Michael Davis
Chanterelle mushrooms are a delicious culinary treat and fun to forage for in the wild. However, it is crucial to be able to identify them correctly, as there are poisonous false species that can cause severe stomach upset and even death. Chanterelles are usually golden yellow, but there are also white and bright red species. They are most commonly found near hardwood trees such as beech, oak, maple, birch, and poplar, and conifers like pine or hemlock. They have false gills, like ridges, that fork near the cap, and are light in colour and rubbery to the touch. Chanterelles grow singularly or in loose associations directly from the forest floor, while false chanterelles and jack-o-lantern mushrooms grow on decaying wood in clusters.
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What You'll Learn
Chanterelles have false gills, which are like ridges
Chanterelles are usually relatively easy to spot because of their yellow-orange colour, although in the fall, the colourful leaves on the ground can make it more difficult. Chanterelles have false gills, which are like ridges. They are not true gills, but rather blunt ridges that fork and extend down the stem. These ridges are wavy and rubbery to the touch. They are forked wrinkles that appear melted onto the mushroom. They are not separate or detachable. The ridges are wider at the edge, narrower in the middle, and then widen again at the base.
False chanterelles, on the other hand, have true gills that are thin and very close together. Jack-o-lantern mushrooms have true gills as well, but they are non-forked and knife-like. They are also papery in their thinness. The gills of jack-o-lanterns are straighter and do not fork.
It is important to be able to distinguish between the different types of chanterelles and their false counterparts, as some of the false varieties can be toxic and cause gastrointestinal issues. The false chanterelle, for example, is mildly toxic, while the jack-o-lantern mushroom is highly toxic and can cause severe stomach upset.
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Chanterelles are usually yellow or orange, but can be almost white
Chanterelles have false gills, which are like ridges that fork near the cap. They are called false gills because they are not separate from the mushroom body and cannot be detached without causing damage to the stem. The ridges are easy to differentiate from true gills as they are wavy and rubbery to the touch. Chanterelles also have a distinctive apricot-like or fruity aroma, although some people find it difficult to describe the scent as fruity.
False chanterelles, on the other hand, have true gills that are thin, very close together, and decurrent. They are mildly toxic and can cause gastrointestinal issues in some people. False chanterelles are orange with a brownish-orange cap, and they smell like typical store-bought mushrooms.
Jack-o'-lantern mushrooms are another chanterelle look-alike. They are highly toxic and can cause severe stomach upset. They grow in clusters on decaying wood and have true, non-forked gills. Jack-o'-lantern mushrooms are more orange-brown than yellow, and when cut open, the interior is orange rather than white.
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False chanterelles are mildly toxic and have true gills
Chanterelle mushrooms are relatively easy to identify and fun to forage for. However, it is crucial to distinguish them from their poisonous false counterparts. False chanterelles (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) are mildly toxic and can cause gastrointestinal issues in some people, including stomach aches, cramps, nausea, diarrhoea, and even severe mushroom poisoning. They have been described as having a "kind of pernicious" nature, and fatalities from their consumption, though rare, are not unheard of.
True chanterelles have a golden hue, while false chanterelles are more orange-red. Chanterelles have false gills, which are blunt, forked ridges or wrinkles on the underside of the mushroom that appear "melted". False chanterelles, on the other hand, have true gills that are thin, straight, and very close together. These gills do fork like chanterelles, but the forking pattern is less pronounced. The gills of false chanterelles can be separated and move when stroked, whereas the false gills of chanterelles are more rubbery and difficult to detach from the stem or cap.
The cap of a chanterelle is initially flat, then becomes funnel-shaped with wavy, irregular edges as the mushroom matures. False chanterelle caps might be flatter or more convex, with the edges turning downward. The caps are brownish orange, while the overall colour of the mushroom is a deeper orange than chanterelles. Chanterelles have firm flesh, while false chanterelles are thin and relatively fragile.
Another key distinction is the smell. Chanterelles smell like apricots or fresh pumpkin, whereas false chanterelles have a typical "mushroomy" smell. Additionally, chanterelles are solitary or found in small bunches, while false chanterelles grow separately from one another. Chanterelles are mycorrhizal fungi and are always found near trees but never on them. False chanterelles grow from the ground, not on decaying wood like the toxic jack-o'-lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens).
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Jack-o-lantern mushrooms are highly toxic and grow on decaying wood
Chanterelle mushrooms are usually yellow-orange, though they can be anywhere from almost white to deep yellow or orange. Their caps are flat at first, then become funnel-shaped, with wavy edges as they age. The stem is solid and smooth, paler at the base, and white on the inside. Chanterelles have a firm flesh that smells of apricots or fresh pumpkin, and they feature blunt ridges that fork and extend down the stem, rather than true gills.
When foraging for chanterelles, it is important to be aware of similar-looking mushrooms that are toxic. False chanterelles, for example, are mildly toxic and can cause gastrointestinal issues. They are orange with brownish-orange caps, and their edges tend to turn downward. They have thin, forked gills that are very close together, and they lack the apricot smell of true chanterelles.
Another toxic mushroom that resembles chanterelles is the Jack-o-lantern mushroom. Jack-o-lantern mushrooms are highly toxic and can cause severe stomach upset. They are saprobic, growing on decaying wood, particularly hardwood trees such as oaks, and are often found at the base of stumps or on buried roots and decaying wood. They grow in large, overlapping groups with attached stems, and their gills are true, sharp, bendable, and paper-like, but not forked. Jack-o-lantern mushrooms are typically orange-brown in colour, though they can also be bright orange to yellowish-orange, and they have been described as pumpkin-coloured. Their stems are orange on the inside, in contrast to the white insides of chanterelle stems.
It is important to be able to distinguish between chanterelles and similar-looking toxic mushrooms. The gills, growing location, colour, smell, and overall shape are key factors in differentiating between these mushrooms. Chanterelles have false gills or blunt ridges, while Jack-o-lantern mushrooms have true, sharp, non-forked gills. Chanterelles grow in small bunches or singly on the forest floor, while Jack-o-lanterns grow in large clusters on decaying wood. Chanterelles are yellowish-orange, while Jack-o-lanterns are more orange-brown. Chanterelles smell of apricots, while Jack-o-lanterns have a non-distinctive smell.
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Chanterelles have a distinctive apricot or fruity smell
Chanterelles are also distinguished by their false gills, which are more like ridges that fork near the cap. False chanterelles, on the other hand, have true gills that are thin and close together. The gills of false chanterelles may fork, but they never cross each other to make an "X".
Chanterelles are usually yellow-orange, though their colour can vary from almost white to deep yellow or orange. They grow in conifer forests, near trees, but never on them. They are usually solitary or in small bunches.
False chanterelles are orange with brownish-orange caps, and their edges tend to turn downward. They are thin and relatively fragile.
Jack-o'-lantern mushrooms are another look-alike mushroom. They grow on decaying wood, often attached to trees or stumps, and in large, overlapping groups with attached stems. They are orange-brown in colour and have true, non-forked gills.
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Frequently asked questions
Chanterelle mushrooms are usually yellow or orange, sometimes with white interiors. They have false gills that are more like ridges, which fork near the cap. They grow on the ground, in and around trees, especially hardwoods like beech, oak, maple, birch, and poplar, and conifers like pine.
Jack-o-Lantern mushrooms are toxic and grow on decaying wood in clusters, while chanterelles grow on the ground, often in loose associations. Jack-o-Lanterns have true gills that hang in neat rows under the cap, while chanterelles have forked ridges. Jack-o-Lantern mushrooms also glow in the dark.
False chanterelles are a deeper orange hue and have true gills, while chanterelles have intricate, lumpy folds. The inside of chanterelles is usually white, while false chanterelles are more orange inside, like their exterior. False chanterelles also have gills that fork but never cross each other.
