Here are some pictures I took of mushrooms, from the forests around Asheville, NC.
It's always exciting to find some cool looking mushrooms! I like to identify as much life as I can on my hikes, the discoveries are so much more interesting when you know what species you've found, if it's good to eat, what it can be used for, etc.
It's always exciting to find some cool looking mushrooms! I like to identify as much life as I can on my hikes, the discoveries are so much more interesting when you know what species you've found, if it's good to eat, what it can be used for, etc.
Mushrooms are especially interesting to study for their medicinal qualities, as so many of our medicines have come from fungi. Lacking both the immune systems that protect animals, and the thick cellulose walls that protect plants, a fungi's only defense are the chemical compounds it produces. Each species of fungi must produce its own unique set of antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial compounds to survive in the wild against competing organisms and pathogens. So you can see why so many important medicines come from mushrooms!
These are my pictures, I've been lucky to find a few of the important edible and medicinal mushrooms in the wild. For each one I can identify, there have been dozens more that I can't. So, this is not a complete list of edible/medicinal mushrooms, just a list of ones I've stumbled upon. I'll continue to add photos as I take them, and identifications as I confirm them.
These are my pictures, I've been lucky to find a few of the important edible and medicinal mushrooms in the wild. For each one I can identify, there have been dozens more that I can't. So, this is not a complete list of edible/medicinal mushrooms, just a list of ones I've stumbled upon. I'll continue to add photos as I take them, and identifications as I confirm them.
Oyster Mushrooms; Pleurotus Ostreatus - Edible
Oysters are very common edible mushrooms that you can find at the grocery store. They contain beta-glucans notable for their ability to modulate the immune system and some unique statins, which reduce LDL cholesterol.
Oyster mushrooms have a growing role in mycorestoration; pleurotus mycelium quickly breaks down paper waste, cellulose, petroleum products, and pesticides. Specific strains have been isolated for their ability to break down plastics. Oyster mushrooms can be used to clean oil spills and restore polluted land by breaking down toxic chemicals, turning hydrocarbons into usable sugars.
Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez famously became millionaires overnight from their business selling oyster mushrooms grown on spent coffee grounds. You can read about them in Forbes 30 under 30, and their oyster mushroom boxes are widely sold in healthfood and department stores.
Oysters are very common edible mushrooms that you can find at the grocery store. They contain beta-glucans notable for their ability to modulate the immune system and some unique statins, which reduce LDL cholesterol.
Oyster mushrooms have a growing role in mycorestoration; pleurotus mycelium quickly breaks down paper waste, cellulose, petroleum products, and pesticides. Specific strains have been isolated for their ability to break down plastics. Oyster mushrooms can be used to clean oil spills and restore polluted land by breaking down toxic chemicals, turning hydrocarbons into usable sugars.
Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez famously became millionaires overnight from their business selling oyster mushrooms grown on spent coffee grounds. You can read about them in Forbes 30 under 30, and their oyster mushroom boxes are widely sold in healthfood and department stores.
Reishi Mushroom (Lingzhi Mushroom) - Ganoderma Lucidum - Medicinal
Reishis are prized medicinal mushrooms used to make teas and sold as supplements. Studies have shown that they have anti-cancer, anti-tumor and immunotherapeutic qualities. The mushroom has very strong anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. Reishis have also been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation, lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Reishis are prized medicinal mushrooms used to make teas and sold as supplements. Studies have shown that they have anti-cancer, anti-tumor and immunotherapeutic qualities. The mushroom has very strong anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. Reishis have also been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation, lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Reishi (Lingzhi) Mushroom
Small reishis
Old dry reishis
Old reishi mushrooms
Orange Mycenas - Mycena Leaiana
Orange Mycenas - Mycena Leaiana
Orange Mycenas - Mycena Leaiana
Lactarius Indigo
Lactarius Indigo
Stropharia
Comb Tooth Mushroom - Hericium Coralloides - Gourmet edible/Medicinal
Also known as lion's mane mushroom, bearded tooth mushroom, pom pom mushroom, bear's head mushroom, bearded tooth fungus.
The four species of hericium-- coralloides, erinaceous, americanum and abietis, are difficult to differentiate but all four are edible and have similar flavor, nutritional and medicinal value. These strange tooth-fungus mushrooms are great for cooking, easily cultivated, and are sold at some grocery stores.
The most interesting medicinal properties of this mushroom have to do with increasing cognitive ability-- preventing dementia and improving memory in alzheimer's patients. Primary research has demonstrated improved cognitive abilities in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and has shown that the mushrooms stimulate animal nerve cells. In-vitro experiments have found that the mushroom stimulates both myelination and nerve growth factor. Hericium also have many of the usual medicinal benefits of mushrooms, they are immunotherapeutic, lower blood glucose and blood lipid levels. Hericium erinaceous pills have also been used to treat gastric ulcers and esophageal carcinoma.
Also known as lion's mane mushroom, bearded tooth mushroom, pom pom mushroom, bear's head mushroom, bearded tooth fungus.
The four species of hericium-- coralloides, erinaceous, americanum and abietis, are difficult to differentiate but all four are edible and have similar flavor, nutritional and medicinal value. These strange tooth-fungus mushrooms are great for cooking, easily cultivated, and are sold at some grocery stores.
The most interesting medicinal properties of this mushroom have to do with increasing cognitive ability-- preventing dementia and improving memory in alzheimer's patients. Primary research has demonstrated improved cognitive abilities in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and has shown that the mushrooms stimulate animal nerve cells. In-vitro experiments have found that the mushroom stimulates both myelination and nerve growth factor. Hericium also have many of the usual medicinal benefits of mushrooms, they are immunotherapeutic, lower blood glucose and blood lipid levels. Hericium erinaceous pills have also been used to treat gastric ulcers and esophageal carcinoma.
Roadside Amanitas
Common Turkeytails - Trametes Versicolor
Probably the most common mushroom of all... it's hard to take a walk without spotting some of these.
No one likes to eat them, but they do contain anti-cancer compounds such as lentanin (also in shiitake) & polysaccharide-k. There are some medicinal supplements made from turkeytail extracts. The active medicinal compounds are often extracted into tinctures.
Probably the most common mushroom of all... it's hard to take a walk without spotting some of these.
No one likes to eat them, but they do contain anti-cancer compounds such as lentanin (also in shiitake) & polysaccharide-k. There are some medicinal supplements made from turkeytail extracts. The active medicinal compounds are often extracted into tinctures.
Common Turkeytails - Trametes Versicolor
Sulphur Shelf (Chicken of the woods) - Laetiporus Sulphureus - Gourmet/edible
Chicken of the woods is a popular edible mushroom. It is known for having a taste & texture very similar to chicken, and it's often used as a substitute in vegan diets. Chicken mushrooms are highly sought-after but very difficult to cultivate. So far, they have never been grown indoors. Forager's delight!
Mainly valued for their taste, very little research has been done on the medicinal properties of these mushrooms. It is likely that they have many of the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties found in other edible mushrooms.
Mainly valued for their taste, very little research has been done on the medicinal properties of these mushrooms. It is likely that they have many of the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties found in other edible mushrooms.
Chicken of the woods (sulphur shelf) - laetiporus sulphureus
Chicken of the woods (sulphur shelf) - laetiporus sulphureus
Chicken of the woods (sulphur shelf) - laetiporus sulphureus
Chicken of the woods (sulphur shelf) - laetiporus sulphureus
Yellow Morel (common morel) - Morchella Esculenta - Gourmet Edible & Medicinal
Morels are another highly sought-after but difficult to cultivate mushroom that foragers love. They have many of the typical medicinal mushroom properties such as anti-tumor effects, immunoregulatory properties, strong antiviral and antioxidant effects. They are also thought to improve fatigue resistance and are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat indigestion and shortness of breath.
Common Morel - Morchella Esculenta
Hmm... that looks like a cordyceps mushroom! They're called caterpillar fungus because they are insect parasites. Maybe if I pull it up I can find the "caterpillar" that it's growing from.
Well here it is... a former caterpillar-- close enough!
Caterpillar fungus growing out of a small moth pupa. - Cordyceps - Medicinal
Caterpillar fungus growing out of a small moth pupa. - Cordyceps - Medicinal
Cordyceps spores germinate inside growing moth larvae. The mycelium expands to fill the corpse, absorbing all fluids and nutrition until it becomes dehydrated and hardens. The mycelium often stays dormant overwinter, and fruits in early Spring, triggered by the temperature increase and moisture from melting snow.
Cordyceps supplements have recently become popular among athletes. Used to increase ATP levels and oxygen utilization; cordyceps users report an energy boost and increased endurance.
Purple Cort Mushroom - Cortinarius iodes - Poisonous
Purple Cort Mushroom - Cortinarius iodes - Poisonous
Bolete
Amanita - Don't eat this one!
Coral Fungus
