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Chanterelle

Cantharellus cibarius — Choice edible.

Never eat a wild mushroom or plant identified only from a website, book or app. Several deadly species look almost identical to edible ones, and mistakes can be fatal. Learn from an experienced forager in person, be certain of every specimen, and when in doubt, throw it out.

What it is

The golden, funnel-shaped chanterelle is the most sought-after summer mushroom of the region. It grows in troops on the forest floor, often near spruce and birch, and its firm flesh holds up well in cooking. The apricot smell and the vein-like ridges are the two features experienced foragers rely on.

Where and when to find it

Coniferous and mixed forest across Northern and Eastern Europe. In season roughly July to October.

Look-alikes and safety

The false chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) is a poor edible with true, forking gills and no scent. Far more seriously, beginners have confused chanterelles with orange webcaps and other Cortinarius species, some deadly. A true chanterelle has blunt, forked ridges running down the stem (not knife-edge gills) and a distinct fruity, apricot smell.

Nutrition

Low in energy (roughly 30–40 kcal per 100 g), a source of vitamin D and iron. As with all wild food, the health value only matters once you are completely certain of a safe identification.

More wild foods

Source: Edibility and look-alike notes follow standard mycological and botanical references for the region. This page is a starting reference, not an identification authority. · checked 2026-09-04

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