MT. LEMMON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "Best mushroom on the planet," Hernan Castro said while leaning down to smell a large brain-shaped mushroom growing at the bottom of a tree on Mount Lemmon.
Castro is a mycologist and mushroom forager who has been foraging in up on the mountains for about seven years and leads foraging groups. He said he's seen over 300 species of mushroom in the mountains but was still animated over finding the Cauliflower mushroom.
“People look for this," he said. "This is mushroom gold.”
That was only one of the many mushrooms that the group he was leading late Saturday morning found. The basket he was carrying was stuffed to the brim by the end of the walk.
Castro and some of the other amateur foragers agreed it's safer to go with someone who is more experienced to avoid toxic mushrooms, and Castro added some tips for those starting out.
The best mushrooms for beginners are king bolete, or porcini mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms.
Those are some of the most common and recognizable in this area, according to Castro.
White king bolete mushrooms have thick stems and a hard top. The bottom of the cap is dotted in white pores. Castro said that in most other parts of the United States the red bolete is more common, but here you're more likely to find a white one.
Oyster mushrooms usually grow in clusters and have a cap in the shape an oyster, and have gills that travel almost to the base of the stem. Each mushroom head can get up to the size of a softball, and they don't have any toxic look-alikes on Mount Lemmon.
After the three-hour tour, Castro left the group with parts of the cauliflower mushroom to try cooking for themselves. He also left some parting advice.
"Just take enough for you to eat for dinner," he said. "And leave the rest for the forest."
He added that if you're foraging on your own, even with the fungi that may be easy to identify, get it checked by a professional before eating—it just to be safe.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
