Honey Mushroom (Armillaria mellea) - Edible

Armillaria mellea, or Honey Fungus is regarded as a choice edible - ranking higher than morels in some parts of the world. This fungus is relatively easy to grow on pasteurised or sterilised substrates. In nature, honey fungus grows on logs, stumps and in leaf litter on the forest floor. This mushroom is weakly luminescent, and unusual in that it is one of the very few luminescent fungi that can be eaten. Honey fungus stems can be tough and fibrous, so cooks should discard the stems during preparation. You should not eat honey fungus raw, as it can cause stomach upsets. For this reason, it is advisable to cook these mushrooms thoroughly before eating. Some cooks preboil the mushroom caps and discard the water, which some say improves the taste. As with some other types of fungi, you should not consume with alcohol. Although this mushroom usually grows on dead or dying wood, it is also capable of parasitising living trees, especially oaks, as well as plants of the cabbage family - so care should be taken when disposing of spent blocks of honey mushroom mycelium. Either burn the blocks or dispose of well away from trees. Some types of orchid require symbiotic relationships with honey fungus in order for their seeds to germinate.