![]() Watch how the water is flowing, because water will often carry their spores downstream or downhill.Īnywhere with lots of organic matter, shade, and moisture is a prime habitat. In forests you’ll find chanterelles on the edges of paths or roads where the ground has been disturbed, or around the edge of water sources like wetlands, streams, or other damp low-lying places. But it’s also not uncommon to find them around white pine. Oak, maple, poplar, and birch are among their favorite hardwood trees. These mushrooms are mycorrhizal, which means they form a symbiotic relationship with the roots of trees. ![]() Depending on your area that might vary, but July to September is prime chanterelle season.Ī chanterelle’s preferred habitat is in hardwood forests. When in doubt, throw it out!Ĭhanterelles grow from late spring or mid summer into early fall. There are too many other similar mushrooms that will make you sick to bother taking a chance on it. If you aren’t 100% sure that you’ve positively identified a chanterelle mushroom, don’t eat it. Chanterelles are exclusively found near trees since they’re a mycorrhizal fungi that has a symbiotic relationship with tree roots. You can find jack-o-lanterns growing in the middle of fields or other areas with no trees around. Chanterelles normally grow by themselves or in a small group with separate stems. Jack-o-lanterns tend to grow in big groups with all of their stems attached. But without a chanterelle to compare against, this might not be useful. The color of jack-o-lanterns are more orange and less yellow. Whereas chanterelles have false gills which are forked and appear melted. A jack-o-lantern’s gills are knife-like and not forked. The gills are the first place to look when trying to distinguish a chanterelle from a jack-o-lantern. The toxin muscarine in it will cause severe cramps and diarrhea. It won’t kill you, but it will have very unpleasant effects on your body if eaten. Omphalotus olearius or the jack-o-lantern mushroom is the most common chanterelle lookalike to watch out for. Tip: Do a spore print on a black piece of paper so it’s easier to see. ![]() It should be the same color as the cap, with no bulb or ring around the base.Ī chanterelle’s spore print is a white to light yellow color. If you just picked it and it has a sweet smell like an apricot, then it’s most likely a chanterelle. The cap of a chanterelle mushroom is most commonly light yellow to orange-yellow color. Whereas the true gills of false chanterelles are deep, paper-thin, and delicate. The “gills” of a chanterelle mushroom is smooth and full of forks. Think of the gills underneath a portobello mushroom. The true gills of a mushroom are individual structures that can be easily separated from the cap. They can’t be separated without tearing the mushroom itself.Ī chanterelle’s false gills run down the stem, referred to as being decurrent. These aren’t easily removable from the cap, and often look as if they melted on to the cap and step. The false gills of a chanterelle are forked folds or wrinkles underneath the mushroom. Recognizing false gills is one of the most useful ways of identifying chanterel les and distinguishing them from lookalikes. Definitely something you want to avoid if at all possible. While not deadly, the jack-o-lantern mushrooms will cause very unpleasant vomiting, diarrhea, and severe cramps. Most notably the jack-o-lantern mushroom. There are a few false mushrooms that look similar to chanterelles. Many species of chanterelles have a pleasant and fruity smell, similar to apricots. The word chanterelle comes from the greek word kantharos, which means cup, a reference to the mushroom’s shape.Ĭhanterelles are commonly found in white, yellow, or orange colors. They’re funnel shaped and kind of look a bit like an oyster mushroom, in that they have very pronounced “gills” that run down into the stem. They’re close enough in appearance and taste that the name chanterelle is just used interchangeably for all of them.Ĭhanterelles are among some of the world’s most popular mushrooms. Conclusion What Are Chanterelle Mushrooms?Ĭhanterelle mushrooms actually include several different species of mushrooms in the Cantharellus, Gomphus, Polyozellus, and Craterellus families.
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