Edible Plants and Mushroom Foraging Resources

When foraging edible plants and edible mushrooms the first time the vast number of them can be overwhelming. As I have mentioned before, the best way to get started is to pick a select few that you feel comfortable identifying and begin there. As you search for those edible plants and/or mushrooms be sure to photograph other discoveries that you make and try to identify them later using the web and your resources. Similar to what you forage you should start out with one or two good field guides to use for identification. As you forage more you will inevitably pick up more and more resources.

Often, I am asked what books and field guides I use when identifying wild edible plants and edible mushrooms. Over the years and across different regions I have used several foraging guides. Below is list of the ones that I currently own as well as a few other tools that I utilize to both identify wild edible mushrooms and plants and to expand my foraging knowledge.

Edible Mushroom Foraging Guides

1. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mushrooms
   • This is definitely my go to resource for wild mushroom identification and discovery. It is well illustrated, easy to review, and has great photos. This field guide covers 703 species and has notes on many more. On top of that it has 762 full color photographs plus many black and white illustrations. This guide fits in my backpack and is one I can take with me on longer hikes.

1. Simon & Schuster’s Guide to Mushrooms
   • Another go to recourse for me and also one that I can and do carry with me. This guide is very simple to navigate, clear in its layout, and includes one clear large image for each mushroom. It uses great symbology that is easy to understand. For example, a one or two fork rating for edibility, red plus and green x’s indicating inedible or poisonous. These features make this a great starter field guide for beginner mushroom foragers.

1. Mushrooms Of the Gulf Coast States
   • The newest addition to my collection just arrived and its layout and great photos has me excited to get back into the field This guide covers Texas, Luisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Although only one image per mushroom they are large clear color photos. It seems easy to navigate and has great information about each mushroom including of course edibility.

1. Mushrooms Of North America
   • The guide that started my library and still a go to guide when trying to identify new species. This is a much smaller guide and only has 293 images, but they are large and clear. It has a nice index for all 680 species mentioned in the book. Due to its age, it may be a bit difficult to find but I believe that there are more current versions available.

1. Mushrooms Demystified
   • This is a much bigger and in-depth guide and the second edition to my collection. Although it is too big to carry with it is a great resource for tons of foraging information. It has detailed chapters on terminology, classifications, habitats, mushroom cookery, mushroom toxins, and the meanings of scientific mushroom names. This makes it the textbook of my collection and a valuable piece of the wild mushroom identification process.

1. Alaska’s Mushroom’s a wide-ranging guide
   • I have mentioned before the importance of finding good regional guides especially when just getting started and this one was well used during my time in Alaska. This easy to navigate guide cover 114 species with color photos. It also covers tips for telling the edible ones from the imposters as well as how to make a spore print. The coffee stains and folds on this guide tell of its frequent use while in Alaska and it is a size that can be brought with in a pack.

Edible Plant Foraging Guides

1. Pacific Northwest Foraging
   • This is Great guide to 120 wild edible plants, berries, and nuts. Another resource I picked up for my time in Alaska and a well-used resource. Good imagery, tips on how to eat, and warnings on those plants that require it. If you are located in the pacific northwest, then this would be a good addition to your collection.

1. Florida’s Wild Edible Plants a guide to collecting and cooking
   • A newer addition to my collection in line with my increasing interest in wild edible plants. This guide covers many local species and includes some color photographs, seasons, identification, and many recipes to help you enjoy the treasures that you forage from the wild.

1. Florida’s Incredible Wild Edibles
   • To be honest I do not know when or where I picked this up and I have not spent much time with it. It is a very simplistic guide covering just a few wild edible plants. On the downside, no color photos however on the upside, recipes and tips on how to use your wild edible foods.

These are just the guides that I currently have and use however there are many more out there and with a little research you should be able to find one more tuned into your region. In addition to the field guides and books there are great resources to be found locally and online. When time allows, I always like to take advantage of local foraging walks. One of my favorites in this area is Green Dean who hosts many online resources, a great newsletter, and many informative videos. Online I am a part of several wild edible plant and mushroom identification forums on Facebook and frequently use the Bolette filter website and now mobile app to help Id the many different Bolette mushrooms that I encounter. In addition to these resources, I also use the Plant Snap, picture this, and shroomify apps.

Keep in mind that you should never eat any wild plant or mushroom without identifying it beyond a doubt using multiple resources. Although the web forums can be a good resource, I often see people misidentifying plants and mushrooms on forums so look for a group consensus and verify with other resources. For me the online tools are a pointer that helps give me a direction. Once I have a direction, I use my resources to narrow it down to the correct identification.