Until now, I never realized how challenging it is to identify wild mushrooms. The growing conditions must have been perfect for them this fall because they were popping up everywhere. I starting snapping photos of some of the more interesting ones I came upon while on a hike or in my own backyard, but when I tried to ID them I was overwhelmed.
I used guide books and searched the internet, and I felt lucky when I could narrow my choices to 2 or 3 types. Sometimes there was only a teensy weensy difference between a poisonous and a non-poisonous mushroom. It amazes me that anyone feels confident enough to eat a wild mushroom!
I got some help identifying these golden mushrooms, so I’m pretty sure they are Honey Mushrooms. They are edible (but apparently slightly bitter) and grow at the base of dead, decaying or live deciduous trees. However, like many other mushrooms this one has several poisonous lookalikes. Yikes!
I was alarmed when I found them growing next to the White oak that borders our property, but even more disturbed when I got a proper ID and read up on them. Some mushrooms thrive on dying and decaying matter, but others can actually cause root rot. Unfortunately this mushroom is a pathogen. While it does indeed feed on decaying matter (not what you want to see popping out near the trunk of a 70-foot tree that hovers over your house), it can also CAUSE a root rot known as “shoestring rot.” Northern Red Oaks are most susceptible, so it’s possible these mushrooms just found some ideal decaying matter to feed on, but I’ll be keeping my eye on this tree from now on.
One mushroom that I had no trouble identifying was this Giant Puffball that my friend discovered in her backyard. She looked out the window at night after she thought she’d heard a noise. She noticed a strange white blob out in the lawn. It looked to her like the top half of a mannequin, but in the morning she discovered this huge mushroom:
I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos, but it was impossible to get any sort of perspective so I kicked off my shoe. Keep in mind I don’t have dainty feet. That clodhopper is a women’s size 11. That’s one giant Giant Puffball (and sibling)!