Mushrooms That Grow on Conifers

White Chanterelle

• According to Mushroom Expert, the white chanterelle (Cantharellus subalbidus) is a mycorrhizal mushroom species of the northwestern United States, which is known for growing on coniferous trees such as Douglas firs and pines. The cap of the mushroom is typically between 5 and 11 cm wide, or approximately 2 to 4 inches, and has rows of skinny, vein-like structures on its underparts. As the above source notes, the edible flesh of the white chanterelle is white in color, has a mild taste and odor, and will turn orange or brownish-orange when bruised.

Black Picoa

• While the mycorrhizal black picoa (Picoa carthusiana) has its origins in Western Europe, it now grows abundantly in the Douglas fir forests of the Pacific Northwest. The United States Department of Agriculture notes that the mushroom grows underground and has a round to irregular body shape, which can grow to be 8 cm, or just over 3 inches, in diameter. The exterior of the brownish to black mushroom is often slightly warty, while its interior flesh has a distinctive, pineapple-like scent.

King Bolete

• According to the University of Wisconsin, the king bolete (Boletus edulis) mushroom has several pseudonyms, including cep and Steinpilz. In a restaurant, you will likely find this mycorrhizal species on the menu as porcini. The mushroom has a thick, often whitish stem, which tapers outward as it reaches the ground, and a tanned, rounded cap. It lives exclusively near the bases of coniferous trees, and often appears simply as a hump amongst the piles of pine needles covering the forest floor.

Common Morel

• The common or edible morel (Morchella esculenta) is another species of exclusively conifer-dwelling mycorrhizal mushroom. The mushroom has an irregular, oblong to pointed cap, which features a distinctive honeycomb or sponge-like surface. While young morels, also known as white morels, have white ridges on their cap surfaces, and darker-colored crevices between them, these colors tend to morph to a monotone brownish or yellowish color as the morels age. As the above source notes, morels can grow to be between 2 and 12 inches tall.