Foraging Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms
Smooth Chanterelles Cantharellus lateritius
Early summer is Chanterelle (Cantharellus sp.) season here in middle Tennessee. And our woods are full of them! We even harvested enough to share at the farmers market last week.
Chanterelles are considered (by some) a beginner-friendly wild mushroom because they are relatively easy to distinguish from other mushrooms growing this time of year. However they require close attention to detail.
Important note: It is important to know how to correctly identify any mushroom. Use a field guide specific to your region and compare features in the book with your findings. When in doubt, throw it out! If you are not 100% sure of your identification, don’t eat it.
Beware Toxic Look Alike: Jack-o-lantern Mushroom Omphalotus olearius - Grows in late summer-fall.
How to tell the difference between Jack-o-lantern mushroom and Chanterelles?
By observing their gills, growth habit, and smell.
- Chanterelles usually have a fruity or apricot-like aroma.
- Chanterelles have false gills, or ridges, while jack-o-lantern mushrooms have true gills.
True gills are thin, sharp, and look like individual pages or blades. You can pluck or scrape them off the underside of the cap without tearing the cap's flesh.
False gills are blunt, rubbery, and often resemble shallow wrinkles, folds, or veins.
- Chanterelles will have a solid white, dense interior. Jack-o-lantern mushrooms are consistently orange inside.
- Chanterelles are usually growing directly out of the soil sometimes in moss. Jack-o-lantern mushrooms are usually growing at the base of a tree, tree stump or log.
- Chanterelles (in middle Tennesse specifically) are usually fruiting in the summer, while Jack-o-lantern mushrooms fruit in the fall.
- Jack-o-lantern mushrooms are bioluminescent! In the dark you may notice a faint glow emitting from it’s gills.
- Jack-o-lantern mushrooms often grow in clusters while Chanterelles grow individually.
Jack-o-lantern Mushroom Cluster
Jack-o-lantern Mushroom Cluster
There are several different varieties of chanterelles found in this region.
Appalachian Chanterelle Cantharellus appalachiensis
Golden Chanterelle Cantharellus cibarius
Cinnabar-red Chanterelle Cantharellus cinnabarinus
Flame-Colored Chanterelle Cantharellus ignicolor
Smooth Chanterelle Cantharellus lateritius
Small Chanterelle Cantharellus minor
Peach (or Pink) Chanterelle Cantharellus persicinus fruity or apricot-like aroma
Chanterelles growing out of moss
Chanterelle Mushrooms