Top 20 Most Common Mushrooms in Sweden
With its lush forests, fertile soil, and varied climate, Sweden offers an ideal habitat for a vast diversity of mushroom species. In the rich tapestry of its woodland floors and mossy meadows, numerous fungi thrive, contributing significantly to Sweden's biodiverse landscape. The following examines the top 20 most ubiquitous mushroom species found within this Nordic haven, arraying from benign to delicacies.
Most Common Mushrooms
1. Tree lungwort
Tree lungwort is a green lichen that can be found in humid areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. It grows regularly on trees, rocks, and in urban areas rich with moss. It can be used as a dye. Animals may consume tree lungwort or use it as nesting material.
2. Red ring rot
Despite its unassuming appearance, red ring rot has a sinister reputation with commercial logging operations as it is the most common cause of decay in some conifer species. It grows on both living conifers and the deadwood from conifers, often forming a reddish-brown conk. On the flip side, it produces hollowed-out trees that make for excellent nesting sites.
3. Red-belted conk
This bracket or shelf fungus grows for years on both living and dead conifer trees. Its annual growth creates distinctive rings or ridges, with a bright red or orange band separating the old layers from the current growth. Red-belted conk is only a danger to living trees if it colonizes a very deep cut or broken top.
4. Tinder fungus
This large, tough shelf fungus can be found attached to birch, beech, and sycamore trees. It gets its common name, tinder fungus, from the fact that it burns quite slowly and can thus be used effectively for lighting fires. Dried pieces can also be a useful desiccant. A piece of this fungus was found in the possession of Otzi the Iceman, indicating that its usefulness has been known for millenia.
5. Witch's hair
This common species can be found hanging off of coniferous trees in low-density forests around the world. It grows better in sunlight than other lichens. Witch's hair was traditionally used for fibercrafts, bandages, and diapers. The Nuxalk people of the Pacific Northwest also turned it into decorative false hair on traditional dancing masks.
6. Phellinidium ferrugineofuscum
7. Fly agaric
In Northern Asia and Europe, fly agaric grows under trees near the winter solstice and is collected for ritual use tied to the season. Its characteristic shape and coloring are still ubiquitous in many European fairy tale illustrations and Christmas traditions. It is highly toxic.
8. Birch polypore
The birch polypore has a variety of applications. Its thick skin has been used by barbers as a razor sharpener and as a mount for insect collectors. When dried, this mushroom was also used to carry fire over long distances because it burns slowly. The historical use of birch polypore doesn't stop there; pieces of this mushroom were found being carried by the five-thousand-year-old mummy Ötzi the Iceman.
9. Golden chanterelle
Golden chanterelle mushrooms are popular in gourmet cuisine across Europe, where they grow wild during the warm (but not too hot) months. Similar species grow in other countries. Extremely popular with foragers, the golden chanterelle emits an apricot-like scent and contains an array of nutrients that benefit the human body. Several studies suggest consuming extremely large amounts may have detrimental effects on the eyes and muscles.
10. Blusher
The blusher mushroom is so named because it “blushes” to a pinkish red color when cut or bruised. It is found in many countries around the world, although it may not be native to the southern hemisphere. It contains a hemolytic toxin that can cause anemia if eaten.
More
