Loading conditions…
Loading conditions…

Edibility
Choice
Lookalike Danger
3 / 5
Habitat
🌲 Conifer, oak
Season
Jul – Oct
"Smells like apricots. Fruits in mossy duff after a summer rain — the ridges run down the stem, never true gills."
Mushroom ID is a rule-out game. Every entry below describes something that looks similar — learn the differences before eating.

Chanterelles have BLUNT RIDGES (false gills) running down a tapered stem, fruit ALONE in soil, never in clusters. Jack-o-lanterns have TRUE SHARP GILLS and grow in DENSE CLUSTERS from wood or buried roots. They glow faintly in the dark.
This species is found with or partners with the following hosts. Ectomycorrhizal hosts (green border) form a root-level partnership; ericoid / arbutoid shrubs (purple border) share the same mycorrhizal networks.

Truffle / bolete / chanterelle host. Acorns edible after leaching.

Generic conifer habitat — pine, spruce, fir, hemlock, or Douglas-fir. Shown when the species is reported from conifers without a specific tree.
Golden-orange funnel-shaped mushroom with false gills (blunt ridges that fork and run down the stem). Fruity, apricot-like aroma. One of Colorado's most reliable summer mushrooms.
Mixed aspen-spruce transition zones, 7,500-10,000 ft. Mycorrhizal. Likes repeated moisture events over 2+ weeks. Often found in mossy areas near streams.
Min Soil Temp
58°F
Moisture Need
rain 0.5in 3d
Drought Tolerance
low
Elevation Range
0–14,179 ft
Toxic — causes severe GI distress. Grows in clusters on wood (chanterelles grow singly from soil). Has true gills.
Not seriously toxic but can cause GI upset. Thinner flesh, true gills, grows on decaying wood.
Yellow chanterelle in oak-beech duff; coastal fog and summer thunderstorms drive repeated fruitings. Pocomoke cypress edges and Great Swamp uplands produce reliably.
Photograph it and log your observation on iNaturalist. The community can help confirm your ID — always get confirmation before eating.