Wild Mushrooms Found in British Columbia

Identifying Mushrooms in British Columbia

• It is of vital importance to correctly identify mushrooms. British Columbia has mushrooms with deadly toxins that are poisonous if consumed. It also has moderately poisonous mushrooms and others which are perfectly safe to collect and eat. Be warned, however, even some edible mushrooms can cause negative reactions in some people. It is important to note that there are few surefire methods of identifying the universal beneficial, culinary, or toxic qualities present in a specific mushroom. Some mushrooms possess both beneficial and toxic compounds, and their effects can depend on the amount that is consumed. Given the wealth of mushrooms in British Columbia, it is important to have a good handbook, equipped with detailed species descriptions.

Wild Mushroom Habitats

• Mushrooms are able to colonize a wide variety of habitats. Some types of fungi can thrive on all sorts of dead forest litter, while other types are specific to certain types of tree hosts, such as western hemlock.

Wild Mushroom Seasonality

• It is important to be aware which season the mushrooms fruit in, when considering hunting for them. The maturation of mushrooms is triggered by changes in the environment, such as in moisture and temperature. By far the greater part of British Columbian mushrooms flourish in the autumn, while a small minority mature in the spring. Some are able to fruit throughout the whole year depending on the weather.

Examples of Mushrooms in British Columbia

• There are a great many edible mushrooms growing wild in British Columbia. Wild mushrooms in the province include: blue chanterelles, rainbow chanterelles, Pacific golden chanterelles, white chanterelles, winter chanterelles, blewit, hedgehog mushrooms, belly button mushrooms, fried chicken mushrooms; cauliflower fungus and pine mushrooms.