Edible mushrooms that are growing right now

Radek Štěpán 08. 09. 2024 3 views

The current weather has created ideal conditions for mushroom growth. If you have a favourite place where you go mushroom picking, you should definitely go. You will not come back empty-handed. The mushroom picking season is booming right now and there are many types of mushrooms popping out in large quantities. So, grab a basket and a mushroom knife and go!

Macrolepiota – the parasol mushroom

Parasol mushrooms are very tasty and popular mainly for their large size. But they are also easy to find thanks to being tall and whitish… But beware, not all parasol mushrooms are edible! Some types of parasol mushrooms are labelled in literature as edible (for example, the red parasol mushroom) but it may cause allergic reactions in more sensitive individuals, which are very similar to poisoning symptoms so, you should never collect mushrooms that you do not know well. The most popular parasol mushrooms include the tall parasol mushroom which can have a pileus up to 30 cm in diameter.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Tricholoma – the tigertop

The tigertop also grows a lot right now, but you should be rather careful when searching for this type of mushroom because some species are inedible. For example, Tricholoma aurantium and the golden orange tricholoma, may resemble Cantharellus cibarius little bit and you may confuse them. The pileus is 5 to 12 cm wide, and water droplets form on it when there is too much moisture. This mushroom is not dangerous, but it is very bitter. On the other hand, Lepista sordida is edible and even offers some health benefits. It is grey-purple or brown-purple with a smooth velvety pileus. You may easily confuse it with Mycena, which is poisonous, but the edge of the pileus is ridged.

Russula, sometimes known as “brittle gills

Many of us avoid these mushrooms, because only experienced mushroom pickers are able to distinguish poisonous from the edible ones. Russula mushrooms are very similar and there are small differences between inedible and highly poisonous mushrooms. The edible and very tasty Russulas include Russula paludosa with a bright red pileus, or Russula cyanoxantha (Schaeff.: Schw.) Fr. or Russula cyanoxantha. Russula nigricans is also very tasty – unlike Russula emetica which is poisonous.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Pine bolete or the king bolete

You can find this tasty mushroom under beech trees or pine trees, but did you know that this beautiful mushroom is protected and therefore you should not collect it? Well, it is but do not despair. The king bolete is very similar to another edible mushroom: the porcini mushroom, also known as the penny bun.

Peny bun

This awesome mushroom may be easily confused with other species which are all edible though, so even if you are not sure you should be ok. If you are not sure try the following. When you cut it, it does not change colour. The pileus is very smooth. Other very popular mushrooms include the summer cep (Boletus reticulatus Schaeff. 1774), the bay bolete or red cracking bolete.

Photo: Pixabay

Slippery Jack

This mushroom belongs to a group of mushrooms of the Suillus genus. As the name suggests, slippery Jack has a brownish “slimy” cap, but there are other similar mushrooms such as Suillus placidus, Suillus grevillea, Suillus collinitus and Suillus granulatus- all of them are edible.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Cauliflower fungus (Sparassiscrispa)

If you come across this curly beauty consider yourself lucky as this is a very tasty edible mushroom. It is rather rare and you may find it around living and dead conifers.

Golden chanterelle

This mushroom is typical for its yellow to orange colour. It is excellent in soups and sauces – thanks to its distinctive taste. You may find it growing in groups in coniferous and deciduous forests, especially under spruces, beeches, birches and pines.