With the arrival of autumn and the first rains, the field fills with mushrooms. If we are attentive in our walks we will see them on the ground, among the dry leaves, growing on the trunks of the trees or in the rotten wood. Many are edible, but you have to be careful, as most are easily confused with others whose intake can be deadly. For this reason, the precautionary principle should govern in the setera outings, and limit ourselves to picking only the species that we know perfectly. Also, keep in mind that in some regions mushroom picking is regulated and requires a permit.
If this world attracts you but you do not have much knowledge, the ideal is to join the outings organized by your local mycological association, always complying with all security measures, anti-covid protocols and current restrictions at all times. It’s a good way to learn, collect mushrooms responsibly, and have a nice day in the country. To warm up our engines, we make a selection of six Andalusian areas where you can see some of the most typical mushrooms of our forests.
Espiel (Cordoba)
The town of Espiel is located north of the province of Córdoba, in the heart of the Sierra Morena. Although the natural vegetation is holm oak groves, in the reforestation pine groves, fans of mycology can find the prized chanterelles ( Lactarius deliciossus ), typically orange in color.
Jimena de la Frontera (Cádiz)
A large part of this Cádiz municipality is located in the Los Alcornocales Natural Park. Although it grows in all types of soils, it is typical to find chanterelle ( Cantharellus palens ) in areas of cork oaks and gall oaks. This twisted, yellowish-looking mushroom is prized for its good taste.
Serranía de Ronda (Malaga)
In this area we can stroll through Spanish fir forests (Abies pinsapo ), a very peculiar fir that took refuge in the Andalusian mountains after the last ice age. Mushrooms such as Amanita cesarea are found in the Spanish fir and morels ( Morchella crassipes ) grow in spring, easily recognizable by their reticulated appearance reminiscent of a honeycomb.
The Andévalo (Huelva)
The ‘star mushroom’ of the Andévalo region of Huelva is the white truffle ( Tuber magnatum ), a very rare species that also cannot be cultivated and only keeps fresh for a few days. In spring the gurumelo ( Amanita ponderosa ) also grows, endemic to the central and western areas of the Iberian Peninsula.
Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park
The largest protected area in Spain is also a setero paradise. Níscalos ( Lactarius deliciossus ), thistle mushroom ( Pleurotus eryngii ), poplar mushrooms ( Agrocybe aegerita ) … among the many species that fans collect here, the black truffle ( Tuber melanosporun ) stands out without a doubt, which lives underground in symbiosis with the roots of trees, generally holm oaks or oaks.
Sierra de Aracena (Huelva)
The forests of the Sierra de Aracena are especially suitable for taking an autumn walk. In addition to chestnuts, the lucky visitor can find boletus ( Boletus sp ) and gallipierno or parasols ( Macrolepiota procera ).
