Mushrooms in the forest

[Randall]

I ran across one of my favorites on the hike today.

Laetiporus cincinnatus (Chicken of the Woods)

[upcountrygirl]

That looks awesome, Randall!

[bower]

Those are beautiful! We don't have them here, so I've never tasted.

[Nematode]

Randall, what was the host?
They grow on oak here and I can't say I've had a good one.

[Randall]

This one was growing from Oak, also (specifically the roots of a dying Oak).

I usually find L. cincinnatus this time of year at the base of dead Oaks and L. sulphureus further into summer and all the way up until the frosts of late Fall.

While I've never found L. cincinnatus on anything other than Oak. I've found L. sulphureus on Hickory a few times and once on Sassafras.

They're excellent when young but definitely get woody if too mature.

[bower]

Well that explains why we don't have em! No oak. No hickory or sassafras either.
I planted some boreal oak here quite a few years ago when I started many kinds of trees from seed. They've had a hard time and are still pretty small. One issue is whether the place planted turns out to be somewhere they can drive a root down as they like to do, some places here are no good as they will strike the solid rock down there. The ones that grew best have been chowed by moose on a yearly basis and are pretty much good for a shilelagh with a knob of spikes on top. I was surprised that boreal oak is not well adapted for our climate here... they leaf out really late, well after the other trees, so the season is even shorter than it is. Maybe if I could get seed from its farthest habitat north they'd be better adapted.

[Randall]

This one isn't edible. It's poisonous but interesting: Boletus sensibilis - a red-capped, blue-staining bolete that stains so readily, you can write on it with a twig.

While out yesterday, I ran across several of them and other toxic mushrooms but no good edibles!

[Nematode]

Does the cap flesh stain blue?

[bower]

I've noticed that the boletes with red colors and blue stain are often the first to pop up around here.. before the good ones are about. Except for Boletus badius which is also early and blue staining, however no red color on it at all.
In my books, any sign of red on any part of a bolete is a no-eatum.
I've had several blue staining types that are delicious, however. Butter yellow flesh, and when dried they smell like honey... just like B. edulis.

[Nematode]

Bi-color boletes are in the edulis clan and are edible and delicious.
They look very much like randalls picture, the pores stain blue but the flesh does not, or does so very faintly and slowly, the red coloration may go higher on the stipe with bi-color.
Sensibilis flesh stains blue.
Bi-color tends to show later in the season, and can be the most abundant shroom around here. Most delicious in the "button" stage.
Get expert opinions before eating.

[Worth1]

Use the Royal food taster.

Worth

[Randall]

Originally Posted by Nematode

Does the cap flesh stain blue?

Yes, along with the inside of the stipe a little. Instantly. Another good identifier is B. sensibilis has a really thick spore tube layer compared to B. bicolor

@Bower, it seems to be the same way here.

@Worth, lol I wouldn't even let the Royal taster try this one unless I meant for him to enjoy a week of gastrointestinal torture.

[Randall]

Cantharellus lateritius (Smooth Chanterelle) in the first two shots.

Cantharellus cibarius (Golden Chanterelle) in the second two.

After some good rain they've really started to pop. Tasty stuff.

[bower]

How cool is that lateritius! Totally smooth.

[Nematode]

These will go nicely with pork chops tonite.
Bicolor boletes.
Pores blue quickly, flesh blues faintly and slowly or not at all.

Ha just had to check my pocket to see if I remembered to pick up my keys.