It’s that season again, and although the going rate is not profitable, the mushroom man can’t resist a hike in the woods to uncover a burried treasure. Chanterelles are on the left, matustakes on the right.

“The Matsutake grow under trees and are usually concealed under fallen leaves and/or the duff layer. It forms a symbiotic relationship with the roots of a limited number of tree species. In Japan it is most commonly associated with Japanese Red Pine. However in the Pacific Northwest it is found in coniferous forests made up of one or more of the following: Douglas Fir, Noble Fir, Shasta Fir, Sugar Pine, Ponderosa Pine and Lodge Pole Pine. Further south, it is also associated with hardwoods, namely Tanoak and Madrone forests. The Pacific Northwest and other similar temperate regions along the Pacific Rim also hold great habitat producing these and other quality wild mushrooms.

• C. subalbidus: In California and the Pacific Northwest of USA there is also the White chanterelle[2], which looks like the golden chanterelle except for its off-white color. It is more fragile and found in lesser numbers than the golden chanterelle, but can otherwise be treated as its yellow cousin.

• C. formosus: The Pacific golden chanterelle (C. formosus) has recently been recognized as a separate species from the golden chanterelle. It forms a mycorrhizal association with the Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce forests of the Pacific Northwest. This chanterelle has been designated Oregon‘s state mushroom, due to its economic value and abundance.” (Wiki)