How to identify mushrooms similar to chanterelles and their description (+21 photos)

Chanterelles are very popular mushrooms, easily identified in the forest. They are prized for their beneficial properties and pleasant taste. In forests, you can also find mushrooms similar to chanterelles, but they offer no health benefits.

It's important to understand the differences between them to avoid problems. Although there are no poisonous species with similar structure and appearance, it's still best to choose those that are beneficial to human health.

Characteristic features of chanterelles

The mushroom is edible, and its Latin name is Cantharellus cibarius. They grow from mid-June until the first frosts. They have a fairly wide habitat and can be found in any forested area.

The following characteristic features of the species are distinguished:

1. The cap is orange or yellow, irregularly convex, and has wavy edges. Several varieties also have dark gray and black coloring. Most often, the cap's surface is curved inward toward the center. The diameter varies depending on age and climate (3-14 cm).

   

   

   

   

   

   

2. The stem reaches a height of 10 cm and acquires a similar shade to the cap, is thick and widens from the bottom up, with a diameter of up to 3 cm.
3. The flesh is quite dense and fleshy, and may be slightly fibrous. When pressed, it takes on a pinkish hue.
4. The surface of the hymenophore is represented by wavy folds that descend to the stem.

There are over 60 known species, and mycologists classify most of them as edible. Experienced mushroom pickers don't need photos or descriptions to find them in the forest, but beginners should exercise caution.

Description and differences of false chanterelles with photos

False chanterelles are unrelated to Cantharellus cibarius and are considered conditionally edible. While they are not poisonous after processing, they offer no health benefits and have a rather mediocre flavor. These mushrooms resemble chanterelles, which is why they are sometimes found in baskets.

They have significant differences from chanterelles:

• even edges of the cap;
• the color range is more saturated or, on the contrary, pale (copper-red, red-brown, pale yellow);
• a thin stem, noticeably separated from the cap;

  

  

  

• the plates are very thin and do not go into the leg;
• lack of a pleasant smell from a damp body;
• the flesh is yellow and does not change color when pressed;
• Wormy fruits are very common.

Knowing these characteristics of lookalikes, you can always verify whether the chanterelle you've found is genuine. Of course, such a specimen isn't poisonous, but dishes made from it aren't exactly delicious.

Places where false mushrooms grow

There are fruiting bodies that disguise themselves as chanterelles, but their differences from the real thing are quite noticeable with some knowledge. Common chanterelles grow in families, and if you find one fruiting body, it's essential to look around to discover the rest of the family. False mushrooms grow singly and this should be remembered.

Edible species prefer symbiosis with birch, oak, and beech trees, but also grow in coniferous forests, while their lookalikes prefer exclusively coniferous forests. Old, rotten trees and moss are the habitat of these false mushrooms, while the true chanterelle will never settle on a fallen tree and prefers to hide in leaves and grass.

Yellow hedgehog mushroom

One mushroom often confused with chanterelles is the yellow hedgehog mushroom. It's non-toxic and perfectly edible when cooked, so it's safe to add to your basket. It does have its own characteristics, however. Upon closer inspection, a yellow hedgehog mushroom can be easily distinguished from a chanterelle.

The cap is a yellowish hue (from milky to orange), depending on growing conditions. It is flat with downward-curving edges and is 6-12 cm in diameter. The stem, up to 6 cm tall, is cylindrical and widened at the base; it may be slightly lighter in color than the cap.

The hymenophore has small spines, a distinctive feature of the hedgehog mushroom. The mushroom grows from July to October and prefers moss. After ripening, the fruiting body acquires a bitter taste, which is why the yellow hedgehog mushroom is considered conditionally edible.

Red mushrooms Govorushki

Belonging to the Trichophyceae family, they are also often called the red talker. These orange mushrooms resemble chanterelles, but are not related. Their characteristic features include:

1. The smooth cap, with a bump in the center, is a reddish hue. Adults reach up to 20 cm in diameter, and the skin is dry and matte.
2. The stem is up to 15 cm tall, cylindrical in shape, and lighter in color than the cap itself in young fruiting bodies. It has a pungent, almond-like scent.
3. The mushroom's gills are thin and descending, white in color, which acquires a creamy tint with age.
4. The pulp is dense and aromatic, white in color, which does not change when pressed.

Talkers grow in clusters in deciduous and mixed forests, and ripen between July and October. To eat them, boil them and drain the bitter-tasting liquid.

Funnel-shaped funnel-flower

A member of the chanterelle family, the trumpet mushroom (Craterellus cornucopioides) is common in many European countries and has acquired common names due to its shape. In Germany, it's known as the "dead man's trumpet," in England as the "cornucopia," and in Finland as the "black horn." Its Latin name is Craterellus cornucopioides. It's an edible mushroom with a pleasant taste, but not everyone knows about it.

Structural features of the funnel-shaped funnel:

1. The cap is deep, funnel-shaped, with wavy edges, measuring 3-8 cm in diameter. Its color is dark, almost black, but can also range from blackish-brown to dark blue, and its coloration is an excellent means of identification. After the mushroom dries, the color lightens.
2. The stem is up to 8 cm tall, 1 cm in diameter, and tapers toward the base. The color is the same as the cap.
3. The typical chanterelle plates are absent, and the outer surface of the fruiting body is tuberculate.
4. The flesh of this organism is thin and fragile, dark gray and brown in color when young. When ripe, it turns black and has virtually no odor when raw.

Funnel-shaped rhododendron grows in clumps and prefers open, humid areas. This species' fruiting season is July to September.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Among the most frequently asked questions about chanterelles are the following:

Because chanterelles are common in various forests and bear fruit from July to November, every mushroom hunter has a chance to stock their basket. It's worth remembering that there are also conditionally edible chanterelles and other mushrooms that can be confused with them. These require special preparation methods to avoid harming human health.