mushrooms identification books 7 Great Wild Mushroom Identification Books. With Pictures!

The best mushroom identification books to bring on a foraging adventure. How to identify edible mushrooms from poisonous.

7 mushroom guide books with pictures!

Mushrooms are a staple in any chef’s menu. They can be used to make everything from an appetizer to the main dish, and they come in all shapes and sizes. 

But when it comes time to identify mushrooms, how do you know which ones are safe? If you were wondering what’s the best way to identify mushrooms, fret no more. 

Here are some books to offer you some guidance.

Like mushrooms, have a look at: 9 Books To Grow Mushrooms at Home

1. Mushrooms Demystified

by David Arora, 1986


David Arora wrote this popular book that explains the basics of mushroom identification for beginners. It is organized by mushroom families and includes pictures of a wide variety of mushrooms. 

The book also discusses other factors that can help you decide if a mushroom is edible or poisonous, including physical characteristics, habitat, and distribution.




2. North American Mushrooms

By Orson K. Miller Jr 


This guide covers over 600 species in Canada and the United States, including a few that are found outside of these countries. This is a detailed book that also has colorful pictures. It’s the best choice if you are planning to gather wild mushrooms.




3. Mushrooming without Fear

By Alexander Schwab, 2007


Alexander Schwab is a professional naturalist specializing in the edible and medicinal properties of wild plants. He has been studying, collecting, and eating mushrooms since he was 10 years old. 

As an award-winning photographer, his work regularly appears in books about mushrooms and other aspects of nature. In this book, Alexander guides people on how they can collect wild and tasty mushrooms.

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4. Mushrooms of Northeastern North America

by David W. Fischer, 1996


This guide covers about 1,100 mushrooms found in the northeastern United States and parts of Canada.

The information is organized by the mushroom family and includes black-and-white as well as color photographs of each species.

The images are clear enough to see fine details but often appear dark or blurry, making them difficult to see on some pages.




5. A comprehensive guide to mushroom identification

By Rodger Philips


Roger Phillips’s authoritative and superbly illustrated reference work is packed with information, original photographs, and a wide range of knowledge. Packed with 1,250 beautiful illustrations that show the different stages mushrooms grow in as well as common names for fungi. This book will appeal to all readers who want to learn more about this amazing organism!




6. Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois and Surrounding States

By Joe McFarland


Joe McFarland carefully explains forty different edible species of wild mushrooms found around Illinois and surrounding states in this beautifully illustrated guidebook. Furthermore, he provides helpful tips on how to identify the look-alikes in order to avoid poisonous species, while providing detailed information about each specific mushroom including pictures.

This book also offers readers more than two dozen tantalizing recipes for cooking with wild mushrooms. The first edition of Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois and Surrounding States is a guide to identifying, preparing, storing, drying, or eating wild mushroom varieties that are found in the region.

With over 180 color photographs detailing their distinguishing features such as spore print patterns or physical characteristics like odor on close inspection this newly released volume by retired mycologist Gary Lincoff includes common species from Michigan to Missouri including chanterelles which thrive after fires have cleared away dense vegetation leaving plenty of space for them grow freely!




7. Mushrooms of the Midwest

By Andrew S Methven


Mushrooms of the Midwest is a comprehensive guide to mushrooms found in the Midwestern US. With over five hundred different species illustrated and explained, this book covers fungi from various ecosystems including conifer bogs on Michigan’s north coastlines, oak forests near Missouri Riverways National Scenic Byway, prairies that are home to morels along with springtime violet orchids.

This detailed guide provides identification keys as well as thorough descriptions for the amateur but also expert mushroomers alike! It’s a fantastic guide for anyone interested in mushroom hunting. Unlike most field guides, this book includes an extensive introduction about how we use microscopes to identify mushrooms.

In addition, Methven gives helpful recommendations on scientific collecting practices with special attention given towards ecological data as well as guidelines for preserving specimens so they may be identified later. 

Lists of amateur mycological associations are also included at the back of the book which can aid you if you’re looking to take your interest one step further by joining a club or even starting one! This must-have reference will not disappoint any fanatics out there who love getting lost in nature while discovering new species every year until their eyesight fails them.




Wrapping it up

We hope that we have provided you with the knowledge needed to make an informed decision on what kind of mushroom identification book will work best for your needs.


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