Pleurotus pulmonarius – Italian Oyster Mushrooms
Italian oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus pulmonarius) are edible oyster mushrooms that grow in New England from summer-fall. These mushrooms tend to be smaller and whiter than the Pearl Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) which prefers cooler weather. Oyster mushrooms are among the most cultivated and consumed edible mushrooms in the world. Oyster mushrooms are identified by their […]
Trametes betulina – Gilled Polypore
The Gilled Polypore (Trametes betulina) is a turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) look-alike with medicinal properties. The gilled polypore, also known as birch mazegill, is a unique polypore since it has gill-like ridges under its cap. The gilled polypore is a saprobic fungus which is most often found on decaying hardwood, although it can be occasionally […]
Hypomyces lactifluorum – Lobster Mushrooms
Lobster mushrooms (Hypomyces lactifluorum) are a parasitic mold that takes over a Russula or Lactarius mushroom, turning the mushroom red and improving the texture and taste. The mold most commonly infects Russula brevipes and Lactarius piperatus mushrooms. Lobster mushrooms grow in the ground, near hardwoods or hemlocks. They can be found July-October. Lobster mushrooms can […]
Lycoperdon pratense – Meadow Puffball
The Meadow Puffball (Lycoperdon pratense) is an edible puffball mushroom that can be found in lawns, meadows, and parks. Edible puffball mushrooms lack gills and are pure white inside. The meadow puffball has a stump-like stem, which differentiates it from the also edible Giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea) which lacks a stem. Once the interior […]
Grifola frondosa – Maitake
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) are choice edible and medicinal mushrooms that grow at the base of hardwood trees. 98% of the time they are growing at the base of oak trees. Maitake, also known as Hen of the Woods, can be found fruiting from late August to early November. They have gray or brownish caps and […]
Volvariella bombycina – Silky Sheath Mushroom
The Silky Sheath mushroom (Volvariella bombycina) is a rare, edible mushroom that fruits July-November. The Silky sheath can be found growing on hardwood logs or in wounds of standing hardwood trees. The mushroom grows out of a whitish to brownish cup at the base of the stem. The cap is silky white, yellowing with age. […]
Fomitopsis ochracea – American Brown Fomitopsis
The American Brown Fomitopsis (Fomitopsis ochracea) is a polypore that was recently classified in 2011. Before this time, the mushroom was misidentified as multiple other mushroom species, including the Red-belted Polypore (Fomitopsis pinicola). The American brown Fomitopsis causes brown rot on hardwoods and conifers, particularly on birch and Populus species. The cap surface is smooth […]
Hericium coralloides – Coral Tooth Fungus
Coral Tooth Fungus (Hericium coralloides) is an edible mushroom that fruits late August to October. It can be found throughout North America and Europe, as well as in India, Russia, China, and Japan. Coral tooth fungus can be found growing on dead or decaying hardwoods, especially oak and beech. It is saprobic and possibly somewhat […]
Hohenbuehelia petaloides – Shoehorn Oyster
The Shoehorn oyster (Hohenbuehelia petaloides) is an oyster mushroom look-alike that can be found in New England summer-fall. Unlike true oyster mushrooms, the shoehorn oyster usually grows on wood chips or wood-rich soil. It can be found growing in clusters in urban settings or growing alone or in small groups in woodland settings. The shoehorn […]
Laetiporus huroniensis – Conifer Chicken of the Woods
Laetiporus huroniensis is a species of Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus spp.) that has pale yellow pores and grows on conifers. It can be found Spring-Fall, but fruits most prolifically from August-September. There are three species of Chicken of the woods (COW) that grow in New England. Pictured is Laetiporus huroniensis, which is a newly identified Laetiporus species […]
Ganoderma curtisii – Golden Reishi
The Golden Reishi (Ganoderma curtisii) is a saprobic or parasitic mushroom. It can be found on living or dead hardwood trees east of the Rocky Mountains. The golden reishi fruits May-November. Ganoderma curtisii used to be classified as part of the Ganoderma lucidum complex. Ganoderma lucidum is now known to be a primarily European species, […]
Russula cyanoxantha – Charcoal Burner
The Charcoal burner (Russula cyanoxantha) is an edible mushroom with a variable cap color. The cap color ranges from red and yellow to violet, blue-gray, and green. The charcoal burner can have mycorrhizal relationships with both conifers and deciduous trees but is most often found under beeches. It fruits summer-fall. The charcoal burner has soft […]
Tylopilus alboater – Black Velvet Bolete
The Black Velvet Bolete (Tylopilus alboater) is an easy-to-identify choice edible mushroom. The mushroom can be found east of the Rocky Mountains and in Eastern Asia. It is mycorrhizal with deciduous trees, particularly oaks. In Connecticut, the mushroom can be found June-October. The black velvet bolete has a dry cap that looks and feels like […]
Leccinum longicurvipes – Curved-stalk Bolete
The Curved-stalk Bolete (Leccinum longicurvipes) is an edible mushroom that can be found in oak forests from July-September. The curved-stalk bolete almost always has a curved stalk. There are pinkish brown scabers, or dark markings, on its stalk. The mushroom has a moist orangish-brown cap. The pore surface is yellowish and doesn’t stain blue. Spore […]
Trametes versicolor – Turkey tail
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) is one of the most researched medicinal mushrooms. It is very common and grows world-wide. It has many look-a-likes, but no look-a-likes are toxic. Turkey tail fruits most often from June-November on a wide variety of hardwoods and occasionally conifers. It is a saprobic fungus (decomposer) so will be found on […]
Clitopilus prunulus – Sweetbread mushrooms
Sweetbread mushrooms (Clitopilus prunulus) are edible saprobic mushrooms that can be found summer-fall in North America and Europe. Sweetbreads are named after their scent which is reminiscent of raw pastry dough. Sweetbreads grow solitary to gregariously in open areas of forests. The cap is gray to white, convex when young, flattening with maturity. Gills are […]
Fistulina hepatica – Beefsteak fungus
The Beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica) is a rare mushroom that can be found July-October. The Beefsteak fungus resembles a tongue sticking out of a tree when it is young. As it ages, it flattens out and resembles a slab of raw meet. The cap is colored blood-red. The flesh is pale pink with red streaks. […]
Leotia lubrica – Jelly babies
Jelly babies (Leotia lubrica) are gelatinous mushrooms that fruit July-October. They can be found in soil, humus, moss, or well-decayed wood throughout North America. Jelly babies are usually a yellowish-ochre color. They have irregular bumpy caps and a gooey texture. Beneath the caps, the surface is smooth. Jelly babies are ascomycetes, containing spore-bearing structures in […]
Lepista sordida – Sordid blewits
Sordid Blewits (Lepista sordida) are edible mushrooms that can be found in northern temperate zones. Sordid blewits are saprobic, feeding on decomposing organic material including leaf litter, wood chips, and compost. They fruit June-November. The mushrooms will often be found in fairy rings. They can also grow in clusters. Sordid blewits have purplish flesh […]
Lactifluus volemus – Weeping milkcap
The Weeping Milkcap, also known as the Voluminous Latex Milky (Lactifluus volemus), is an edible milkcap that can be found June-September. Milkcaps exude a latex, milky substance when cut as a defense mechanism from predators. The Weeping milkcap can be found worldwide with slight differences. It is now considered a species complex with potentially different […]