Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Durango

1. Indigo milk cap

This gorgeous species is unlike any other. The indigo milk cap, a member of the often-drab russula family, is deep blue in color. Like other milk caps, it bleeds a latex-like substance when cut or damaged, but instead of the usual white this species bleeds deep blue.

2. Common laccaria

Common laccaria may sound like a malevolent name for a mushroom, but fret not! This species is so-called because its appearance is highly variable, with individual caps taking on a whole host of colors, from whitish to pinkish to dark brown.

3. Fan-shaped jelly-fungus

Just as its Latin and the common English names suggest, the fan-shaped jelly-fungus (Dacryopinax spathularia) is a fan-shaped or spatula-shaped jelly-like mushroom. It commonly grows in wood cracks and it sometimes even appears in the cracks of the processed wood and lumber. Despite the word "jelly" in its name, the fan-shaped jelly-fungus is not considered edible.

4. Umber-brown puffball

Like all puffballs, this mushroom grows without a distinct stalk, and assumes a sort of inverted-pear shape. The umber-brown puffball is distinguished by its dark color and the short spines, less than 1 mm in length, that cover its cap.

5. Common puffball

These puffy mushrooms grow in small groups on the forest floor. Once they're mature, common puffballs turn yellow and "puff out" smoke-like spore clouds when disturbed. Be very careful when identifying these mushrooms, as their young, immature form looks very similar to the lethal Deathcap.

6. Russell's bolete

Russell's bolete is a unique-looking bolete with an attractive appearance that makes it easy to spot underneath oaks and other hardwood trees. It is distinctive for its slender stem which is also shaggy and pocketed. Unlike similar species, russell's bolete’s cap does not become sticky.

7. 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.”

8. Lion's Mane Mushroom

Lion's Mane Mushroom(Hericium erinaceus) is easily identifiable by its characteristic appearance, reminiscent of the majestic mane of a lion. It often sprouts along hardwoods, which may be living or dead. Scientists thus debate whether this species is truly parasitic or merely saprophytic in nature.

9. Pear-shaped puffball

The mushrooms of this species grow in such tight clusters that they may cover fallen trees and stumps almost entirely in a brownish, puffy coat. Pear-shaped puffballs appear all around the northern hemisphere on decaying hardwoods from fall through winter.

10. Ruby bolete

True to its name, ruby bolete is bright red when young but fades to a greenish-red when older. This mushroom is most commonly found growing in groups in open areas or on forest edges. However, it may be difficult to distinguish ruby bolete from other boletes.

11. 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.

12. Dryad's saddle

A familiar sight to spring morel hunters, dryad's saddle is noteworthy for its large size, striking scales, and watermelon-like smell. Similar to other mushrooms in the bracket fungi family, dryad's saddle can be used to make paper. Younger mushrooms are better suited for this purpose due to their smaller and more consistent fibers.

13. 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.

14. Pine bolete

Pine bolete is so named because of its strong mutually-beneficial association with several species of pine tree. So, if you find stone pine, Corsican pine, and similar trees in coniferous woodlands, you are likely to see pine bolete growing beneath them. This chunky-looking mushroom has a distinctively bulbous stem.

15. Graceful bolete

Graceful bolete(Austroboletus gracilis) fruitbodies are often found standing alone or in small groups near patches of decaying wood. They enjoy the shade of conifers and most particularly of hemlocks. They are known as "graceful" for the elegance of their drooping form and gentle coloring of reddish brown.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. Peppery milk cap

Mushrooms in the Lactarius genus, including peppery milk cap, leak a milky substance from their gills. Peppery milk cap is unique because its milk has an overpowering pepper taste. This mushroom was first described by Carl Linnaeus, the famed father of modern taxonomy.

19. Corn smut

With a common name such as "corn smut," it is easy to guess that the most common place to find this crop-devastating fungus is on corn plants. The gall-shaped growths of corn smut (Ustilago maydis) are black in color with hues of grey and white closer to where they attach to the host plant. The corn will develop a scorched appearance, which is actually the smut rot.

20. Deer mushroom

The deer mushroom is can be found sprouting up from rotting logs, branches, and roots, and while it may have a preference for hardwoods it isn't very picky. Unlike many other mushroom species, the fruitbodies can be found blooming across a wide range of seasons. They have a faint, radish-like odor.

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