In winter, mushrooms are found on trees and bushes. “The mushrooms do not stop their work for a moment – their task is to break down all dead plant matter,” the mycologist said.
One such example of winter mushrooms is the Stereum hirsutum, with the unflattering nicknames 'false turkey tail' and 'hairy curtain crust'.
“It grows on leaf tree trunks, twigs, is bright yellow from the bottom, but on top it has small caps with short bristles,” said the mycologist, who has seen 46 different species of mushrooms in the forest during the winter.
In most cases, mushrooms found in winter are not fit for consumption, but there are exceptions. For example, the Enoki (Flammulina velutipes) also known as velvet shank, is an edible mushroom that can be fried or sweated in a sauce, mycologist Diāna Meiere told the broadcast.
The fact that mushrooms are everywhere, and also in winter, was also confirmed by mycologist Inita Dāniele: “The fact that we don't see mushrooms doesn't mean they don't exist! Mushrooms are in both soil and wood, and what people usually call mushrooms is just the body. The velvet shank is actually common and even in the territory of Riga! In the parks, it is there from late autumn to early spring."
Another fungus that may interest winter mushroomers is the oyster mushroom, which are usually found on tree stumps.
However, although mushrooms are present in urban areas, experts stressed that the city is not the best place to gather them for food.
