{"id":10082,"date":"2021-12-06T20:03:08","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T20:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?page_id=10082"},"modified":"2022-03-30T09:51:48","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T09:51:48","slug":"jack-olantern-mushroom","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/jack-olantern-mushroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Jack O\u2019Lantern Mushroom: Key Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Did you know that jack o\u2019lantern mushrooms can glow<\/a> in the dark? How about that they are poisonous, but they look like several edible mushroom varieties? Read on to learn more about these and other jack o\u2019lantern mushroom key facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick Facts About Jack O\u2019Lantern Mushrooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Scientific Name<\/strong><\/td>Omphalotus<\/em><\/td><\/tr>
Physical Description<\/strong><\/td>Medium-sized mushrooms that are amber to orange in color. They grow in clusters from dead and decaying wood. Caps are round and smooth, and they flatten and tear as they age. Gills are perfectly parallel and fairly soft. Stems are yellow in color and have a woody appearance.<\/td><\/tr>
Distribution<\/strong><\/td>Europe, parts of Africa and North America<\/td><\/tr>
Habitat<\/strong><\/td>Temperate woodlands and hardwood forests<\/td><\/tr>
Edible?<\/strong><\/td>No<\/td><\/tr>
Symptoms of Poisoning<\/strong><\/td>– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Diarrhea
– Stomach cramps<\/td><\/tr>
Aroma<\/strong><\/td>Non-distinct and \u201cmushroomy.\u201d<\/em><\/td><\/tr>
Growth Patterns<\/strong><\/td>Typically grows in clusters of at least twelve mushrooms. The mushrooms are tightly packed in each cluster. Rarely, large jack o\u2019lanterns are found growing singly or scattered.<\/td><\/tr>
Lookalikes<\/strong><\/td>– Chanterelles
– Wild Yellow Oysters
– Chicken of the woods
– Honey
– Waxy caps<\/td><\/tr>
Identifying Features<\/strong><\/td>– Grow from dead wood
– Glow in the dark
– Distinctive, classic mushroom gills<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Are Jack O\u2019Lantern Mushrooms?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jack o\u2019lanterns are poisonous mushrooms often mistaken for edibles. Eating them won\u2019t kill you<\/a> but will give you a bad stomach ache plus several days of vomiting and diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These mushrooms are dark yellow, amber, or orange in color. An enzyme in their gills known as luciferase makes them bioluminescent, or able to glow in the dark. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They usually grow in dense clusters from dead and decaying wood. According to the University of Virginia<\/a>, the source wood may be buried underground or under leaf litter, making it look like the mushrooms are growing directly from the ground like chanterelles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack o\u2019lanterns are found growing in woodland regions in the summer and fall. They are easy to mistake<\/a> for other mushroom varieties.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What mushroom varieties, you ask?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Other Mushrooms Do Jack O\u2019Lanterns Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n