Yellow trumpet or Cantharellus lutescens

The yellow trumpet is a basidiomycete mushroom of the order Chanterelles, whose scientific name is Cantharellus lutescensand which is also found under the common name of yellow chanterelle, mountain eel, camagroc (in Catalan), or Xi’i kue’e (in Mixtec).

This is its taxonomic classification:

• Kingdom: Fungi
• Division: Basidiomycota
• Class: Agarimycetes
• Order: Cantharellales
• Family: Cantharellaceae
• Gender: Chanterelle
• Species: C. lutescens

• The yellow trumpet is characterized by having the cap depressed deeply inward, and with the wavy margins facing upward, giving it the appearance of a trumpet or a cup. It measures 3 to 6 centimeters in diameter.
• Due to its morphology, the hymenium, which is the area that carries the spores, is exposed. This is in the form of folds and wrinkles that become more evident as the mushroom matures.
• The stem is not straight, but has a sinuous appearance, and is attached to the hat uniformly, without division.
• As for the color, it is yellow on the foot and hymenium, while the cap has a brown to grayish color.

Learn about the Parts of mushrooms: what they are and their functions here.

The yellow chanterelle grows associated with pine forests, associated with the soil where it grows saprophytically, that is, on decomposing matter.

Regarding geographical distribution, it is mainly found in the northern hemisphere of the entire planet in boreal forests in temperate climates, such as Europe and North America, but presence has already been recorded in other places such as the Caribbean, and it is explained that this is due to introductions.

Countries where the yellow trumpet can be found are Spain, Canada, France, Austria, Mexico, the United Kingdom, among others.

The season when yellow trumpets appear is in the fall, from September to October. They can be found in the densest and most humid forests, and always at the foot of conifers.

However, it is not recommended to go out and collect yellow trumpets yourself, without someone expert, because there are other species of Chanterelle that they are poisonous and that they look very similar to the yellow trumpet, with which we could have a unpleasant accident if we identify them incorrectly.

The yellow trumpet reproduces through spores that mature inside the fruiting body and which is what we know as a mushroom. The spores are released into the environment once they are fully mature, and fall on new substrate, such as leaves or fallen wood bark. Once they germinate, they will form the mycelium, which is the non-reproductive phase of the fungus and which escapes our eyes. When they mature, the reproductive cycle begins again.

Yes, it can be eaten, and it is in demand for its rich fruity and slightly sweet flavor, in addition to the yellow color of its flesh giving a cheerful touch to dishes.

It is eaten fresh and cooked, but it is also usually dehydrated before eating, because in this process it takes on an aroma of meat ideal as a substitute, which can even be ground to be used as a condiment. To use, they only require rehydration by soaking in warm water for half an hour.

Creamy spaghetti with yellow trumpets

Ingredients

• 1 package of thick spaghetti
• 2 cups of previously cleaned yellow trumpets
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
• 1 cup of milk cream
• salt and pepper

Steps to follow

1. Cook the pasta in 3 liters of boiling water until soft.
2. Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a pan and add the garlic. Mix until it changes color.
3. Add the heavy cream, salt and pepper, and the yellow trumpets to the pan and mix.
4. Add the prepared sauce to the strained pasta, and plate.

Yellow trumpet rice

Ingredients

• 1 kg of ready-made rice
• ½ cup diced onion
• 2 cups yellow trumpets
• Olive oil

Steps to follow

1. In a frying pan, brown the onion in hot oil until it becomes transparent.
2. Add the yellow trumpets and brown.
3. Finally, add the preparation to the rice.

Currently, the yellow trumpet is not a threatened species on the Red List. However, its main problem is intensive collection without a conservation plan that allows the regeneration of the communities. On the other hand, it is also affected by climate change and the change in land use, which eliminates habitable spaces for them.

If you want to help their conservation, do not collect them yourself. The ideal is that you collect them with groups specialized in the subject, and if you are going to buy them, make sure that they come from an accredited, experienced, or traditional heritage distributor, since the latter have the knowledge of how mushrooms should be harvested without it being detrimental to the species.

• They only grow when they form symbiosis with other plants, which is known as a mycorrhizal fungus.
• It grows in dark and humid areas.
• It only grows on alkaline soils.
• It cannot be cultivated, so it can only be collected from the wild for consumption.
• It grows abundantly in colonies that form long mats on the forest floor.

If you want to read more articles similar to Yellow trumpet or Cantharellus lutescens, we recommend that you enter our Ecosystems category.