Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Fuso

1. Enoki

The enoki grows wild on dead elm trees, and is also cultivated for human use. This flavorful species (Flammulina velutipes) has been used in dishes around the world for generations, being particularly high in nutrients. Though store-bought enoki are often plain white, wild ones can be found in a range of colors.

2. Brown birch-bolete

The brown birch-bolete is common around the northern hemisphere. It grows beneath birch trees and is usually easy to identify by its brown cap and scaly stem, the latter of which is referenced in its scientific name Leccinum scabrum. Occasionally, however, it can be found sporting a white cap.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Russian conecap

Russian conecap can easily be identified by its unique habitat. It is commonly found growing on pinecones that are either lying on the ground or partially buried. For this reason, this mushroom is commonly known as the "pine cone cap." Its lack of a ring on the cap also makes it easy to identify from similar 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. Amethyst deceiver

The amethyst deceiver (Laccaria amethystina) is a breathtaking mushroom that pops up from coniferous forest floors. The caps are a striking violet color in youth and are generally flat with a small indentation when the stem connects. As they mature, this violet color transforms to a less than breathtaking grey color, making it quite hard to identify after a certain age positively. Not edible.

8. Hollow bolete

Hollow bolete (Suillus cavipes) gets its Latin name cavipes, which means hollow foot, from its hollow stem. It forms a mutually beneficial relationship with larch trees. This mushroom has an unusual scaly brown cap. It can grow alone or gregariously.

9. Scaly lentinus

Scaly lentinus(Neolentinus lepideus) may be found alone or in groups along dead or decaying pieces of timber. Due to its ability to colonize even chemically treated wood, including railroad tracks, it has been given the nickname "train wrecker." Due to inconsistent reports of safety, consumption is discouraged.

10. 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.

11. Earthy powdercap

Commonly found in lawns, moors, heath, and other wet grasslands, the earthy powdercap (Cystoderma amianthinum) can produce large “fairy rings” in places where fertilizers or chemicals have not been sprayed. Its distinctive stem is smooth just beneath the cap but abruptly shaggy below, giving the appearance that each mushroom is wearing a little sock!

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Changle

A beautiful fungus resembling undersea coral, the changle (Ramaria flava) appears as a bright tuft of lemony or sulfurous yellow when young. It fades into a deeper brown shade with age. The changle's cluster of branches is hard to distinguish from other coral species, some of which are quite poisonous.

15. 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.”

16. Poplar fieldcap

The poplar fieldcap is a cream-colored mushroom that grow predominantly in central and southern Europe. As it matures, the color changes to a tobacco brown. Even though the fungus is called poplar fieldcap, it can usually be found on wood chips and dead trees other than poplars.

17. Enoki