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Common Wild Illinois Mushrooms

Mushrooms grow throughout Illinois, from the Wisconsin border in the north to the Kentucky border in the south. Step into a forest or walk across a lawn and you are sure to find mushrooms. Of course, common sense dictates caution as edible mushrooms and poisonous mushrooms are easily misidentified. No license is required to pick mushrooms on public lands, however, in a press release dated April 5, 2011, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources advised against searching for mushrooms during deer or turkey hunting season when accidental shootings may occur.

Morels
- Morel mushrooms look like little sponges. Cut one open and you'll find it's hollow inside. Though easily identified, their habitat -- leaf-covered forest floors -- makes finding them difficult. Hiding among rotting vegetation in woodlands from northern to southern Illinois are three species of morel mushrooms: yellow morel, black morel and half-free morel. Unlike yellow morels or black morels, the half-free morel isn't named for its color, but for the way half of its cap hangs over the stem. According to David Fischer, author of "Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America," the yellow morel, noted for its strong flavor, is "the favorite of millions of American mushroomers."
Chanterelles
- Illinois's hot summers and thunderstorms encourage the growth of chanterelles throughout the state. These funnel-shape mushrooms grow in groups near trees or mossy areas. Brightly colored red chanterelles, yellow chanterelles and smooth chanterelles (which are also yellow) contrast with their habitats, however, black chanterelles blend in with dark forest floors, making them difficult to find. The delicate, buttery taste of the yellow chanterelle adds a subtle flavor to sauces.
Boletes
- Three types of edible boletes grow in southern Illinois, all have hundreds of thousands of pores under the mushroom cap. Chestnut boletes and lilac boletes are identified by their color. A third type of bolete, the old man of the woods, looks like someone placed a scorched cotton ball on a stem. When cooked, the old man of the woods oozes black juices. Despite its unattractive appearance, like chestnut and lilac boletes, it is edible.
Puffballs
- The puffball is a large mushroom found throughout North America. In Illinois, edible giant puffballs and edible purple-spored puffballs grow as large as basketballs. Both thrive in grass, whether in a cemetery, a golf course or a residential lawn. Giant puffballs, which look like soccer balls forgotten in a field, grow in northern Illinois. Purple-spored puffballs grow in the southern part of the state. Also round and white on the outside like the giant puffball, the purple-spored puffball is purple inside.

Nature