Wrapping up my mushroom kick, I put together a final video on mushroom foraging, this time on five easy to ID Florida edible wild mushrooms:
The Florida edible mushrooms I believe are easiest to identify are boletes, puffballs, chanterelles, indigo milk-caps and ganodermas (or reishi). None of them are too hard to identify and their possible toxic lookalikes aren’t deadly.
Be sure to check out my list of the best mushroom foraging books here!
Again, as I’ve said before: Don’t go hunting and eating wild mushrooms based just on my knowledge – go check out your edible Florida mushrooms with a local expert to make sure they are in fact edible. If they’re not, you could die. Badly.
Why Hunt For Edible Wild Mushrooms?
If you learn to hunt down your own wild edible mushrooms, you’ll gain a skill set that will last a lifetime. Don’t be frightened. Start with some good guide books, ask a lot of questions, interact with other folks online, be careful, learn to make spore prints… and then, eventually, you’ll be safely picking and eating some of the best food you’ve ever had.
Some of these are edible mushrooms… some or not! Learn the difference and you won’t die.
The edible Florida mushrooms I’ve discovered so far have become a regular part of my diet in season. I don’t bother with anything that is even slightly hard to ID or that has a deadly poisonous lookalike.
If they have gills (with the exception of the easy-to-spot indigo milk cap and chanterelles, which don’t really have gills but ridges), I chuck them. I know I lose a lot of good edible mushrooms that way – but I also stay safe. One day I may feel confident enough to jump in, but thus far I’m still hauling in plenty of mushrooms that are tasty AND safe.
The gilled mushrooms have some deadly members. When there are so many other edible wild mushrooms that don’t have killer cousins… why mess around?
You can have greener thumbs by this weekend!
72 comments
You can buy plugs to inoculate logs with reishi, but from what I hear they are not as easy to grow. They need elm, maple, oak, plum or sweetgum logs.
Here is a list of preferred logs http://www.fungi.com/shop/grow-mushrooms-on-logs-and-stumps.html
Reishi look like little sculptures – cool as heck. Thank you for the link.
How do I find a local group of experts to go foraging with and learn from in the Orlando area? All the online post I have seen are out of date and no one has info at local herb shops on local mushrooms?
I need to set up a forum for questions like this.
See if you can connect with Green Deane at eattheweeds.com.
My name is chantel hubbard I live in Orlando I’m looking to learn to. Maybe we should link up on Facebook and try to find people together?
Hi Chantel
Would welcome the company. Please email Ramona at Ramonasmile@gmail.com
Hey it’s cold right now ,but I know a little about picking them, but don’t know any spots. I wish we could make a group off of hear. I can meet anyone in Tampa, Sarasota, Ft.Myers or anything within an hour from there. If I have to go further something wrong because in about 5-8 months there gonna be everywhere. All you get in yard are puffballs. DON’t EAT THEM
I have at least four types in my yard. Large black roundish and can’t see a stem, small light colored with red in it, large yellowish flat topped kind, and the puffballs. I don’t know what they are. My dog is constantly trying to eat them. I live in the Ocala National Forest.
IRMA JUST HIT they’re out now good. DO NOT EAT PUFFBALLS FOR SURE.THEY ARE THE ONES THAT LOOK LIKE GOLF BALL BEFORE IT OPENS MAKES HUGE PUFF WHITE WHEN THUMP IT. THEY ARE USUALLY WHITE WHEN THEY OPEN THEY HAVE THE BROWN SPOTS ON THE TOP THE REST IS WHITE. DO NOT EAT. HAVE A VERY BAD STOMACH ACHE IF YOU DO. I KNOW MY FRIEND ATE THEM 2 hrs later he had call emt and idk if they pumped his throat or dealt with it, but stomach pains surely come with those. FOR YOU KIDS LOOKING FOR THE ALICE IN WONDERLAND ONES 1. THE ODDS OF FINDING ONE IN YOUR YARD IS VERY LOW UNLESS YOU KEEP A PET HORSE OR FAMILY COW. EVERYTIME I’VE SEEN CUBES ARE ON DUNG COW, HORSE, EVEN IN DISNEY LAND I WENT ON RIDE AT ANIMAL KINGDOM AND THEY WHERE ON RHINO DUNG. DUNG IS POOP. SO DON’T EAT NOTHING OUT OF YOUR YARD KIDS. PREFERABLE NOT AT ALL.
I am in Tampa Florida. I would love to do mushroom hunting in this area. It hasn’t been raining, so I guess we will have to wait for rain. Anyone interested please email me at MDWHIT88@gmail.com. Thanks!
Have you found anyone yet? I live in New Smyrna Beach & like to hunt shrooms.
Hi there, I love in NSB too amd would love to put a foraging day together?
ok i live an hour half from you if you know any spots i got with you. I know how to pick them just not the spots. Need Cowfield or lots of acres of land. Do you know any. WE might help each other out. My email is just10b87@gmail.com
Where can i find local experts in port saint lucie area?
Not sure. I would try Meetup.com, then Google searches.
I’m in Jensen Beach and I’m looking to find a local expert as well George. Have you found anyone yet.
Hi Brandon
No, nothing yet for mushroom identification. I did attend a “walk” with Green Dean from Eat the Weeds. He is a botanist who lives in FL and travels the state visiting state parks educating on “edible weeds”. It was a fascinating walk/conversation. Since mushrooms grow where certain plants grow…. I was hoping to find a link between the two habitats so finding mushrooms would be easier. Note: Dean does not review mushrooms on these walks since they are such a specialized item and he tells you that up front.
I attended the 2 hour walk in Cassedaga and it was worth every penny (only $30)! I Would drive up to 50 miles for another :Eat the Weeds” walk.
Unfortunately no mushroom experts willing to share their knowledge at this point so I will keep searching.
Several “mushroom books mention the only sure way to ID mushrooms is through spore ID with a microscope. You would need a spore chart also but since the side effects could be death- would say its worth the investment.
Looking into that now. I will be glad to post should any experts surface.
Good luck on your hunting adventures. Its rainy season and we should have mush to discover at this point. Just wont be eating any of them yet!
Ramona
I am not an expert but I can identify a decent bit and what I can’t I don’t pick. Your right by the treasure coast coastline. here’s picture of treasure coast strain
I know it has a ring is called an annular zone.Some babies won’t have them yet. Full grown ones will have a high up the neck of base of stem a this purple fairy ring top of stem like I said, I am no expert , but I think I could help you but 2 hrs. Away if you have a spot. I would probably drive there. I live on other side of the state near sarasota https://files.shroomery.org/files/06-32/517751532-DSC01734.jpg
https://www.google.com/search?q=treasure+coast+mushrooms+pictures&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6_-2j2rrRAhXF7yYKHe-pBGYQ_AUICCgB&biw=1366&bih=638#imgrc=lmZhO5_D3Q20kM%3A
Where’s Jensen Beach? I’m not a mycologists but I can identify many mushrooms.
I am north of Tampa for now.
Tampa here also, i found some shrooms right out my house but have no idea what they are, at first were white than a few days later they were brownish yellow medium sized with gills. I am looking for edible mushrooms and ones with psilocybin in them also can anyone help?
I recommend getting a guide book from the list here: http://www.thesurvivalgardener.com/the-best-mushroom-foraging-books/
Be careful with gilled mushrooms – there are a lot of beautiful ones that will knock you dead.
Jensen Beach is 2 hours south of Orlando. Sits right on the Martin and St Lucie County lines. If you’ve heard of Fort Pierce …. your in the neighborhood.
What county are you in? I live in Altamonte- Orlando. Willing to travel to learn.
I live near Crystal River on 5 acres with mostly live oaks on my property. Mushrooms abound here as the ground is like a 2inch carpet of moss and oak leaves feels like walking on marshmallows. They seem to flourish nearly year round, I’ve seen squirrels eat many of them and no dead bodies. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna try one. I will have to do a lot of reading with some very nice photos before I cook one up and try it. Don’t know why but it brings this little “joke” to mind, “everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die”…why is that?….lol If anyone, knows without a doubt what mushrooms are edible I’d love to know, as I’m a big fan of store bought, but may people say eating wild mushrooms are far better than the store bought, so looking forward to trying some. I would be very glad to share what I have growing around here and there seems to be hundreds of them everywhere. my e-mail is wndwalker2000@yahoo.com if anyone is interested in taking a look and teaching me how to keep from killing myself. :o) Good hunting to all. Wendell
I saw a squirrel grab a shroom , go up a tree and eat it .. in less than 5 minutes he / she fell from the tree dead !
Palatka Fl. Mushroom and wild edible forager friends please find me. I have 2 acres of land with lots of varieties of mushrooms. I made a trench for water line and lots of mushrooms popped up in it. Thought that was oddly interesting also pokeweed popped up all along side of it. I’m starting a permaculture forest of edible and medicinals. Trying to find positive like minded friends. Miketurnerart@gmail.com
I would like to try to come sometime with you. I know a decent bit about picking just no good spots. Moved here from Alabama but it’s a 2-3 hr. drive if I can’t find anyone else I might come help. If that cool my email is just10b87@gmail.com
Just getting started here in port richey. Mainly medicinal and those that support my honey bees. Baloghd@silverwingscaremanagement.com
Hi I live in sw fl which is 130 miles south of Tampa can I find edible mushrooms this far south in this tropic zone .
Just found my first mushrooms in East Englewood, FL, S. of Sarasota, in the most unlikely spot- edge of the road in a suburban subdivision, on a vacant lot. ID’d as a Bolete…. matches the description in all ways, but I am not going to eat it in case I’m wrong
Good find.
Hey gang! I’m in the Ocala area and I too have a great interest in furthering my wild mushroom education. We should put together a monthly meeting for us like minded folks so we can share our ideas. Send a shout if your interested or have an idea. Ripple1984@outlook.com
Hi Justin,
I’m in Palatka, interested in mushroom foraging .
Bob Griffin
Rkgfla@yahoo.com
Hello fellow shroomers. I’m in New Smyrna Beach(FL) wch is Oceanside &abt 20mi. So.of Daytona Bch. Living on a 1-acre woodsy lot I see alot of shrooms, but never many of any one kind. Would like to grow a crop of edibles & I think I have several good wooded growing areas, but don’t know which ones to start with: edibles & lots of them, & available “seeds” or whatever. Any ideas or thoughts? Thanks, Deb.
I would start with oysters and shiitakes – both are pretty easy.
is there a market for the flordia edible mushroom
What kind mushroom? yea if you want open up a shop with just edible grown mushrooms, but you have to do a glovebox or pf tek usually both. And a Monotub and you’re looking to open up a edible mushrooms store. You would get lots of world wide orders idk if you would survive in FL alone as your only customer’s . Maybe?
Hi guys,
I used to pick in france where I grew up but here I’ll have to learn again ;) anybody around kissimmee fl to start a picking group to go together seek mushrooms. Hit me at danforc2000 @ yahoo .com
dan
Hey looked for partner to go with I have some knowledge and have a identification guide. I would like to go hunting. I’m 29 year’s old, I just moved here couple years ago. I don’t really know area and good spots. If anyone wants to go with me in the Sararasota to Port Charolette even willing to go to Orlando or Tampa just to try this. It’s not my first hunt ,but haven’t been since Alabama. It was easy a government owned cow company in my town. Secret way in and area that at night and early morning. No one can see you, and they just call police so if you not doing anything illegal you get trespassing, but if you don’t know what you’re doing you could get caught with a Magic Mushroom. Email me at Just10b87@gmail.com and PUT in the SUBJECT WANNA GO ON A SHROOM HUNT. We can vet each other and go. I know right now it’s impossible until about March. So, start vetting each other now or maybe a whole group. I don’t think groups should be more the 5-6 people at once ,but we could have several group names. And switch around so schedule fits you but we need groups. Or can someone show me the way.Like that song. SHOW ME THE WAY. I have some knowledge so lets get backpacks and get ready for this year. I am sure the’re groups out now. I have some knowledge. So anyone email me. Wish Portabello grew down here. Also want to make culture make some portabello’s.
My yard is loaded with pure white non Gilley shrooms. Are they edible?
I’m in west boynton in palm beach county. I would love to go foraging for wild mushrooms and other wild edibles. Anybody knowledgeable in this area of the state?
I live in Punta Gorda, right in between Sarasota (north) and Fort Myers (south). Would enjoy meeting other people interested in edible mushroom hunting and possibly starting/joining a group. My husband has a microscope (if needed).
Lots of mushrooms pop up in our yard and I’ve seen others in the neighborhood covered.
When my dog was a pup, she would eat certain mushrooms in the yard and scare the hell out of me. She never got sick and now I wish I could remember which they were.
the lions mane is probably the easiest to identify of all………large , oblong, white or tinge,d with tan as they get older, with what looks like white hairs, or a mane, can be small or quite large…..I have pick some as large as 5 lbs. …….and they are absolutely delicious……..cool weather…….on oak, beech, maple and other hardwoods…….no mushroom edible or not resembles them……..you cant go wrong…..enjoy!
When is “Mushroom season” in Florida, and if they are found throughout the year is there a peak time? I’m having a difficult time finding much information online. I’ll be visiting Broward and Monroe Counties this coming February, and I was wondering if I would be able to find fungi during that time in those locations.
Neither of those counties are good for mushroom hunting in general. If it’s a rainy February, you might have some luck. Generally, though, South Florida is dry during the cool season when mushrooms would normally be more abundant. I had much more luck in North Florida, generally in September/October, when years were rainy. Good luck.
Found bolete type just now in West Palm Beach area.
Good find!
Hmm, north Florida, that’s encouraging since I live near Alabama. Have you tried the Korean farming thing where you use the same plant for it fertilizer in water aged? How has it worked. I currently have fertilizers with anything I could find put inside of it about a year and a half old just started using it
Yes, we use something similar I call “swamp water.” Just throw materials in to rot for months, then use it to water the garden.
Old guy in Homosassa would like to learn by doing. Anyone around? Have transportation. Do lunch. Is this a good area. All kinds. Thanks!
Among large live oak trees I found a large yellow capped mushroom with a large stem of the bolete variety. Almost think that he mycelium was growing from surface toots. Up north in Wisconsin a similar shaped mushroom was nicknamed the ” incredulous edulous ” it is quite meaty but and if it were edible it would provide a great feast. Now living in Jacksonville Florida, I have not had the opportunity to go mushrooming. Can anyone out there identify this mushroom?
A large bright yellow capped mushroom with a heavy stem is growing from a live oak area.. It is of the bolete variety with a mycelium on a surface root. Up north, it would compare to what we called “an incredulous edulous. Can anyone identify this beauty?
I’m in a mushroom club for about 20 years (Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz, California) and I got a place in Bradenton, Fl. I looked around but didn’t see any mushroom. The forest is hard to penetrate. Where can I find oak or pine forest with a good duff? The most important is to ID the poisonous mushroom. Thy are not so many (about 20%, but 1% a deadly).
We are east of Tampa and have oak trees. There are many mushrooms that pop up in my garden as well as around the wood chips. I have no idea what is poisonous or what we can eat.
Hi, I am in Naples and would love to find someone who is also interested- I will be willing to travel a few hours. Too scared to pick any! Sondrabeddow@gmail.com – thanks!
Hi, I have foraged for mushrooms for many years in Oregon. I moved here a year ago and started foraging here. I found some good spots in the Ocala National Forest with lots of mushrooms and some good Chanterelle spot. I recommend joining the Tampa Bay Mycological Society Meetup Group as there are some current post on there about foraging opportunities. Thanks, Rob robert.nielsen.morris@gmail.com
Hi, I’m in the Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area. It’s mid July and large white Portobello type mushrooms are popping up all over the place. I almost knocked on someone’s door this afternoon to see if I could check out the huge patch he had growing under some Royal Poinciana trees (sp?). I chickened out because the swale was full and I had my big, 110lb dog with me.
I knew a woman in Myakka City who’s dad came over from Poland for a visit and she said he picked and ate all the huge white mushrooms growing on her property.
If anyone knows what these are or if they’re edible, please don’t be shy! Also anyone in this ‘neck-of-the-woods’ that’s interested in foraging, hit me up! My husband has a great microscope we could use for spore ID.
Jeannie – dinganddoo2@gmail.com
This article was obviously written by a complete amateur in the mycological field
An oak tree was removed here and the roots were grinded.These grindings are on a large area and now with lot’s of mushrooms. I live in Sarasota and wonder if someone would take a look at them to find out if they are edible!? At least 5 different types.
Hi Jullie, I live in Bradenton but I’m now for few month in Chicago area. I’m a member of Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz for about 20 years, but I moved to Florida and I miss California and its large mushroom crops. Please send me pictures if you find more mushrooms. A spore print is best ID but sometimes pictures are OK with habitat.
I live in The Villages. There is a club for everyone – except for mushroom hunters. Not familiar with this climate/mushrooms. Used to pick up north. Is there any expert in The Villages area (between Orlanda and Gainesville) who can teach and forage with me? A group would be nice !
Live in The Villages. Would like to hunt mushrooms. Uaed to hunt in Germany, but not familiar with the subtropics. Any experts out there?
My wife and I would like to visit an edible mushroom club or group after watching a guy in Maine forage. We live in High Springs but do not use Facebook. Are there any contact numbers for such a group?
Hello,
Does anyone know a Southwest Florida mushroom expert I can reach out to?
I’m interested in learning and foraging in SW Florida area. If any groups please let me know.
Erin
My wife and I are interested but there doesn’t seem to be anything happening. Hopefully someone will see these posts and give us a hand.
richardslindsay570@gmail.com if anyone in the Miami area wants to try to learn together sometime!
Hello, hope everyone had a good holiday. I currently reside in the miami area but im looking for some folks to see if they have any info on where to forage or we could travel up north a bit since its a little more forresty. Miami doesn’t seem to have the proper climate to sustain such things. Im looking for nonedible ones as well if anyone knows a spot. I know in Miami Lakes theres a big cow farm for some reason. Has anyone ever tried there? Let me know thanks!
anyone doing classes for foraging mushrooms. I am in Marion county but would be willing to travel for a class.
Ok I identified mushrooms through picture mushroom app. Then I researched further. All signs were positive, so I cooked one, ate half. Next day, cooked three, ate those. Third day I made mushroom soup it was uh mazing. They are marasmious oreades, fair ring champignons, only available when it has rained.
Is anyone actively foraging in Treasure Coast area? I’m interested to join if so: xris.fun.gi @ gmail.com.
I live in Monticello FL 30 mins from Tallahassee I’m looking for some help on what kind of shrooms I can find I found one growing on an old dead pine log is it a edible one
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