MushroomsCaution

Chanterelles

Cantharellus spp.

Also called: golden chanterelle, red chanterelle, smooth chanterelle

Vase-shaped, fruity-smelling mushrooms with blunt false gills. Look-alikes cause serious illness.

Chanterelles: Whole plant — Whole plantPhoto: Sarah Culliton · CC BY · source

Chanterelles: Underside. Underside: forking, blunt ridges rather than blade-like gills — UndersideUnderside: forking, blunt ridges rather than blade-like gillsPhoto: Daniel Beevers · CC BY · source

Chanterelles: Look-alike side by side. False chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca), a toxic look-alike — Look-alike side by sideFalse chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca), a toxic look-alikePhoto: Annie Weissman · CC BY · source

Confirm EVERY point before you eat it

Funnel or vase shape with a wavy cap edge
Under the cap: blunt, forking ridges running down the stem, not sharp blade-like gills
Flesh is white inside and pulls apart like string cheese
Often a fruity, apricot-like smell (not every chanterelle has it); grows from soil, not from wood
The ridges are the same color as the cap

0 of 5 confirmed. If any point does not match, it is not this plant.

Look-alikes to rule out

Jack-o'-lanternToxic
True, sharp gills; tight clusters fused at the base on wood or buried roots; flesh orange throughout.
See the card →
False chanterelleToxic
Thin, crowded true gills that fork repeatedly; thinner and less fleshy; grows on or near conifer wood and does not form dense clusters.

Warnings

Cook thoroughly and try a small portion first.

In season

Fruits after summer rains.

Habitat

On soil beneath hardwoods, especially oak and beech.

Parts used

whole mushroom

Preparation and use

Dry-saute to release water, then cook in butter or oil.

Harvest note

Cut at the base and leave the mycelium in place.

Field traits

Grows on: soil near hardwoods
Underside: blunt forked ridges
Spore print: white to pale yellow or cream

Backpack Guide: Chanterelle — Positive ID →

Educational reference only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a website or app. Confirm with an experienced forager, your local extension office, or a mycological club. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms.