False Chanterelle
Poisonous 
Autumn 
Summer 
Not strictly speaking a poisonous mushroom but they can cause alarming symptoms in some people.
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | False Chanterelle |
| Scientific Name | Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca |
| Season Start | Jul |
| Season End | Nov |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 5 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 8 |
Cap
Yellow, yellow/orange/brown. Starting convex becoming shallowly funnel shaped with an inrolled, undulating margin.
Gills
Gills orange. Running down the stem (decurrent), forked and crowded.
Stem
Yellow/orange tapering slightly towards the base, often curved.
Flesh
Pale yellow/orange and tough, never pure white.
Habitat
Mainly coniferous woodland but can be found on heaths and occasionally with deciduous trees.
Possible Confusion
The Chanterelle but the folds instead of true gills, the pure white flesh and the apricot smell of the Chanterelle should rule out confusion.
Spore Print
White. Ellipsoid.
Frequency
Common.
Other Facts
A beautiful but annoying mushroom to find. Once you know them you can normally tell the difference between these and their tasty cousins the true chanterelles on sight from a few feet away. Even so you can still try to convince yourself they are Chanterelles, so strength of mind and will may need to be employed if you find them!
12 comments for False Chanterelle
what are the alarming symptoms!?
Hi Chris, some people get very sick with hot and cold flushes, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and hallucinations, some people are unaffected. Eric.
I accidently boiled some of these thinking theyre chanterelles and it was quite clear they were false – the smell & taste was absolutely horrible, like old milk!!!
I collected what I thought were chanterelles. They were dark orange on top and lighter orange under the cap and down the stem and white inside and smelled or apricots. But the gills did not extend down the stem like chanterelles so I am wondering if they are false chanterelles which leads me to my question: Do any other mushrooms smell like apricots besides chanterelles?
Some other mushrooms have fruity smells. If you can send in photos of them we’ll try to ID them for you.
Hi guys! Found a bunch of chanterelle mushrooms. It looks like the real deal. Where can I send the photo? Thanks
If you can get clear photos of the cap, stem, gills and a mushroom in situ we will try to ID them for you. Send them to [email protected].
I have learnt something new, I had studied from a mushroom guide, that said that false chanterelle is only to be found in Europe and in regions where there are olive trees ? Iam stunned, thanks
No Claudia, where I live in the UK you find in the same line forest, false chanterelles and true chanterelles growing one next to each other. The false chanterelles are more orangeish, often darker in the center of the cap (and that part is often sunk/depressed) and their skin is pale yellow (while it is pure white for true chanterelles).
I found some f chanterelles today, and thousands of true ones in a Scots pine forest, another clear characteristic of the F chanter is a simp deposit on the top, esp in the middle, quite different from the true one, they are also much darker yellow to orange.
Are false Chantelle found in northern Minnesota ?
I’m afraid I only know about UK mushrooms.