Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Terni
Best known for its rolling hills, tranquil landscapes, and a climate that's ideal for mushroom growth, Terni boasts an impressive diversity of edible fungi. Our list of top 20 most common edible mushrooms from Terni delves into the distinctive features, culinary applications, and habitats of these sought-after species. Explore the unique flavors, textures, and aesthetics of each mushroom, along with the specific regions in Terni where they are typically found. Enrich your mycological knowledge and culinary skills with our informative guide.
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Most Popular Edible Mushrooms
1. Big sheath mushroom
These large white mushrooms bloom all over cleared, harvested fields, as well as pastures and roadsides. The scientific species name comes from Greek words meaning “glue” (glioio) and “head” (cephalus), in reference to the sticky surface of this mushroom’s cap. The big sheath mushroom looks so similar to the poisonous Deathcap and Destroying Angel mushrooms that it should always be left alone.
2. Jelly ear
The distinctive jelly ear grows mainly through winter and spring, mostly on the dead trunks and branches of elder trees. It occurs around the world and is often cooked into dishes in Asian countries. This ear-shaped jelly mushroom is often available in stores both fresh and dried.
3. 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.”
4. Honey fungus
The honey fungus is a parasitic fungus that grows on the roots of many woody and perennial plants, damaging and possibly killing its host. It spreads underground and is considered to be the most damaging fungal disease in gardens across the UK. The appearance of the mushrooms above-ground heralds a much more extensive infection below.
5. Parasol
Found in clearings and grassy areas in late summer, the wild parasol mushroom has a snakeskin-patterned stem. The brown spots on its cap make it look a bit shaggy, but that name is reserved for its poisonous counterpart, the Shaggy Parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes). You can distinguish the two by the stems: the latter has a smooth stem and red flesh inside.
6. Pinkmottle woodwax
Although the species name references this mushroom’s physical similarity to a russula, the pinkmottle woodwax (Hygrophorus russula) is a waxy cap. The characteristic sticky cap of that genus dries out quickly in this tricky species. They are quite resistant to insect infestations.
7. Shiitake
Lentinula edodes, commonly called the shiitake, is one of the most iconic and widely cultivated species of edible mushrooms in the world. The species, which is native to East and Southeast Asia, grows on dead oak and other hardwoods. Shiitakes boast a rich, meaty flavor and are used across a wide spectrum of Asian cuisines and have become popular in the West as well.
8. Porcelain mushroom
Porcelain mushroom can be found on a variety of deadwood including logs, dead standing trees, and dead upper branches. However, this mushroom is pickier about the type of deadwood, as it only grows on beech trees. This mushroom prefers to keep these trees to itself, releasing fungicides that can kill other mushrooms.
9. Chicken of the woods
Chicken of the woods is very noticeable in hardwood forests, appearing in clusters on standing tree trunks in bright orange and yellow hues that sometimes last through the entire winter. It is a parasite that causes an unfortunate brown heart rot, and is considered a particularly troublesome pest of Yew trees. If the fruitbodies can be seen, the tree is likely already beyond saving.
10. Common stump brittlestem
This wood-rotting mushroom prefers damp, shaded locations as it decomposes the stumps and fallen branches of broadleaf trees or conifers. Foraging for the common stump brittlestem is discouraged as there are many poisonous look-alikes and, further, it has no particular culinary value no matter how it’s cooked.
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