- Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) This mushroom is often found on decaying wood and has a colorful, banded appearance resembling a turkey’s tail. It is valued for its potential medicinal properties. It is commonly used for immunity and cancer support. You can make it into tea, tincture, or powder form. I usually start to find these in August and can usually harvest them through September. They are in the polypore family so there is a bunch of white tiny pores on the underside and it will feel velvety on top. These are important identifying features to tell the differences between false and true turkey tail mushrooms.
- Bi-Color Bolete (Baorangia bicolor) is an edible mushroom recognized by its vibrant yellow flesh and bright red to maroon cap and stem. Found primarily on the ground in association with hardwood trees, especially oaks. Its bold coloring makes it one of the more distinctive boletes of the summer and into early fall. It can come in many sizes really big and really small. These will bleed and bruise blue slightly but will not turn all blue which is an important distinction to differentiate from a poisonous look alike. Once cooked any blue will fade away.
- Cinnabar Chanterelle (Cantharellus cinnabarinus) is a small, brilliantly colored chanterelle known for its vivid cinnabar-red to orange-red cap and stem. It typically grows on the forest floor near hardwood trees, often appearing in the summer heat and humidity. These can be really tiny but some get bigger in size. The caps are edible once cooked. They sometimes can have a little spicy note and cook well with other mushrooms.
- Old Man of the Woods (Strobilomyces strobilaceus) is a distinctive bolete with a shaggy, gray-to-black cap covered in coarse scales, giving it its memorable name. It grows on the ground near hardwood trees and is a fascinating find in summer. I often find a few of these in the same area but they do not grow as abundant as the bi-color boletes.
- Smooth Chanterelle (Cantharellus lateritius) is a beautiful golden-yellow mushroom with a smooth to slightly wrinkled underside that does not have true gills. There is a faint impression of what looks like gills on the underside that is attached to the stem. All true edible chanterelles have gills that are attached to the stem. It grows on the forest floor, often in association with hardwood trees. It has a delicate texture and fruity, apricot-like aroma.
These are some common mushrooms that I find in the woods in the heat of the summer. There are of course other varieties present like Chicken of the Woods-laetiporuous sulphurous and cincinnatus varieties. Oyster Mushrooms, Black Staining Polypores, Berkley's Polypore, Puffballs, and more...
I wanted to highlight a lot of the ones that are pictured and also that I commonly see that can be easily identifiable.
Remember, when foraging, always be cautious and ensure proper identification 100% of the time. Misidentifying mushrooms can have serious consequences, so consulting a local expert or using a reliable field guide is crucial. No matter what you always have to cook wild mushrooms thoroughly before eating. Only ingest a small amount if it is your first time. Sometimes even edible mushrooms can have a reaction for some people. For questions contact erik@chiforhealing.com
Join me for a fall forage walk on 10/11 at 2pm co-hosted with Amy of the CT Foraging Club where will identify some of these mushrooms and lots of wild plants too!