Beech Mushroom
FamilyLyophyllaceae
EdibilityChoice Edible
HabitatDead beech trees
SeasonAutumn
About the Beech Mushroom
Small, elegant mushrooms growing in clusters on beech trees. Brown and white varieties are cultivated. Their long slender stems and small caps are distinctive. Popular in Japanese cuisine. Called shimeji in Japanese markets. Must be cooked - raw they are bitter and potentially irritating. Increasingly available in Western supermarkets.