Cloudy skies. Frigid temperatures. Frozen soils.
Winter in my neck of the woods is a faithful provider of all those conditions and more.
Most wild creatures left the scene months ago, but a handful of them — fungi included — remain active and reveal themselves to anyone with a desire to look.
Take Flammulina velutipes, for instance.
Also known as Enoki, this wild edible fungus actually thrives in cold weather. While many wild fungi retreat as temperatures fall, Enoki fruits prolifically with the help of antifreeze compounds produced within its tissues.
Enoki is also a fairly predictable fungus. It associates with a particular tree that commonly grows in eastern North America. If you know the name of this tree, you’ll have no trouble locating wild Enoki mushrooms.
In the following video, I discuss a few tips to help you identify and find this tree in the wild. If you’re interested in learning more, check it out!