Mayhaw

Scientific name: Crataegus opaca
Abundance: uncommon
What: ripe fruit
How: raw (tart), preserves, tea
Where: woods, swamps, landscaping, abandoned areas
When: spring
Nutritional Value: very high in vitamin C and minerals

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged alternately along the stems.

Leaf Shape: Simple, usually slightly-lobed leaves with a length ranging from 1.5 to 3 inches.

Leaf Color: Foliage is typically green, with some variation in shades.

Leaf Margin: Shallowly-lobed leaves with dentate (rounded tooth-like) margins.

Flower Structure: Mayhaw trees produce clusters of small, white or pinkish flowers consisting of 5 petals and numerous stamen.

Flower Size: Individual flowers are usually less than an inch in diameter.

Fruit: Apple-like fruits are typically small, ranging from 0.5 to 0.75 inches in diameter.

Seed Size: Seeds are small and usually less than 0.2 inches, resembling their close relative, apple seeds.

Bark: Bark is often mottled grayish and becomes more fissured as the tree matures. 

Thorns: Thorns up to 2" long adorn the trunk and branches.

Height: Mayhaw trees can range from 15 to 30 feet in height.

Hairs: Leaves may have a slight fuzziness. 

Mayhaw flowers (February in Houston).






Mayhaw fruit (April/May in Houston).








Mayhaw leaves )alternating along stem).




Mayhaw thorn.


Mayhaw trunk/bark.


Texas distribution for Mayhaws, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution for Mayhaws, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


Look for Mayhaw shrubs/small trees in the nastiest swamps you can find for those will have the best-tasting fruit. They like moist, somewhat acid soils. The Big Thicket area of Texas is their ideal habitat. Mayhaws lose their leaves in the fall and remain mostly leafless even when their flowers appear in mid-winter. Being one of the many Crataegus species, their blooms and fruit resemble apples, another family member. The fruit is bright red when ripe but the flesh is soft like a plum. The seeds are tiny.

Mayhaw fruit has a wonderful tart-sweet flavor and Mayhaw jelly is a very popular treat here in Texas. The fruit are high in pectin so the jelly usually doesn't need additional pectin but if possible try a small batch first to confirm this for your fruit. The darker the fruit the more tart it will taste, which most people prefer for making jelly.

The chopped, dried fruit can be used to make a tea in the same manner as rose hip tea. The Mayhaw fruit are high in vitamin C so this tea is very nutritious.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Milkweed

Scientific name: Asclepias spp.
Abundance: uncommon
What: young shoots, young flower buds, young seed pods
How: all young parts raw or cooked
Where: fields
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: minerals
Other uses: cordage, tinder
Dangers: Toxic dogbane looks slightly similar, but is smaller. The milky white sap of dogbane can blister skin. Edible milkweed has fine white hairs on it's stem whereas dogbane does not. If the milkweed pod is bitter boil it to improve taste.

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged in an opposite-alternating pattern along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are narrow to broadly ovate to oblong, typically measuring about 4 to 8 inches in length and 2 to 4 inches in width, depending on the species.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate, with a prominent central vein and several smaller veins branching off to the sides.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are entire, meaning they are smooth and not toothed or lobed.

Leaf Color: The leaves are a deep green on the upper surface and a lighter green on the underside.

Flower Structure: The flowers are grouped in spherical clusters known as umbels, located at the top of the plant or in the upper leaf axils. Each flower is about 0.5 inches in diameter.

Flower Color: The flowers are typically pink to mauve.

Fruit: The plant produces a fruit known as a follicle, which is a large, pointed pod that splits open when mature.

Seed: The seeds are oval, brown, and attached to long, white, silky hairs that aid in wind dispersal.

Stem: The stem is thick, upright, and doesn't usually branch. 

Hairs: There are fine hairs on the stem and the underside of the leaves.

Height: Common milkweed typically grows to a height of 2 to 6 feet.

Milkweed pod at right size for eating.


Milkweed pods of Asclepias viridis. These are a bit large and would have been better a week or so earlier.


Young milkweed plant before flowering.


Milkweed flower buds.


Close-up of milkweed stem and oppositely opposed leaf set. The upright stalks growing from the leaf joints are flower stalks.


Cluster of Milkweed. The ruler in the picture is 12" long.


Milkweed flowers.


Close-up of flowers.


Even closer-up picture of Milkweed flowers.


Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


Standing strong and somewhat plastic-looking, milkweed is usually found in low, moist spots of sunny fields. It's long, oval leaves are rather thick and firm, branching off the stem opposite one another, but then rotated 90 degrees between the sets of leaves as you move up/down the stem. The tops of the leaves are more green than their undersides. When broken or cut Milkweeds bleed a white sap, hence their name. In mid-summer their purple/white flowers appear and by September the spiny, alien-looking pods are ready to release their fluffy seeds.

The young, tender pods are steamed or boiled before eating. If the pods are bitter then boil them in one or more changes of water. The insides of the pods should still be undeveloped without sign of fluffy of the brown, flat seeds.

The milkweed stem contains very strong natural fibers which can be braided into fine cordage. These are the preferred plants of Monarch butterfly caterpillars.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Horse Mushrooms

Scientific Name(s): Agaricus arvensis
Abundance: uncommon
What: mushroom
How: cooked
Where: yards
When: summer after rain
Nutritional Value: carbohydrates, minerals
Dangers: mimics include the deadly death cap and destroying angel mushrooms (Amanita species). Choose wisely.

COLLECTING MUSHROOM REQUIRES 100% CERTAINTY. WWW.FORAGINGTEXAS.COM ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR IDENTIFICATION ERRORS BY ANY READERS.

Growth Form: Agaricus arvensis typically grows solitarily or in small groups.

Cap Shape and Size: The cap is initially dome-shaped, becoming flatter with age, and measures 3 to 10 inches in diameter. It is white to cream-colored, and may have fine scales.

Gills or Pores: The gills are true, free from the stem, starting as pink, and gradually turning chocolate brown as the mushroom matures.

Stipe Characteristics: The stipe is 2 to 4 inches long and 0.8 to 1.6 inches thick, white, and bears a large, hanging ring. It is typically bulbous at the base.

Odor: This mushroom has a distinctive anise-like odor.

Bruising: Agaricus arvensis does not display notable bruising.

Spore Color: The spore print is dark brown.

Substrate and Habitat: Found in grassy areas, particularly near manure or in rich soil, often in horse pastures or along roadsides.

Other Characteristics: Notable for its anise-like odor and large, hanging ring on the stipe. The flesh is thick and white, with a firm texture.

Horse mushroom top view.


Side view of the mushroom. Note the sheath remains go upwards rather than hanging down.


Underside of same mushroom.


Close-up of stem-gill junction. Note how the gills stop before reaching the stem.


Close-up of bisected cap. Horse mushrooms have true gills.


Another close-up of the gills.


Extreme close-up of gills at cap's edge.


Another view of the horse mushroom.


Top view of a younger horse mushroom. Note the pinkish color of the gills.


Underside of same mushroom.


The gills start pinkish, turn brown, then end a very dark brown color.




Spore print is very dark brown, almost black.


Horse mushrooms are one of the fungi that pop up in people's yards three days after summer rain. Of course, there are several extremely poisonous, look-alike mushrooms that also like yards so proper identification is crucial. I consider this to be an advanced-level mushroom.

The key identifiers of a horse mushroom:
1. Gills start out pink but turn a dark, chocolatey brown color.
2. Gills are true (separate tissue from cap).
3. Gills end just before the stem.
4. Gills don't run the entire length of the cap.
5. The annulus/ring of the veil on the stem runs upwards rather than hanging down.
6. Cap top is white to yellowish with brownish specks of the veil.
7. No volva (cup-like remains of veil) on base of stem.
8. Spore print is dark brown to almost black in color.
9. A cut base won't turn yellow.
10. A scratched cap may turn very slightly pale yellow.

11. Bruising does NOT quickly turn the bruised area a brilliant yellow.

12. They grow out of the soil, not on dead wood or from cow patties.

Like other wild mushrooms, always cook horse mushrooms to both kill any insect inhabitants and to destroy some weakly poisonous compounds found in ALL (wild and domestic) mushrooms. As mentioned earlier, these are generally a summertime mushroom in Texas, appearing three days after a good rain.

Now, because I don't want you to die, here's signs you have one of the deadly Amanita mushrooms:
1. Gills are white.
2. There's a volva at the base of the stem.
3. Veil annulus/ring hangs downward.
4. Usually bulbous at base of stem.
5. If the scratched cap turns neon yellow it's likely an Agaricus xanthodermus which is also poisonous.
If you see any of these on the mushroom just let it be.

Once you've properly identified horse mushroom feel free to use it like any store-bought "button" mushroom. Ideally you'll find the horse mushrooms when they're still small and round. Slice them up and sauté them in butter with garlic, throw them on a pizza, add them to stuffing or soup! I'm still trying to find a way to preserve them. The internet suggests freezing them but I personally think that's a terrible thing to due to a mushroom. Pickling them like Chicken of the Woods might be better.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Oyster Mushrooms

Scientific Name(s): Pleurotus ostreatus
Abundance: uncommon
What: cap, stem
How: cooked
Where: on dead wood
When: winter
Nutritional Value:
Dangers: Don't mistake Jack O'Lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus olearius) for oyster mushrooms.


COLLECTING MUSHROOM REQUIRES 100% CERTAINTY. WWW.FORAGINGTEXAS.COM ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR IDENTIFICATION ERRORS BY ANY READERS.

Growth Form: Pleurotus ostreatus typically grows in clusters on dead or dying wood.

Cap Shape and Size: The cap is oyster or fan-shaped, measuring 2 to 8 inches across. The color varies from white to gray or tan.

Gills or Pores: The gills are false, white to cream, and run down the stem (decurrent).

Stipe Characteristics: The stipe, when present, is short and off-center. It's white to light brown and may be absent in some specimens.

Odor: This species usually has a mild odor, not distinctive.

Bruising: There is no significant color change on bruising.

Spore Color: The spore print is lilac-gray.

Substrate and Habitat: Commonly found on hardwoods, especially beech and oak, but also on other deciduous trees and conifers.

Other Characteristics: Known for its oyster-shaped caps and preference for growing on wood, Pleurotus ostreatus is a popular edible species. The flesh is white and can be quite thick on larger specimens.

More oysters (Pleurotus ostreatus).


Older oyster mushrooms get "frilly" along their edges.


Older oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) clusters beginning to turn brown.


Really old oyster mushrooms.


Close-up of gills of an oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cluster.


Extreme close-up.


Oyster mushrooms have false gills, where the gill material is just a continuation of the cap rather than a separate, different colored tissue easily separated from the cap.


Really old oyster mushrooms turn tan-brown. Oyster mushrooms only grow on dead wood such as this partially buried root of a dead tree. The inside, creamy-white sections of these mature oyster mushrooms are still edible.


Side-view of the above oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus).


More dead-root-growing oyster mushrooms. It'll be hard to find any edible portions in these.


Oysters (Pleurotus ostreatus) ready to be cooked.


Gills of the mushrooms ready to be cooked.


Backside, where the cluster was attached to the dead wood of oyster mushrooms ready to be cooked.


Spore prints are a very pale lavender, appearing almost white.


Cold, wet weather means it's time to hunt oyster mushrooms. Head into the woods, the deeper the better and look for dead trees, ideally near some water or a wet spot. Oysters, like most mushrooms, grow better in moist wood. They prefer hardwoods like oaks, hickory, sweetgum, hackberry, etc. I've never seen them on pines or cypress trees. There will usually be multiple oysters on the same tree but don't take them all. You want to leave some of the caps behind so they can spread their spores to other trees. Note, they don't kill healthy trees as they can only grow in trees that are already dead.

Look for clusters of white to gray-tannish mushrooms. Key identifiers are:
1. Gills that run down the stem of the mushroom. This feature is called "decurrent gills".
2. The gills are false, actually being a continuous growth from the cap flesh. There's no demarcation line between the cap and gills as found with true gills.
3. The mushroom's stem will be off-center of the mushroom cap. Imagine the saucer section of the Starship Enterprise and the column that connect's it to the main body of the spaceship.
4. The mushrooms will form clustered "shelves" on the dead tree with their stems fused together.
5. Oyster mushrooms have a vague "anise" odor unlike the traditional mushroom smell.
6. No rings on the stem.
7. Surface is smooth and moist with the top of the cap being white to gray-tan.
8. Inner flesh is white.
9. Spore print is a light lavender/lilac color which shows up best against a black background.

If the surface is starting to dry out our the underside is turning a yellowish color the oysters are too old to eat. However, the next time a cold rain falls it's likely a new batch of oysters will form at that same spot.

Jack O'Lantern mushrooms are a bright orange mimic to oyster mushrooms that also grow on dead trees. While Jack O'Lanterns do have decurrent gills, their gills are true gills, being a separate structure from the cap flesh. Of course, the orange color is strong indicator but also the stem grows from the center of the cap. The spore print of Jack O'Lanterns is white to yellow which may lead excited oyster hunters astray. Note, Jack O'Lantern's won't kill you if you eat them but they'll make you wish you where dead as you puke your guts out. Make sure you have oysters!

Oyster mushrooms should always be cooked so as to kill any bug lava/eggs hidden in the gills. Chill, you won't takes the bugs and they'll add extra protein to your meal. I suppose one could spend a bit of time going through the gills picking out any visible bugs or slugs. If you do find slugs cut out and throw away the sections where the slugs were eating so as to not include the off-flavored slug slime. Seriously though, these are great mushroom!

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.