B.C.'s damp spring could translate into bountiful wild mushroom harvest

June's damp weather could translate into a bountiful mushroom season for foragers.

Mycology expert and biologist Dan Durall, based in B.C.'s Okanagan region, says it could be a once-in-a-decade growing event for mushrooms in the province.

"It's weird. We're seeing things out there fruiting that we usually see in September, October, November," he told Daybreak South host Chris Walker. 

Similarly, in Prince George, mycologist Hugues Massicotte has spotted several early mushrooms this season. 

"Just this week, we saw mushrooms fruiting at our place that I've never seen before," he said. 

Last fall was a good year for mushrooms in B.C.'s central Interior, Massicotte added, but this year could be even better. 

Durall said mushrooms grow roots underground, but don't always grow fruit. When they get lots of rain, they begin to produce fruit. Massicotte said light could also influence fruiting. 

Pick mushrooms with the help of an expert

B.C. is home to more than 3,500 species of mushrooms, but not all of them are edible. 

Last year, Durall said there were more than 200 calls to poison control in B.C. because people were ingesting poisonous mushrooms. 

The death cap mushroom, an invasive species in B.C., is particularly poisonous. It's common in Victoria and Vancouver, where the health authority issued a warning to residents last year after the poisonous mushrooms were found in the heart of the city. 

A recent survey in Kelowna found death cap mushroom roots, but no fruit. It is anticipated they could pop up in the next 10 to 20 years.

Durall said those mushrooms typically grow on trees used for ornamental purposes, often in parks. 

Massicotte said the best way to learn how to identify mushrooms is to take a course in mycology, to ensure you're picking mushrooms that aren't harmful. 

"There are many that are edible on your lawn," he said. 

Durall agrees — knowing what you're picking is paramount. 

"It's really important that people go out and not just pick anything and put it on your table," Durall said.  

"You really need to go out with experts who know the local mushrooms. There is a huge potential of making yourself sick or even killing yourself."