Jack-o'-Lantern

Where it grows

Jack-o’-lanterns fruit in late summer and autumn in large dense clusters at the base of broadleaved stumps — particularly oak — or above buried roots. They are common across North America (Omphalotus illudens) and Europe (the closely related Omphalotus olearius).

How to recognise it

Densely clustered, fused-at-the-base, bright orange mushrooms with conspicuous true gills that are sharp-edged and run down the stem. The flesh is orange throughout. Most strikingly, the gills of fresh specimens emit a faint green glow in absolute darkness for the first night or two after picking.

Edibility & cautions

Toxic. Eating the Jack-o’-lantern causes violent vomiting, cramps, and diarrhoea, usually within an hour or two — extremely unpleasant but rarely fatal. The species is famous as the dangerous look-alike for chanterelles. The differences are clear: chanterelles have blunt false ridges (not true gills), an apricot smell, paler stem flesh, and grow singly or in scattered groups from soil, never in tight clusters from wood. Always check the gills, the growth habit, and the colour of the flesh inside.