Fall mushrooms coming to forest soon

By My Courier-Tribune

As the fall air moves in, mushrooms begin to make their way to the surface. While the spring morel often comes to mind when thinking about mushroom hunting, it’s in the fall that other edible mushrooms start to appear, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

You may have heard about hen of the woods but what about blewits or lobsters? These are choice fall mushrooms as well. You might even find some lingering chanterelles, chicken of the woods, black trumpets, or oysters.

These are wonderful mushrooms that fruit earlier in the season but can also fruit in the fall. It’s very important to be 100% sure of what you have as there are several poisonous look-alikes, states the MDC release. You can be so eager to find good edibles that you might overlook the perfect identification.

While you are out hiking, here are some of the mushrooms you may find in the fall:

Puffballs — Usually found in lawns and open woods appear rounded with no stalk. The size ranges from one inch to a foot in diameter.

Bearded tooth — Also known as lion’s mane, white spines hanging off of tree trunks and fallen logs.

Chanterelles — They are bright orange and easy to find. But they also have a delicate, almost sweet taste.

Oysters — Look for them after a good rain on logs and trunks of trees.

Chicken of the Woods — There are two different chicken of the woods. The sulfur shelf is bright orange on the top and bright yellow (like sulfur) on its underside. It grows on tree stumps and sometimes on the side of trees. The other is pale orange on the top and off-white to white on the underside. It is usually found on the ground clinging to roots. They both have the texture of chicken and can be used in any dish that calls for chicken.

Blewits — They are a violet-tan color. They like open areas, paths, and mulch piles.

Black Trumpets — They are small, very dark, and hard to see. They can be found on rocky, mossy hillsides.

The only way to tell if a mushroom is edible is by positive identification. If you’re interested in eating wild mushrooms, learn how to identify them.

Take your time and use common sense: If you’re not 100% positive of the ID, don’t eat it. For more information on mushrooms check out the online field guide at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide.