The Best Places to Look for Mushrooms

Mushrooms thrive in warm, moist organic soils. The best places to search for mushrooms is in their natural habitat, and that is dependent on the mushroom species. Knowing the best time to search is just as important as know the right place to search. Locating edible wild mushrooms needs to be approached carefully and with respect. Some species have look-a-likes which are deadly poisonous.

  1. Morel Mushrooms

    • Morel mushrooms are a popular and heavily sought after wild mushroom. A successful morel search requires the knowledge of its natural habitat along with the fruiting time. The best places to search for these mushrooms is in wooded areas during early spring, shortly after spring flowers bloom. These mushrooms only fruit for a month. Choose wooded areas, with moist, sandy soils and a variety of tree species. Look under and around last year's foliage as morels prefer areas high in decomposing foliage.

    Black Trumpet Mushrooms

    • Black trumpet mushrooms are fruit fragranced mushroom full of smokey rich favor. This mushroom variety does not have look-alikes which makes it perfect mushroom for beginner mushroom hunters. Black trumpet mushrooms are black funnel-shaped mushroom that resembles a calla lily. The best place to search for a black trumpet mushroom is around beech wood and mossy areas in dam areas, such as washes. Black trumpets thrive in damp areas which makes washes the perfect habitat. The back trumpet fruits in late June and into October.

    Puffball Mushrooms

    • Puffball mushroom hunting takes some skill and knowledge. It is not uncommon for other mushroom varieties to look like puffballs in their young stages. Puffball hunting is similar to morel hunting with the best search success found in rich, organic environments. The best place to find puffballs growing on the ground vs. on trees. This mushroom species only fruits during late summer to early fall. Puffballs are sometimes found growing in fairy rings. Because many poisonous mushrooms resemble puffballs, consult with an experienced mushroom hunter to verify that the mushroom is a puffball mushroom before eating it.

    Chanterelles Mushrooms

    • Chanterelles mushrooms are found in similar environments as the morels mushrooms, with the best search in moist wooded areas. This variety is know to reappear in the same place year after year and tends to grow with other chanterelles mushrooms. This variety will never be found growing on decayed wood. Chanterelles mushrooms can be located from May through October, with the best search starting in early fall. The two most common Chanterelles varieties resemble the calla lily, a funnel shaped flower. These varieties are typically colored either a pale yellow to a bright orange.