If you spend any time outdoors, you've probably seen mushrooms growing under trees or in your yard, but if you're out camping or just enjoy foraging, here are some ways to tell if the mushroom you're looking at is edible.
Photo by Dominic Alves.
First of all, it should be said that if you're not absolutely, clearly, 100% sure that a mushroom that you see is safe to eat, then do not eat it. Some mushrooms can sicken or kill you if eaten. Even if you think it's possibly safe, there's no reason to put your health in jeopardy if you're not absolutely sure. To that point, this is not an authoritative or definitive guide to mushrooming. We hope to get you started or interested, but don't do anything dangerous based on one article.
Eating Raw. Most wild mushrooms are difficult to digest when raw. If you do find wild mushrooms that you trust, make sure to cook them well, either stewed or fried, preferably. In some mushrooms that are otherwise mildly toxic, heat will break down the toxins. However, this isn't universally true, so remain cautious.
Decaying or Old Mushrooms. It may seem like an oxymoron, but if you're picking mushrooms you only want whole, firm, and fresh mushrooms with thick stems and no damage to the body from insects or other animals. If you think a mushroom may have had a bite taken out of it, leave it alone.
Parasols. The first thing for even an amateur mushroom hunter to remember is to avoid parasol-shaped mushrooms, or mushrooms that look like wide-open umbrellas with white rings around the stem and white, milky gills. These mushrooms, especially brightly colored and spotted parasols, may be Amanitas, mushrooms full of one of nature's deadliest poisons.
Even in the best case, it's possible the parasol you've found is the Green-spored Lepiota, which is common to North America. Almost every child with a lawn has kicked one or two over growing in their yard. These mushrooms have cream-colored caps that get brown as they get older. Avoid these as well. Photo by Jason Hollinger.
False Morels. Another type of mushroom to avoid are so-called "false morels." If you see a mushroom with wrinkled, irregular caps that look like brain coral or saddles, with a bottom edge that hangs free around the base, avoid it.
Others. This list is hardly exhaustive, but over at the Missouri Department of Conservation's guide to poisonous mushrooms, they list a few more, like the sweet-smelling Jack O' Lantern and the catch-all "Little Brown Mushroom" that's hard to distinguish. They point out that experienced mushroom hunters will be able to tell the non-poisonous false morels from the dangerous ones, and some of them are only poisonous if you have an allergy to them, but many are best to avoid entirely if you're out camping and want to try your hand at foraging. Photo by Dan Bennett.
Puffballs. Round, fluffy, and often large, the puffball is the quintessential safe-to-eat forest mushroom. They can be anywhere from an inch to 12 inches in diameter, and grow in late summer and fall in soil or on decaying wood. They're particularly good fried or deep fried, but you should slice them open to inspect them first, just to make sure they're not young parasols. Photo by Leonora Enking.
Oysters and Chantrelles. Often found in fancy dishes, Oyster mushrooms and Chenterelles are fairly easy to identify in the wilderness, or to grow yourself. Oysters are always white or ivory colored, soft to the touch, and are usually found in clusters growing on wood, usually during warmer months.
Chanterelles on the other hand are trumpet-shaped mushrooms with wavy caps and irregular edges. Take care to inspect the gills on the bottom: some are smooth, others have wrinkles that go all the way down the stem, but none have sharp, jagged gills. If your chanterelle is tall with jagged gills, it may be a Jack O' Lantern, which is poisonous. If you're not sure, leave it alone.
Hen of the Woods. Also known as Maitake, these mushrooms are easy to identify because they're vaguely round and look like an angry chicken with ruffled feathers. They have brown, fan-shaped caps that overlap one another. These mushrooms can grow remarkably large, up to 100 lbs. Break off the soft and tender parts for a treat that can feed you for days. Best of all, like Puffballs, the Hen of the Woods has no look-alikes that are poisonous, so if you see one, it's a relatively safe bet. Photo by Joi Ito
Others. This list isn't exhaustive either, especially depending on where you live. There are plenty of others that grow all over North America and Europe that are easy to identify and are equally delicious. For example, the Shaggy Mane or the Bearded Tooth are all excellent candidates as well with few or no poisonous look-alikes.
A book or a guide. If you're interested in foraging for mushrooms, there are a number of great books to take with you, including Mushrooming Without Fear, A Field Guide to Mushrooms, Simon and Schuster's Guide to Mushrooms, and the Audubon Society's field guides. If you're headed out on your own, make sure to do plenty of research and go armed with an illustrated book to help you identify before you start plucking and eating.
Also, consider finding someone who's familiar with the species of wild mushrooms in your area and knows what they look like: there's no replacement for a good guide or someone who's been foraging in your area.
Like we've mentioned, there are some mushrooms that are easy tells because they're so distinctive. Even so, never eat a mushroom you haven't positively identified. There's no quick and easy test to tell if a mushroom is safe to eat: no "do this and you'll know" kind of litmus test you can perform.
However, with some practice, you'll be able to quickly tell which are obviously good from ones that require more investigation, and eventually which should be avoided entirely.