Few mushroom pickers have had the opportunity to encounter this species of fungus from the Cantharellus family, as it is a very rare species. It looks a bit like Cantharellus cibarius and is also edible. It differs significantly in color from ordinary Cantharellus, so even when found in the forest it is not harvested.

In young mushrooms, the cap is turned downwards, with time its surface becomes wrinkled and funnel-shaped. The sizes of the hat are very different, from a few to several centimeters in the already old fruiting bodies.

The characteristic feature that distinguishes it from Cantharellus cibarius is its color. The hat is yellowish with a large addition of purple, hence the name Amethyst chanterelle.

The gills are wavy, bifurcated, converging on the leg and the color of a hat. The leg is also the color of the entire mushroom and can reach several cm in length. The leg is hard and full on the inside, sometimes badly bent.

The mushroom is edible, with a taste similar to Cantharellus cibarius, but its flesh and leg are very firm. This is an advantage for me.

The fruiting bodies can be found from summer to late autumn at mixed and hardwood ticket offices. Most often in the vicinity of beech or pine trees. The fungus is very rare and deserves protection.

Be careful 😉