Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Newfoundland and Labrador

1. Yellowfoot

Found in temperate forests, wetlands, and bogs across the northern hemisphere, the yellowfoot is a highly sought after member of the chanterelle family. Considered a choice edible, it boasts a lovely, complex flavor (though it is somewhat less fruity and sweet then some of its more popular cousins). Yellowfoots are sometimes called "winter mushrooms", as they tend to be very late-season fruiters.

2. Dark honey mushroom

This parasitic fungus species has the ability to damage large swathes of forest. It lives as interwoven underground threads that only occasionally sprout surface mushrooms. A single specimen of dark honey mushroom can grow for thousands of years, and one found in the US covers 2200 acres, earning it the title of the world’s largest living organism.

3. Fairy ring mushroom

Fairy ring mushrooms may dry out completely in the sun, but will “resurrect” during the next rain and regain their ability to make new spores. This is due to a sugar called trehalose which protects their cells. They appear in lawns and fields, sometimes in “fairy ring” configurations.

4. Purple coral

The purple coral is a tiny, but beautiful and impressive fungus that can be immediately distinguished from other Alloclavaria and Clavaria species by its distinctive purple colour. This mushroom grows in large clusters, but it's still unclear whether it's a saprobic or mycorrhizal species.

5. Gypsy mushroom

Cortinarius caperatus, commonly referred to as the gypsy mushroom, is a sought-after species that grows across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The fruitbodies sport ochre-colored caps and pale gills and stems - their cap color fades over time though, which may lead to their being confused with other, more toxic species.

6. Apricot jelly

This distinctive, rubbery fungus has an entirely unique appearance. Occurring in temperate regions around the world, the apricot jelly grows in tongue-like funnels in varying shades of orange or pink. While it may look like candy, it is reported to have almost no taste and no culinary value.

7. Velvet milkcap

The velvet milkcap grows naturally across Europe and North America. However, the European species is quite stable in its appearance, while the North American specimens are highly variable. Numerous forms of the velvet milkcap are yet to be described, and until then, this chocolate-looking mushroom should not be considered safe to eat.

8. Decorated mop

Characterized by a wide, flat cap, the decorated mop grows mushrooms of a yellow-brown hue with a scaly surface. Despite at least one of its common names referencing food, this mushroom is reportedly bitter and in 2006 was identified as possibly containing a life-threatening poison.

9. Blewit

The blewit mushroom grows in fallen leaves in autumn and winter, sometimes appearing in ‘fairy ring’ circles. It can be used to make a green dye when chopped and boiled in an iron pot. The scientific name, Lepista nuda, derives from Latin words meaning “bare goblet,” a reference to the shape and texture of the mushroom.

10. Tawny grisette

Tawny grisette (Amanita fulva) is a common species most commonly found in Europe's broadleaf and coniferous forests, with a potential but unverified range in North America. Its name comes from the burnished orange color of its cap, which sits atop a cream-colored stem.

11. Crested coral

Crested coral(Clavulina coralloides) is a distinctive coral mushroom that is widespread in coniferous and hardwood forests, acting as a decomposer of dead and decaying timber. Endemic to the temperate zones of North America and Europe, it sprouts from late summer to winter.

12. Depressed hedgehog

Though the depressed hedgehog (Hydnum umbilicatum), sporting a toothed spore surface and a smooth cap, may not look much like a chanterelle, it is actually closely related to them. This species can be found growing in temperate forests across North America and Europe.

13. Leafy brain

Leafy brain is a parasitic slime mold that feeds off mushrooms. As hinted by its name, it has distinct lobes that start off leaflike and become more wrinkled and brain-like with age. This slime mold shrivels into black crusts when dry but can perk up again after rain.

14. Shaggy mane

The shaggy mane mushroom is commonly found in North American and European grasslands. Some peoples foraged for its young egg-shaped caps, but it has more recently been found to be a bioaccumulator of heavy metals, meaning it pulls toxic metals up from the soil where it grows. As a result, shaggy manes should not be eaten. The mushrooms usually appear in clusters or “fairy rings.”

15. Violet webcap

This absolutely striking mushroom looks like something out of a fairy tale. The entire fruitbody of the violet webcap - cap, stalk, and gills - ranges in color from a light lavender to a very deep purple. The species' caps are bulbous and pockmarked, often appearing velvety. Though a feast for the eyes, this species is usually considered inedible.

16. Yellow fan

The fan- or spoon-shaped fruit bodies of S. flavida may be up to 8 cm (3.1 in) high, although a range between 2–5 cm (0.8–2.0 in) is more typical. Occasionally, fruit bodies are produced with the "head" split into two separate lobes. The color is light to strong yellow, the flattened fertile area at times paler; the color tends to deepen with the age of the fruit body. The fertile area (the region that produces spores) is often irregularly wrinkled and sometimes notched at apex, and is up to 2 cm (0.8 in) wide; it tapers down the length of either side of the stem (i.e., decurrently) from a half to a third of the total stem length. The division between the head and the stem is sharply defined. The stem is hollow, smooth (glabrous), and has a white to yellowish mycelium at its base. The flesh of the fruit body is whitish, but becomes yellowish-brown when dry. The edibility of Spathularia flavida is variously described as untested, unknown, or "edible, but rather tough". The small size would likely discourage table use. The odor and taste are not distinctive.

17. Salmon milkcap

Upon gazing upon the cap of the salmon milkcap, you might notice that the color resembles the shiny back of a salmon. This coloration inspired its scientific name, Lactarius salmonicolor. Just as it looks, the species name means "of the color of salmon." They sprout up predominately under the canopies of Fir trees.

18. Red-banded cortinarius

Red-banded cortinarius (Cortinarius armillatus) usually sports a clear, red or reddish brown band at the base of its stalk. The species is found in temperate areas across Europe and eastern North America. It is often seen associating with conifers in the former area but birches in the latter area. While not edible, this species is sometimes used for dye-making.

19. Yellowfoot