Most Recent Archives

June 1st, 2007: B-Dodo the estranged, black morel - general location = Oregon, above Parkdale, Growing Conditions = Heavy timber lands about 4000'
Additional Comments = A great day on Monday May 28th, 10lbs of Morels, batches of Yellow Corals, 4 giant Gyromirta Gigas and a solitary King Bolete!!!! The biggest Morels I've ever found in my life!!! Glory be, seems the season is moving to higher elevations. Morels ending bring on the Boletes!!!

June 2nd, 2007: Pamela Himmel, morels - general location = Just off my front porch around my tiny pond and under my porch. About 25 so far and more every day Ballston Spa ny Sarotoga co. Growing Conditions = wet sand Additional Comments = If you want them come and get them

June 2nd, 2007: Grant County, Oregon at ~ 6500 ft. elevation. My kid and I cut another bunch of prime blacks from the high country of Eastern OR. This pile is about 1/2 of our harvest. Oregon morel season started for us on April 19th and is still strong, to bad I have to work. Please find the attached .jpg file containing the pic. Good picking, Holehog

June 3rd, 2007; Scott and Michie found a nice batch of morels and five puffballs on June 1st. We found them in the Blewitt Pass area of WA between 4000 and 5000ft. The largest was 6-8 inches tall. We aren't finding as many but, they are mostly good sized. Also spent a little time practicing my photography. It was a hot day and the bugs were thick. Good hunting.

June 3rd, 2007: Hello, These are growing in my flower bed. I live in Newton Iowa,just wondering if its one of those 2 species and if its poisonous or not? Thanks Bryan

These are not really poisonous, but who would want to eat them with that smell? You are correct on identiication- M. caninus -chris m

June 3rd, 2007: Hi- I found my first coral fungus! I'm pretty sure its the Crown-tipped Coral. It was growing on some dead wood in very a very shady area. I had found some morels in the area earlier this spring. No chicken mushrooms though, sulfer shelf. That's what I was looking for. I coached a friend into finding a huge
one. Here's a picture of the coral. I took only what I could saute and put on a sandwich....I'll have some more pictures soon if you are interested. PS- How'd the show go? Is that you going to be on the travel channel? Kevin

Nice Coral there Kevin. Yes the Travel Channel filming was an experience, to say the least! It will air sometime in the Fall, and I will let everyone know! Thanks! -Chris M

June 3rd, 2007: Chris,My second time out,near Albany,NY,6/03/07.How did I do?Hope the pics come through.I joined for a $20.00 membership Sure did have
a fun day today,just love walking through the woods with a camera and .22,this is lots of fun.Thanks.

June 3rd, 2007: Robert R. Wallner, Other kind of mushroo0 = ????? - general location = 3JUNE07,FARM,IXONIA,WI. SOUTH SIDE OF PORCH,FULL SUN IN FLAGSTONE WALK. IMMERGED EARTH WITH THIN SHROUD THEN BROKE THROUGH SHROUD WITH NASTY LOOKING BLACK GOO COVERING CROWN.WONDERFUL PUNGENT MUSHROOM ODOR.WASHED GOO OFF WITH COLD WATER. CROWN&STEM WHITE,STEM HOLLOW. LOOK LIKE MOREL'S!? Growing Conditions = SHRUBS ONCE GREW WHERE WALK WAY NOW COVERS RICH BLACK EARTH COVERED WITH SAND FOR FLAGSTONES. Additional Comments = AM UNNERVED BY BLACK GOO! ARE THEY EDIBLE??

Sorry, sounds like a stinkhorn to me with the black goo and bad smell! Not a Morel! -Chris M

June 3rd, 2007: Chris,Better shots for length reference.Picked today 6/03/07,near Albany NY

June 4th, 2007: Tim H, Chicken Mushroom - general location = Fairfield County, CT, Growing Conditions = Hardwood forest 20 feet off the side of a brook on a rotting log Additional Comments = Can't believe we found a chicken mushroom this early in the season! This mushroom makes a GREAT "chicken" pot pie, just substitute chicken with this mushroom. Happy hunting

June 6th, 2007: tim tindle, morel-other - general location = 6-6-07 I have just located what appears to me as black morels in Wheatridge Colorado! I found them on two occasions in the last two weeks in neigbors yards! I was not aware of morels in metro denver but they are unmistakable! Growing Conditions = We have had a wey spring so they are growing in yards! One yard has a crab apple tree but they where a distance away from it. The other batch was under a tree but i don't know what it was.

Hi, Chris... long time, no see! But I have been in the woods, especially after these rains we've had. NO chanterelles, yet, but I did find this very interesting mushroom. I have looked all through your web site and can't find anything that fits this.LARGE cap, if you spread your fingers out as far as you can, then you just about have the size of the biggest caps Growing ON WOOD, in this big cluster (probably 6 or 8 caps on this one alone!) Overall coloring is yellowish. Freckled with brownish or reddish scales

NO VEIL, no skirt, but the stalk also has the brownish or reddish scales GILLS, WHITE, attached to the stipe and running a very short way down the stalk, with a yellowish appearance especially at the cap edge. Even the youngest erupting cap did NOT show any sign of having a veil or any kind of webbing. STALK was straight, no bulb, no vulva, attached to the wood of dead log (pine). The mushroom itself is very heavy and meaty, smell is typical mushroomy, and it was totally bug infested.Spore print BELIEVED to be white, we tried to get a print, but the mushroom didn't cooperate! Picture taken Wednesday, June 13, 2007 at Stone Mountain park My computer is on dial up, so I'll send this attachment first, then I'll send the next one with a shot of the underside of these pretty mushrooms! Teresa Fortenberry

Hi Teresa and hi Chris,

This one had me stumped until I saw the second photo (of the gills). (Good photos, Teresa!) It is very clear that the edges of the gills are distinctly serrate, eroded, irregularly sawtoothed. Your mushroom is either a Lentinus or a Lentinellus. The next step here is to taste a teeny piece of the raw flesh for fifteen seconds or so (and then spit it out). It may be very acrid or "peppery hot"... that would indicate that it is a member of genus Lentinellus. If it is not acrid, it would be a Lentinus. The most common species in this group of such size is the Bear Lentinus, Lentinellus ursinus; its cap is not merely scaly but also fuzzy to velvety to hairy, and it is not generally as large as your mushrooms. In Mushrooms of Northeastern North America we cover a number of species in this group.

David W. Fischer
http://AmericanMushrooms.com
Coauthor, Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America and
Mushrooms of Northeastern North America

June 10th, 2007: Hi Chris, June 9th, North Oregon Cascades, ~ 5,000 Ft. in a burn. My kid and I had never done the burn thing before but we might try it again. I never worked so hard cutting morels in my life. I think I am done for the year as I am now seeing them in my sleep. Please find the attached .jpg file containing a pic. Good picking! Holehog.

June 13th, 2007: We went to Mt. Gilead S.P. yesterday, where it was very dry, but we did find a few things: some boletes (a red-mouth bolete and a Xanthoconium, I think separans probably), Xerula megalospora and lots of platterfulls, Tricholomopsis platyphylla. Then today I checked my old faithful chicken spot and found the beginnings of a large batch in its earliest stage. That spot has produced every year since 2001

June 15th, 2007: Gorgeous chicken mushroom in my usual spot-- about 6 lbs of perfect, young mushroom. Amazing, considering how dry it's been here

June 18th, 2007: Tammy Diedrich, yellow morel - general location = Minneapolis MN Growing Conditions = In thick woods Additional Comments = Found 75 nice yellows and 10 dried out yellow

June 19th, 2007: hugh, chicken - general location = John Bryan S.P., Ohio Growing Conditions = on dead hardwood Additional Comments = We found a couple of chicken mushrooms today at John Bryan S.P. in western OH; one was very fresh, the other a little old. Rain finally came today after an incredibly dry spell, so maybe a few other things will be coming up

June 19th, 2007: Rosita Romero, morel-other - general location = in my new planted garden - in Mercer Island WA. Growing Conditions = between new slabs of path way where there were plenty of sand but new rich soil underneat in a shady area. Additional Comments = Some friends who know morels thought they were 'false morels' but when I compare them with few we hunted in the woods west of the Cascades they seemed very similar to me except that they have grown too big. I could send pictures of them. I am very new on this and I am very interested in finding out what type of fungi were them. Thanks. RR

I ran into these two mushrooms on th3 17th of June. They are still there and the orange ones are getting larger and showing up all over the place. I live in the St. Louis area. Any idea what they are? The first one is not Hen Of The Woods because it's too early for them but it does look like one. It's growing at the base of a large dead Black Cherry tree.The second one is the orangest mushroom I've ever seen. I think it might be a Chanterelle but where the gills are supposed to be, it appears very smooth.I have a bunch of other pictures but I figured 4 MB is more than enough.I'm looking forward to your take, they appear to be very identifiable.Thanks,-Nick

The first one is the Common Chanterelle, the second one appears to be a Black Staining Polypore. - Chris M.

June 27th, 2007: hugh, chicken, amanita, tree ears - general location = columbus, OH, Growing Conditions = on dead trees and lawns Additional Comments = It's been extremely dry here, but I'm still finding chicken and tree ears in the woods; I also saw a bunch of amanita flavoconia on a neighbor's heavily-watered front lawn

June27th, 2007: Hi Chris, Picked about six gallons of morels in the Canadian side of the Tripod burn yesterday. I couldn't have done it without the help of Bill in
Blaine. There were lots of little ones which we left behind.Daddy in Wa

June 29th, 2007: Chantyman, Chicken of the Woods, Oyster Mushrooms - general location = The fallen trees are covered with oysters(pleurotus ostreatus) and a couple where giving of the Chicken Mushroom(laetiporus sulphureus)Growing Conditions = We had a series of thunderstorms the last few days and a dry woods has awakened. Additional Comments = It will only be a couple weeks before the chanterelle mushroom will show up. These finds were in Southern Ohio.

June 30th, 2007: mike, Agaricus Campestries - general location = Pegram, Tennessee Growing Conditions = 4 plus pounds popping fresh everywhere I see open grassy areas...

July 3rd, 2007: I am still getting Morel reports in higher elevations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and the Canadian Rockies. Mainly Fire Burn Morels. - Chris M

July 4th, 2007: It's chanterelle season in Missouri. I have found around 17 pounds of them in the last eight days. How are things in your area? Feral Boy

July 4th, 2007: Hi Chris! Even though Central Ohio has been dry of late, some goodies are still popping. We found a good harvest of oyster mushroom and some early Chanterelles. Good luck, Chris O.

July 4th, 2007: I went to visit my mom in central PA and found a few things, despite the very, very dry weather: some very small baby chanterelles, some chicken mushroom, various amanitas (flavoconia, fulva, vaginata), some russulas and some platterfulls When we got back to Columbus we found a very nice batch of chicken at our usual spot

July 6th, 2007: We took a trip to Hocking Hills S.P. today and found some interesting things: a lot of young chanterelles (c. lateritius), a nice white-pored chicken (l. cincinnatus), some very fresh gilled boletes and a few other boletes, russulas, etc. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

July 8th, 2007: Chris, here is a photo of today's find while walking my dog. Pete Seippel

July 11th, 2007: The recent rains here in Central Georgia have brought many nice fruitings. If the moisture continues, we should have a really good Chanterelle season. I also found two species of edible Tylopolis, and some Amanitas, among others... - Chris M

July 11th, 2007: Here's today's mushroom report: Nancy, Chris Ott and I hunted in Hocking Hills, SE Ohio. It's been dry but rain is finally coming. We found at least four different kinds of chanterelles (cibarius, lateritius, cinnabarinus, appalachiensis, plus another very pale one that looked, felt and smelled different from the others), and some very nice fresh boletus bicolor. We also saw some chicken, oyster, and black staining polypore that were too old, along with a number of other amanitas, russulas, lactarius, puffballs, jellied tooth, etc. Good day overall. -- hugh

July 11th, 2007: Chris, I went on a short scouting trip today to check on the summer season. Here is the prize find of the day. I did manage to find 6 nice lobsters and a few pounds of chanterelles. The season is just about to get started here. Pete Seippel

July 12th, 2007: Here are the russulas. Hope you enjoy. The location was in Northern Colorado, in the State Forest, near Gould, Colorado. Lovely place. Sincerely, Georgia Ray

July 12th, 2007: These came up basically overnight in a mulched area in front of my home. They are generally "gone" by the time I get home from work. They usually appear in greatest mass after a heavy rain. Can you identify them?

Yes, this is one species or another in what used to be genus Coprinus, the so-called "Inky Cap" mushrooms. The photos don't show quite enough detail to say for sure which species, but it's close to this one: http://americanmushrooms.com/taxa/Coprinus_plicatilis_00.htm

July 12th, 2007: TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico (AFP) - A more than 20-kilo (41-lb) mushroom has been picked in a forest in Mexico's southernmost state of Chiapas, university officials said Tuesday. The white mushroom, macrocybe titans, measured a towering 70 cm (27 in) tall, was found near Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border, according to the Southern Border University Center.

July 12th, 2007: Hi, Chris...Hope you are doing well and are keeping busy with the current mushroom season. Now that we have finally had rain, the mushrooms are popping out all over. I did a quick walk around at one of the parks near me and found a mushroom (again) that I see is not on your bolete page. Have you ever found Boletus piedmontensis? It is a beautiful bolete and I have some pretty good pictures of it if you would like to see them....one of the standing mushroom and one of the pores... it's a pretty mushroom, though not edible from what I can find. I also have pictures of top and gills of a mushroom I can't ID... it's a really weird...maybe Amanita? not sure. We also found some great specimens of Lobster mushrooms (Hypomyces lactifluorum). Anyway... hope to hear from you soon...Teresa Fortenberry Atlanta GA

July 15th, 2007: hugh, chanterelle - general location = Hocking Hills, OH Growing Conditions = oak and other mixed hard woods Additional Comments = It's still very dry in Ohio, but we did find some nice chanterelles, about a dozen really nice gilled boletes and one huge boletus alboater, which is a good edible. Not much else is up. So far it's been one of the driest summers in years -- hugh, Columbus,OH

July 15th, 2007: morelfarmer , My Western morel season is now in mid-season and inmy opinion and should last for at least another 60 days depending upon the weather of course.

July 17th, 2007: Geogymn, chanterelle Meadow Mushroom - general location = Valley of the Mohawk , Additional Comments = Found some meadow mushrooms ( Agaricus campestris ) and a couple pounds of Chants over the weekend.

July 18th, 2007: Chris ... im attachin a few pix for ya .... its been dry here for the most part ... but have picked a few shrooms .... only been out for short periods 2 times so far this season ... but did manage to pick a few common chanterelles, oysters, and lobsters !! Gary

July 20th, 2007: We've finally had some real rain in Ohio, so Nancy, Chris Ott and I made a trip to A.W. Marion S.P. where we found quite a variety of fungi. Good edibles included: chanterelles, chicken, oysters, lepiota americana, giant puffball (already?!?), lactarius volemus, lactarius hygrophoroides, gilled boletes, gold-pored boletes, xanthoconium separans, and green quilted russulas. Other species we saw included rhodotus palmatus, amanita cokerii, amanita rubescens, red-pored bolete, many, many other russulas and lactarius, waxy caps, unidentified tylopilus, some cortinarius, various corals, agaricus, and others. We didn't find a lot of anything, but the variety was impressive. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

July 22nd, 2007: Chris M, found some interesting species in Central GA, Xanthoconium separans, boletus curtisii, Amanitas, Chanterelles, Russulas, many lactarius, and more!

July 23rd, 2007: Tim H, chanterelle - general location = Seacoast New Hampshire, Growing Conditions = Most of my finds are very close to streams where it is very moist dark and almost swampy. I'm finding only a few in drier areas , Additional Comments = Beautiful chanterelles poping after some much needed rain also finding lots of rusulas and a few boletes,still early here but it's starting to look good. Happy hunting

July 24th, 2007: We have found this type of mushroom in a cattle pasture. After bringing home a load of dried cow manure to fertilize our azaleas, these have started sprouting under our azaleas! Wow, do they STINK!!! Sheila R Munoz, Lakeland, FL

You have found the Columned Stinkhorn, strange and beautiful, but very ill-smelling! -Chris M

July 26th, 2007: Hi, Chris. Well, here we go again. I THINK this might be Stropharia cyanea from the description I have read in a Smithsonian Handbook of Mushrooms, page 88. These do NOT have any white on the gills, but it is a colorful mushroom. The color you see on the cap of the one that is laying down to show the gills is the color of the entire cap when it is fully expanded. This is the only full grown specimen of this mushroom we could find. It is rather dried out and wrinkled, but brown/yellowish?? overall. Found at Stone Mountain park growing on the bark-mulch they use for the pathways and almost missed if it had not been for my grandson's eyes! Teresa Fortenberry

July 28th, 2007: I’m trying to identify this mushroom that was discovered in central Pennsylvania. It was rather large. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Stephanie Larson

July 28th, 2007: Found a beautiful patch of chanterelles running right through the path of my hike yesterday. Some boletes were growing among them, but most were already past. Had really gone to check on the trumpets, and indeed they had popped, but most were too tiny to pick yet. Rebecca, Fairfield County, CT

July 29th, 2007: We went up to Mt. Gilead S.P., where there were still virtually no ground mushrooms, despite the recent rains. Just a couple of small chanterelles. But the oysters were going crazy on the dead beach logs. We picked about 10 lbs of bug-free free oysters until our basket was full. Nancy does an awesome Thai stir-fry with fresh green-beans and oysters. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

July 29th, 2007: Here is the latest news concerning the Tripod Burn Area in Washington, as Morels are continuing to flush there.. Chris M

July 29th, 2007: Today I found these cantharellus cinnabarinus (edible and common, according to Mushrooms of Northeastern North America). Harvested five cups worth, and left plenty more to grow!

July 29th, 2007: Hey i found this mushroom and a few others like it in my front yard today and i'm wondering if you can help me identify it. I believe its a giant puffball, but i'm not sure. Thanks, Jeremy Fiero

You are correct, it is a puffball, but not the giant puffball. The giant puffball is more round, and solid white. What you have is a much larger than average size specimen of: http://morelmushroomhunting.com/calvatia_craniiformis.htm Edible, if solid white inside.- Chris M

July 30th, 2007: We went down to Tar Hollow S.P. where there were not a lot of mushrooms, but the ones that were up were pretty interesting. Besides a few nice big chanterelles (cibarius) and boletus bicolors, we also saw a bunch of very large old man of the woods (strobilomyces floccupus), some cool austroboletus betula, some gigantic amanitas (cokerii, mostly), plus some very pink polypores that I haven't yet identified. Any help on the ID would be appreciated. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

July 30th, 2007: Hi Chris, I've just gotten into the mushroom hunting a few years ago for Morels and here's one I've found a few times in my front yard in southeast Idaho. Chubbuck is the city. Do you know what it is? I understand your probably busy but if you get a chance I'd love to hear from you. These have a powdery inside with a solid white outside with no stem. just weird to me. Thanks, Jason

July 31st, 2007: Hi Chris, I’ve been browsing your site, and enjoy it very much. Thought I’d share some pics from the other day. Central WV, lots of mixed woods, after heavy rains. Some were found in grass under our ancient oak tree. I’m having quite a bit of trouble with the boletes! We ate a mess of some last week----brown cracked caps. They were yummy. Kind regards, Sharon

July 31st, 2007: hugh, chicken - general location = Columbus, OH, Growing Conditions = on dead hardwood, Additional Comments = We found a large batch of very fresh young chicken today at a local park. Should be more on the way at that spot. Otherwise, it is very dry here and basically zero ground mushrooms

Hard to tell with the photo, but most likely, a species of bitter bolete. - Chris M

August 1st, 2007: Chris M, found these beautiful Yellow Boletes in Gainesville, Florida. Boletus hemichrysus

August 2nd, 2007: I found a very young Berkeley's polypore (bondarzewia berkeleyi) just up the street in a park, growing at the base of an oak. It was very dirty but still in the early stage when the flesh is soft like plump pink fingers and it hasn't fanned out yet into shelves. I've only seen that one twice before -- once in PA about 18 years ago and once in England. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

August 3rd, 2007: Tay, Hygrophorus Milky and Voluminous-latex Milky - general location = Lake County,Florida, Growing Conditions = Under Oak Trees in leaf litter , Additional Comments = Found 5 Hygrophorus Milky's,and 4 Voluminous-latex Milky's. Got any recipes for Voluminous-latex Milky's, or any way to make it edible?.{a.k.a:cooked,steamed,baked,e.t.c}

Milky's are somewhat a problem to sauté, I find them best used in soups. - Chris M

August 4th, 2007: We went to Jefferson Lake S.P., where it was pretty dry, but we did find some cool things. In addition to some nice chanterelles, we found 6 or 7 lobsters, purple laccarias, green quilted russulas, and the freaky-looking collybia jelly (syzygospora mycetophila), which I had never seen before. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

August 5th, 2007: Shae, trying to figure it out! - general location = Louisiana,Houma. Growing Conditions = under oak trees,on oak trees,in yard,and in someone's garden. Send some pics, I will see what I can do! - Chris M

August 6th, 2007: Check out this lactarius volemus with a little Mini-Me growing on the cap. There were about a dozen nice volemus in that area in A.W. Marion S.P. Other good finds included: chicken, oysters, chanterelles, gilled boletes. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

August 7th, 2007: HI,CHRIS I FOUND TO GROUPS OF THESE IN MY WOODLOT TODAY,AND I WAS WONDERING IF THEY ARE CHANTRELLES?THEY ARE IN MIXED SOFT WOOD AND THEY HAVE A FRUITY SMELL.THANKS,OZZY

August 9th, 2007: michael struble, chanterelle,bolete tricolor /kings - general location = West Milford new jersey, Growing Conditions = tall red oak with no ground cover

August 10th, 2007: I spent my Summer in Colorado, but my step-daughter spent the Summer on the farm and took pictures of some of what popped up... any thoughts?

August 11th, 2007: Northern central Ohio finally had some rain lately, so we checked out Mt. Gilead S.P. today. Finds included: several nice boletus bicolor, boletus frostii, boletus innixus, boletus griseus, many smooth chanterelles, a bunch of nice lactarius hygrophoroides, and a large batch of chicken. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

August 13th, 2007: We checked out Mohican S.P., where they've finally had some good rain, and we saw a lot of cool fungi. Highlights included: beefsteak polypore, many chanterelles, boletus bicolor, a large patch of tylopilus alboater, scads of chestnut boletes, chicken, etc.... There were also some beautiful tylopilus plumbeoviolaceous, boletus ornatipes, many cortinarius, amanitas, and other things up.

August 15th, 2007: luke2000, some hen of the woods with eastern cauliflower from new jersey

August 16th, 2007: Chris, My brother found some truffles while doing landscape work under a River Birch (betula nigra). We're in SE
MI. I can't find much info to id them. Do you have any ideas? They're about an inch across. Emily

I have forwarded these photos to a truffle expert, we will see what the results are. Thanks. -Chris M

August 16th, 2007: Mushroom Growing in a very hot climate Humid but with little rain or external moisture earth is parched Dry. The Area gets a lot of early morning sun and less from Noon on to dusk of course. The particular location is to the north of a bush and right on top of the buried rotting stump of a Locust tree. First photo is taken the day I noticed the fungus growing there the second is a few days later. I am thinking it is some form of Sulfur Shelf but I am not totally convinced of this, the “Pumpkin Pie” appearance of it throws me. Largest Fungus in second pic is the same one as in the first. Any help would be appreciated thanks in advance Kerry Kroger Kansas City MO

August 16th, 2007: hi, I do not know much about mushrooms. Trying to find info. I have a lot of houseplants and noticed what looked like a bright yellow sidewalk chalk in the dirt of one the plants sitting on the floor. I grabbed it and it broke and then realized it was a mushroom. I threw it away and can not photo it. it was about 3 inches in length and about an inch around stalk and top. It got more narrow at the top. It was completely hollow and the yellow on it felt like powder and left a residue on my fingers. I am concerned because I do have children and I have not had a fungus problem with my plants before. I am just wondering if I should be concerned. Any help would be great. Thanks so much! Fe

August 17th, 2007: Hi Chris, how's the pickin'? Things are starting to get good with the recent rains around OH. I scored a good number of Lepiota americana last week from an outdoor patch I started last year. I checked two spots in rain-soaked Northern WV and had an amazing time. I saw tons of boletes including: griseus, bi-color, specoisus, and seperans amongst many not yet ID'd. Chanterelles, oysters, lactarius, gilled-boletes, and alot of photogenic coral fiungi were gigantic due to the latest deluge. Here are some pics and good luck.

August 18th, 2007: Hi Chris....Found these Mushrooms today, I believe they are Honey Mushrooms.Could you please help with id
to make sure ? And are they edible ? Hurry I`am hungry !!! ...Thanks Craig the Buckeye

August 18th, 2007: Hi Chris heres one that seemed to pop up overnight and I have about 50 in my yard nearest I can tell is a bay bolett I know that they are a good edible wanted another opinion before I try them-pores are bannana yellow and pores turn blue when bruised

I cannot identify these with confidence beyond saying that this appears to be a species in genus Boletus.

David W. Fischer
http://AmericanMushrooms.com
Coauthor, Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America and
Mushrooms of Northeastern North America

August 19th, 2007: We did a mini-foray with Dick Grimm and the Ohio Mushroom Society today at Knox Lake. We counted about 41 species, including many amanitas, boletes, russulas, chanterelles, lactarius, etc. We also had one cauliflower-like mushroom that I believe I have identified as Sparassis spathulata, which Miller and Miller's "North American Mushrooms" describes as similar to the regular cauliflower mushroom but with flatter and tougher branches. Also many cool boletus frostii, including this mutant

August 20th, 2007: I live in Starkweather, ND and teach 7-12 science. I have tomato plants growing where there used to be a tree. The roots of the tree are still under the soil and new growth keeps popping up, but the other day when I was out there, I saw some mushrooms. They look like morels, but I don't know for sure. There are also some small round mushrooms? They are about the size of a blueberry, but don't seem to get any bigger. Any ideas as to what they might be? Thank you, Jenifer Leslie

August 22nd, 2007: North Royalton, Ohio Under a Tree (I have included a picture of the tree... An oak I think) Omphalotus olearius (Clitocybe illudens) , Jack-O-Lantern, I don't know if this is actually the kind of mushrooms they are but it was the closest match I could find on the web.
Isaac P.S. I would be interested in hearing what you think.

August 24th, 2007: Hello Chris Can you tell what boletes this is by a picture?They are coming up every where and are huge and plentyfull.Found some with 7 to 8 inch caps and 8 to 10 inch tall.Cap is a clay color with a pinkish tint dull and smooth, pores are yellow with a olive tint stem yellow has some redish dots on it near base.Pores quickly stain blue but color fades to a lite olive/ brown.Any idea or know some who may be able to id by the picture there is a partial spore print with picture as well which looks to be a olive color to me.Thanks Birdman Found under oak app 5 to 10 foot from base of tree in lehigh county Pa. Clusters of 6 to 10 in each flush some seperate some juined at base.

Try a drop of ammonia on the cap and on the stem, see if you get a greenish blue color. Let me know. -Chris M

August 25th, 2007: Hi! My son and I are new this year to mushroom hunting and just came across your site, very informative! I was wondering if you could help us identify this mushroom, I think it is a meadow or field mushroom. Thank you in advance. Jeff Garrettsville, Ohio

The pink gills and white cap appears to be agaricus, but unable to distinguish specifically which species. You are on the right path! - Chris M

August 26th, 2007: Corey,chanterelle - general location = Milwaukee, Wi. Growing Conditions = Very damp deciduous forest in large patches. It was raining crazy for a week here in SE Wi and fall mushrooms are popping up like crazy.

August 27th, 2007: Hi Chris! Well, it's amazing what 6-12" of rain across North Central Ohio will do for the summer shrooms even this far into the season. Got abot 50 nice Agaricus campestris (mostly buttons) on consecutive days. Honey mushroom, reddening lepioatas, L. volemus and hygrophoroides, and great boletes like griseus, speciosus, bi-color, scarber-stalks and chestnut are alot larger than usual. ps The fall hen foray is gonna be great! Can't wait , Chris Ott

August 29th, 2007: Hello, Im a member of the morel mushroom hunting club and I found these in defiance ohio in a mixed woods. I beleve thay may be Chanterelles. There are yellowish brown in color, The gills run down the stalk somewhat. Found in small groups and singles after a large amount of rainfall. I have included three photos with this email. If you could confirm my findings or let me know what they are if not Chanterelles, I would be most appreciated. Thanks again Sincerely, Shane D. Snyder

These do appear to be chanterelles, however, I am not 100% certain, as the photos were somewhat blurry.- Chris M

August 30th, 2007: I am both a novas on internet as well as with mushrooms, but found these growing by my back garage door in full sunlight there were two one big and one small ..... thought them interesting, so Goggled and came up with your web site ..... have No idea what they are and was hoping some one would know ....I saw nothing on your web site that looked like these please let me know if you can Rollin J. Shaw Fort Wayne Indiana

August 31st, 2007: Jason Edwards,Puff Ball, unknown type - general location = Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada, Growing Conditions = I found this growing on a very large lawn/field surrounded by mixed woods Additional Comments = I thought it was a giant puffball but the skin is rough, not smooth and the when cut in a cross section there appears to be a round section - which I assume to be the fertile spore section - and another section which I assume is a sterile base. Any thoughts

This is a lycoperdon species of puffball, not usually getting this big.- Chris M

August 31st, 2007: alison, lobster Where did you find them- general location = oregon

September 1st, 2007: So I can tell you that in Southwest Missouri that the Green gills are up and a very few Meadow mushrooms. The early summer was pretty wet here and the Meadows dont really seem to like that. They really go nuts if you have a good rain after a dry summer. Thats ok because they will continue to grow in spurts for the next several months Jason Lemaster

September 2nd, 2007: Mark Salyers, morel-other - general location = Newton, IL Growing Conditions = in tall green grass, next to a creek in the woods. Additional Comments = i havent hunted in years but hunting with my mom and dad was so much fun. every time i see a pic of a mushroom such as these, it brings a tear to my eye. thank you all for this web site and the wonderful mushroom comments and pictures!

September 2nd, 2007: found many kings just coming up in SW CO last week.......week before white kings, cauliflower, agaricus near Flagstaff.....will send some pics soon........wayne in sedona

September 2nd, 2007: We just got back from a trip up to Vermont, with a stop in Pennsylvania. It was not the best season ever up there, but there were a number of good finds. Highlights in Vermont included: about 15 boletus edulis, including 3 beauties that were 100% bug-free, which is pretty rare up there; about 20 lobsters; lion's mane; comb tooth; huge hedgehog/ sweeth tooth (about 8 as big as softballs); a huge patch of about 50 fresh shaggy-manes; loads of nice chanterelles; scads of large scaber-stalks (leccinum insigne and aurantiacum). Then in PA we found a small but lovely path of black trumpets, plus loads of xanthoconium separans and other boletes. Finally, when we got home to Columbus, we checked our usual chicken patch a saw a HUGE flush of chicken (about 20 feet of a log covered with mushrooms) that was too far gone plus another batch of baby chicken just starting. more pics to follow -- hugh, columbus, OH

September 2nd, 2007: Chris, Found this bolete in Wa, State, Skamania County under large old fir trees around 4000 feet in elev. Was wondering if it is a Yellow - Fleshed ( boletus chrysenteron ) or a Conifer Boletus ( boletus coniferarum ) Randy

When they get this mature, it is sometimes hard to determine, and I have seen the cracked skin on the cap like this in many bitter boletes.- Chris M

September 3rd, 2007: I hope I didn't bung up the works too much but I sent my find via the reporting key on your site. Larry (Old Bones), North Central, Pennsylvania. I think they look like a Lepiota americana. I cropped the photos at original magnification. Let me know If I need to submit more for identification. Here are the pictures. Thank you. Old Bones , Maybe a lepiota variety? - general location = North Central, Pennsylvania, Bradford County, Growing Conditions = Behind old livestock barn which has housed horses, cows, chickens, etc. in a slightly shaded area beneath large elderberry trees. Soil has old manuer beneath thick grass. Additional Comments = Would like to know if they are identifiable enough to tell if these are some edible variety. We are starting a mushroom growing facility here this year for shiitake and maybe another variety but are not experienced at wild identification yet. These in the photos are atleast 12 inches high and tops are about 6 or more inches across and the stems are roughly thumb size. I will be harvesting them and storing them until a positive identification. We will also be spore printing in the hopes they may be a fun strain to raise. Thank you for your help and excellent site!!

Based on the photos, I do not think these are Lepiota americana, but may be the poisonous green gill. You need to do a spore print.- Chris m

September 3rd, 2007: Hi, I found this mushroom in my flower garden. Can you identify it for me? Thank you, Gordon West, Linn Creek, MO

September 3rd, 2007: We checked out Mt. Gilead S.P. in central Ohio, where there had been some rain in the last 2 weeks, and I honestly never saw so many boletes in my life. There were whole fields of boletus bicolor, frostii, hortonii, separans, griseus, ornatipes, pallidus, etc., literally in the hundreds just along the path. I filled a basket with boletes and oysters then called it a day. I also found some nice boletus variipes, which I had not seen before and did not see in your species list. Attached are photos of: a big basket o' boletes, a lovely bicolor, and two shots of the variipes
--hugh, Columbus, OH

September 4th, 2007: Hello, Found all these in Eastern Manitoba the end of July, We have read that Chanterelles are not know to be west of Ontario? Obviously not true! -Chris M I recently downloaded all the pictures so I don't remember the exact date. Love your mushroom site, have never found morel's but have tried for several years. Thank you for continuing to show pictures of other mushroom finds through out the year. Ginters

September 4th, 2007: Hi Chris, I found these yesterday and so far have not been able to ID them. Closest I've found is the Underwoodia Columnaris in Bessette(s) & Fischer's Mushrooms of Northeastern North America, but they look nothing like the photo in the book. They were found on a packed dirt path in mixed woods (some conifers, some beech and oak). They were grouped together but not bunched like in the book photo, and they were on the ground with a few small exposed tree roots near them. Their shape reminds me of garlic, and look to have more than one chamber inside like a shallot. The outer casing is soft, but the inner chambers feel firm, not squishy like a puffball family member would. Cut one small one open last night, and the inside flesh is firm and white, with a layer that looks different- a pit more pore-ish in a slightly darker shade of beige. I think some liquid oozed out of that area when I cut it... will cut open another if you need for ID. The smell is sweet and pleasant; would like to find out if it's edible. thanks in advance for your help. Rebecca S, Monroe CT

Seriously? I didn't know there were truffles growing in these parts. In looking through another guide of mine (Simon & Schuster's), I thought it resembled the Hydnangium Carneum, but the picture shows a lot more detail inside- like the cross-section of a cabbage, where mine is more solid. Also, the book indicates that the Hydnangium Carneum is associated with eucalyptus, which I'm pretty sure we don't have over there in Webb Mt. Park. this is the best I could do... my camera is not so great, and did not seem to want to focus on my mushroom! If this doesn't help, I could try with someone else's camera tomorrow. thanks again, Rebecca

I'm not convinced on the basis of the photo and the information below that this is a fungus. If it is, it's very unusual. Better-focused photos including a vertical section would be helpful.

David W. Fischer
http://AmericanMushrooms.com
Coauthor, Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America and
Mushrooms of Northeastern North America

Correction. Having seen the second photo, I have determined that this is the aborted form of Entoloma abortivum, the "Abortive Entoloma," a good edible. Be careful. Refer to Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America pp. 79–80. ;-)

David W. Fischer

September 6th, 2007: Chris, I am not sure what I have the species, phylum, or any other names, but I can give you a fairly accurate description of the mushroom. From the species that I have the following is a description:

1. size - any where from 2 to 3" in length and approximately 1/2" at the base tapered to a cap that resembles a pointed blunt. 2. body shape - star shape (cross section) has a sponge texture on the inside and the center is hollow.
3. color - from the base it is flesh color with hues of pink to red at the cap.
4. odor - has a stench and attracts fly's very rapidly once coming out of the ground.

Sorry that I do not have a picture at this time but I will try to get one to you please let me know if you know the name and family that this fungi comes from. Please respond to all of the above. Thank You, Roy

Chris, BINGO - you hit it. So what is the phylum name and species can you give me a breakdown and most important how do I get rid of them. They are in the Child Care Center Playground and we feel that they are hazardous to the children if they were to ingest them. Thanks for the quick response and we do appreciate all information you can provide. Thanks, Roy Arce

September 6th, 2007: 2 weeks ago I found 3 gem studed puffballs in the woods across the street from my house (I live in a village just north of springfield ohio) teosinte

September 7th, 2007: Some rains have came after 108 degree day a week ago, here in Central GA.- Chris M

September 8th, 2007: David, Matsutake - general location = Fox Park area Albany County Wyoming. Growing Conditions = Under lodgepole in needle duff Additional Comments = Saw lots of fall mushroom fruitings. Russulia, Coral mushrooms, Bolete, polyphor ets. Looks like a great year for fall mushrooms...but the snow is rapidly approaching.

September 8th, 2007: We'd been hoping to find and try some corn smut (aka huitlacoche or "raven's excrement") for a while now, when lo and behold, it appeared in our little garden corn patch. We fried it up and had it with cheese and salsa on tortillas. It's excellent! Hugh

September 9th, 2007: Hi Chris Here are some sulphur shelf (chicken of the woods) one is normal he other is the white pored as you can see from the small upside down piece to left.White pored was found on a root of a chesnut oak live. Normal were on a dead white oak and about twenty pounds were attached. All found in the lehigh valley area of eastern Pa on 9- 8- 2007 Conditions have been dry lately but the chicken is every where. Cheers Birdman

September 9th, 2007: I found a huge fresh chicken at the base of a honey locust tree in an apartment complex. The color was unreal, almost florescent orange-yellow. -- hugh, Columbus, OH

September 10th, 2007: Mushrooms have been very sparse around the Atlanta area. No rain... WAY too hot! HOWEVER... I did manage to talk my daughter, Heather, into a trip up to Gatlinburg, TN over the Labor day weekend. Oh how she hates it when I drive and watch for mushrooms at the same time! The mountains have had more rain than we have, but not by much. NOW, I don't have my pictures with me (at work at the moment), but JUST as we were getting to the town of Gatlinburg, I happened to glance off to the side of the road, down in the woods and spotted a log almost covered with mushrooms. Since it was a glance, I didn't know what they were, but I told Heather that when we finished shopping and having dinner, we were going to stop and take pictures. She was fine with that. Well, we did stop.... and for Heather to be in awe of a "grove" of mushrooms is something. She's almost NEVER impressed with mushrooms unless it's something we have never found before. I HAVE found this mushroom before, but not by the 10's of pounds. I would guess that there must have been 70 to 100 pounds of this mushroom covering this decaying pine log. It was Chicken of the Woods. Glorious orange and HUGE fans! We couldn't harvest because it was in national forest and protected by the Cherokee Indians, but I got some good pictures! They were beautiful! Saturday, I did walk in Stone Mountain park and the gal that was with me, Janet, spotted some huge boletes. I need to check your mushroom site out to see if it's there. Brown cap with red, maybe cinnamon colored, pores, white flesh and thin reddish stalk. Bruised blue when damaged. One I don't know. Teresa Fortenberry The makings of a good dinner! Surf 'n turf (chicken and oysters!)

September 11th, 2007: wayne sheffield, lobsters - general location = found about 25 lbs. of lobster shrooms under ponderosa today west of Flagstaff......and several of our large SW amanita cesarea....probably the end of the season, though, as the monsoon season is over this week with a return to the westerlies (wind)......

September 12th, 2007: marva villarreal, kind of mushroom? = don't know - general location = lincoln county oregon, Growing Conditions = on a stump

September 13th, 2007: Chris, Found these since sunday the 8th. Every year I find this mystery mushroom that comes up at the same time as the greengills.It grows exactly like the greengills (like an egg on a stick) It has a white powdery coating that sticks to your fingers. The stem does not stain when cut.The flesh is white and the gills have a yellow tint. It smells a little bit like fish(yum). So far no spore print has appeared. Otherwise you can see that I have found a second flush of chanterelles(the first was in early June) and lots of puffballs (western giant I think) all found in southwest Mo. Jason Lemaster

September 13th, 2007: Hello again, I found some coral fungi in a mixed woods. One is yellow and the others are white, and more dense.
If you can Id them for me and let me know if they are edible that would be great. As always I have included pics of both. Also could you recommend a better field guide for me to use. Thanks again Shane D Snyder.

The white more dense ones probably are just young and not finished growing. I am not able to put names on them based on these photos.- Chris M

September 13th, 2007: Hi Chris, Sorry to bother you again but I wanted you input on the following. I was wondering if I could have found the much prized matusake?. I found it growing in sandy soil covered in reindeer lichen in a spruce forest in Goose Bay Labrador. They are very large, firm and fragrant. I found these after about 10 minutes hunting and could have found much more. Spore print is white. Thanks so much. Jason

Jason, you do in fact have white matsutake! There are some variations though, some do not have the best flavor. I find a variety here in GA that I simply cannot eat, very strong flavored, not pleasant. So try a bit first before you dig in! - Chris M

September 13th, 2007: Chris M, I went out to scope out dry conditions, and was shocked to see all of the fruitings going on with little moisture here in Central Georgia. I found A very fresh Chicken, Califlower Mushrooms, and an abundance of Tylopilus ballouii.

September 13th, 2007: I found this today in Rockdale Co. GA, Sept 13th. Not sure what it is. I was thinking maybe Hen of the woods?? If so, can you eat it? You can put it on your find page if you want to. Roger

September 14th, 2007: I went out yesterday and over about 45 minutes gathered about 30 young scaber stalks and 25 Matsutakes. I had some of the matsutake yesterday. When I tasted the mushroom raw it had a peppery taste almost like a radish, very clean tasting and not at all unpleasant. But when I cooked it it was surprising mild, very .. well mushroomy. I had never had one before so I don't know what they are supposed to taste like. Cheers, Jason

September 15th, 2007: I do not mean to pester you but I have taken more photos of my mystery shroom. My curiosity comes from the fact that these mushrooms appear in great quantities every year in yards around my area.It would be good to know if they are deadly so that I could possibly prevent accidental poisonings. f you should happen to stumble across their identity send me an e-mail. Thanks Jason Lemaster ,Nixa mo.

This is almost certainly a very piosonous or even deadly species of Amanita! KEEP AWAY! - Chris M

September 16th, 2007: Chris, Could you give me a hand identifying these mushrooms? I'm in New Hampshire and found these in clusters along a path that follows a streambed. Though it's hard to see in the photos, there appear to be the beginnings of small black hairs on the top of the caps in the center area. I think they may be honey mushrooms, but am not sure. If they ARE honey mushrooms, can they be dried and used later? Thanks for your help. Regards, Don Johnsen, Grafton, NH

It is hard to say for sure based on this photo, it may certainly be a Honey Mushroom. Was it growing from a log or near dead wood? In clumps at all? -

September 17th, 2007: hugh, chicken, oysters - general location = columbus, OH, Growing Conditions = dead hardwood stumps, Additional Comments = not sure if this went through earlier due to bad internet connection, but we found several more patches of fresh chicken plus some nice late fall oysters. No hen yet, but hopefully the cooler weather will bring them out this week. Mid september is when they usually start popping up

September 17th, 2007: I found this mushroom in central, Pa on 9/16/07. It was growing on a dead tree that had fallen over, I believe it was an oak tree but I am not 100% sure. The weather was hot and humid for a week and then cooler for the past 6-7 days prior to picking this. I’ve been picking morels for a couple years now and want to start picking other mushrooms. For the past year I have been taking walks and trying to identify the different mushrooms I find, but don’t pick any. I believe that this is a chicken mushroom but want to make sure. Any help would be appreciated. I have attached only 1 picture because of the size, but have other pictures if you would like. Thanks, Jerry

September 18th, 2007: Tay, Sorry to bother you,but can you identify what kind of mushrooms these are? I believe the agaricus is a blleding agaricus,and the bolete may be a red topped bolete,but I am not that sure,could you help me out?

September 18th, 2007: John H, Idaho, is still finding a few fresh MORELS!!! In high elevations. Some have even gotten Fall Frost-Bite!

September 18th, 2007: Chris M and Elijah M found Cauliflower Mushrooms, and also a beautiful rosette Laetiporus cincinatus in Twiggs County, GA.

September 19th, 2007: I found -Dead Mans Fingers(first time for me) & Lions Mane , Parasol Mushroom , and some golden coral all since Sunday the 15th. Found them in the Mark Twain National Forest in Southwest Mo. Lots of other unidentified fungi out there also.Looked all day for Lions Mane ,ended up being next to the restroom. My advice look by the restrooms first. Jason Lemaster

September 20th, 2007: 20 Sept 2007 Mentor Ohio I have been trying to ID these mushrooms without much luck. All I really want to know is if they are poisonous or not. I find them in my back yard this time of year and fear that one of my children will put it in his or her mouth. Thank you Lisa

Hi Lisa, This is the common Ash-tree Bolete (Gyrodon merulioides). They are not toxic.

David W. Fischer
Mycologist, Author, Photographer, Musician
http://AmericanMushrooms.com
Coauthor, Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America and
Mushrooms of Northeastern North America