Local Fungi

Boletus Luridus

I've noticed that in our local woodlands around Tonbridge fungi are slowly appearing. They spring up silently during the night, and are usually well hidden and camouflaged.  During a walk yesterday I found clusters of Lurid Boletus (Boletus Luridus), and was pretty excited as many species of Boletus are edible, but others are poisonous, and some just bitter. So what had I found? Luckily I have access to a professional who knows his stuff where edible mushrooms are concerned, and he advised me to leave these behind, as although they are edible when cooked they can cause gastric upsets, so they weren't worth bothering with.

Ganoderma Applanatum

I also found this amazing Bracket Fungus (Ganoderma Applanatum) on the base of a tree trunk. They're very happy there and can usually be found on beech and sometimes pine too. This one is an Artist's Bracket or sometimes known as an Artist's Conch. They are not poisonous but neither are they edible.

NEVER pick mushrooms in the wild unless you are 100% sure of what they are. NEVER take the risk as your mistake can be fatal. There are plenty of local fungi forays so it's advisable to join a group led by an expert. You'll be safe that way.