woods | Sulfur tuft |
Pay close attention to minute differences in appearance, gills, habitat and bruising when trying to distinguish edible mushrooms from their poisonous doublegangers. When identification is in doubt, always err on the side of caution.
Common Edible Wild Mushrooms
Once accurately identified, many wild mushrooms are delicious edibles. Here are some of the most popular edible mushrooms found across North America:
– Morels – Prized for their nutty, earthy flavor. Look for a pitted, sponge-like cone cap.
– Chanterelles – Distinctive funnel-shaped yellow caps with ridges.
– Porcini – Large, meaty mushrooms with white undersides. Often found under conifers.
– Hen of the woods – Clustered mushrooms with ruffled brown caps. Grows at the base of trees.
– Oyster mushroom – Shelflike clusters on rotting wood with decurrent gills.
– Chicken of the woods – Bright orange or yellow shelving fungi on trees.
– Lobster mushroom – Actually a parasitic fungus that attacks other mushrooms, turning them red.
Always cross-reference physical characteristics against multiple field guides before eating any wild mushroom.
Poisonous Mushrooms to Avoid
While many wild mushrooms are harmless or even delicious, some species can cause severe toxicity and should be avoided. Here are some of the most notable poisonous mushrooms found in many regions:
– Death cap – Deadly; has a greenish cap with white gills and sac-like cup at base of stalk.
– Destroying angel – Closely related to death cap; white with sac-like cup.
– Webcaps – Diarrhea and cramping; thin caps stretch over gills in web-like pattern.
– Amanitas – Toxic mushrooms with white warts on cap; some species deadly.
– Fly agaric – Red and white polka dotted; hallucinogenic.
– False morels – Resemble morels but with brain-like cap instead of honeycombed; poisonous raw.
There are dozens more toxic mushroom species. When foraging, stick to collecting mushrooms you can positively identify and reject any questionable ones.
Conclusion
Identifying wild mushrooms is an invaluable skill for foragers, naturalists and anyone who enjoys learning about fungi. By carefully examining physical features, using field guides and taking spore prints, many mushrooms can be accurately identified down to species. Just be sure to exercise caution when dealing with mushrooms that resemble known poisonous varieties. With experience and careful study, you’ll be on your way to putting a name to many of the fascinating fungal finds that pop up in your surroundings.
