Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Nogales

1. Silky sheath

Silky sheaths (Volvariella bombycina) are widely distributed, being found in temperate and sub-tropical forests around the world, but rare. The fruitbody emerges from a silky-textured volva, and the mushroom's white or off-white cap is usually quite smooth as well. One of this species' favored microhabitats is the rotted knotholes of mature maples, elms, oaks, or beeches.

2. 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.”

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. Tiger sawgill

The tiger sawgill (Lentinus tigrinus) is a small mushroom with a name that is not particularly accurate. Sporting neither the color nor the pattern that we commonly associate with the tiger, it has a subdued, pale cap that is usually covered in brown patches. The eighteenth-century European that named the species may have been thinking of a leopard.

5. 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.

6. Vinegar cup

The vinegar cup (Helvella acetabulum) forms fruitbodies in the shape of vases or chalices with deeply convex caps. Its distinguishing feature is the way the stem’s ribs extend all the way up the sides of the “cup,” in some specimens resembling the folds of cabbage leaves. Common name aside, it is not considered edible.

7. 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.

8. Gold-flecked woodwax

This rare mushroom’s claim to fame comes from the remarkable yellow scales scattered over an otherwise ivory fruitbody. However, not every specimen of the gold-flecked woodwax (Hygrophorus chrysodon) species boasts these brightly-colored speckles. Examples of this species can usually be found under conifers.

9. Oyster mushroom

Oyster mushrooms grow wild but are also cultivated for sale in supermarkets. They can even be cultivated at home. They will grow on coffee grounds and spent grain, and are occasionally even fashioned into an environmentally-friendly substitute for styrofoam. There are several toxic look-alike species, so it is best to buy these mushrooms at the store.

10. Peeling puffball

It is easy to spot as it resembles a puffball but has spines that gradually peel off as it ages. This appearance gave this mushroom its common name "peeling puffball." peeling puffball thrives underneath deciduous and conifer trees, getting its nutrients from decaying plant matter.

11. 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.

12. Silky sheath