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Foraging

Edible Mushrooms in PA – Western Pennsylvania Mushrooms

· Robb

Dryad's Saddle or Pheasant Back on an old Stump

Looking to identify Mushrooms in your area?

The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mushrooms is a great resource.  I would also recommend picking up the Field Guide on trees if you are looking to become an active forager as trees are a great indicator of what types of mushrooms you might find.

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Armillaria mellea

AKA: Honey Mushrooms

Butyriboletus Frostii

AKA: Candy Apple Bolete

Small Candy Apple BoleteCandy Apple Bolete with rootsUnder the cap of a Candy Apple BoleteCandy Apple Bolete CapCandy Apply Bolete sliced in half

Cantharellus

AKA: Chanterelle Mushrooms

Chanterelle PatchChanterelle MushroomChanterelle MushroomsNotice the gills have spots where they fork. This is an important identifier and distinguishes these from Jack O'lanterns.Small Chanterelly MushroomSmall Chanterelly Mushrooms

Hericium Coralloides 

AKA: Coral Tooth Fungus

Coral Tooth FungusCoral Tooth Fungus Close-upCluster of Coral Tooth FungusClose up of Coral ToothCoral Tooth Fungus - Backyard ForagingCoral Mushrooms growing near a streamCoral Mushrooms growing near a crick

A great Beginner’s Guide

This book takes the questionable mushrooms out of the equation in foraging. I had a great day mushroom hunting with this book by my side. This book is not a definitive guide to foraging mushrooms.  There are many more mushrooms that are choice edible, but this guide will help you stay safe and get into foraging!

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Clavicorona Pyxidata

Crowd-Tipped Coral

Crown Tipped Coral

Cantharellus Minor

Laetiporus sulphureus – Chicken of the Woods

Learn More about Chicken of the Woods

Older Chicken of the WoodsSpore Print - Chicken of the Woods

Lycoperdon Pyriforme

AKA: Gem Studded Puffballs, Pear-Shaped Puffball Mushrooms

Sideview of a Gemcap Puffball MushroomPuffballs in the woodsSliced View of Gemcap PuffballsClose up sliced view of a Gemcap Puffball MushroomTop sliced view of a Gemcap Puffball MushroomNext Day - Gemcap Mushroom with Sporessqueesing a sporing gemcap mushroomNext Day - Gemcap Mushrooms with Spores

Phylloporus Rhodoxanthus

AKA: Gilled Bolete

Pleurotus Ostreatus

AKA: Oyster Mushrooms

Learn more about Oyster Mushrooms.

Oyster Mushroom on Dead TreeClose up of Oyster Mushrooms on TreeOyster MushroomsOld Oyster MushroomOld Oyster Mushrooms with BugsOyster Mushroom Spore PrintDecaying Oyster MushroomCleaned Oyster MushroomsOyster Mushroom GillsFind the oyster mushroomsSpring Oysters Western PAOyster Mushrooms in the Spring

Polyporus squamosus

AKA: Dryad’s Saddle, Pheasant Back

Dryad's Saddle or Pheasant Back on an old StumpLaurie eyes our find!

Pleurotus ostreatus AKA: Oyster Mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are all throughout western Pennsylvania are among the easiest ones to find.
If you want to learn more about mushroom foraging in PA, this is a great mushroom with.

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Foraging for Wild Mushrooms in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know

Learn where to legally forage wild mushrooms in Pennsylvania, how to avoid toxic look-alikes, and key safety tips. This guide covers laws, common edible mushrooms, and best practices to help you forage safely and responsibly.

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How to make mushroom grain jar lids

When growing mushrooms using grain jars, the lid setup plays a crucial role in maintaining sterility while allowing for proper gas exchange. Standard jar lids can be modified or replaced with specialized lids designed for mushroom cultivation.

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Mushroom Growing Naming Convention

As I continue to ramp up my mushroom growing endeavors, I am finding that I need to take better notes on my batches from the creation of the substrate to the inoculation and grow room.  To help with this, I am coming up with a naming convention for my grow outs and thought I would share it with everyone.

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7 Amazing Wild Mushrooms in PA

Pennsylvania is home to an incredible variety of wild mushrooms. Whether you’re a forager, a nature lover, or just curious about fungi, you’ll find plenty of interesting and useful mushrooms in the forests, fields, and even your own backyard. Here are seven amazing wild mushrooms that grow in PA, along with tips on how to identify them.

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8 responses to “Edible Mushrooms in PA – Western Pennsylvania Mushrooms”

  1. Hi! I’m an 85 yr. old chick writing a sequel to a book I published last year.it’s up on Amazon great reviews..takes place in Pittsburgh Pa. where I grew up, in sequel I plan a murder where a son deliberately kills his mother, she’s evil, so I need a perfectly good tasty mushroom in this case, used in German dish, schnitzel.need .the name of a common poison mushroom that can easily be mistaken for the good one that is edible..my ques..is there such a mushroom in Pa. that is easily confused? Can you help me? I’d really appreciate some help on this..nead forpart in story..thanks so much for any help you can offer.

    • Hi Katie, A death cap or a destroying angle would work well for you.
      He would probably want to mix it in with button caps or Shitake so it goes unnoticed. 🙂
      Hope that helps!

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