These trumpet-looking mushrooms grow in groups and on their own, these fungi can be found on the edges of well-decomposed conifer forests and are rarely found in hardwood forests. They appear in summer into august and in warmer climates into the winter, these fungi can be found in serval places around the world, including Ontario. They grow to be 2-10cm tall and up to 6cm wide! The apricot jelly mushroom has a very distinct appearance to identify from other fungi! These mushrooms are great for beginner foragers as they are very distant and easy to tell apart, some mushroom species can be a bit tricky to tell apart.
Another name this mushroom goes by is red jelly fungus because it tastes mildly sweet, they do not have a strong odor or taste like other mushrooms. These are edible mushrooms, but they barely have any taste, they are also very tough to eat so should be cooked, like any other mushroom as fungi carry bacteria and cooking improves texture and taste! Also, another tip is to use young ones so they are not as tough and can even be used in salads. The red color of the apricot jelly mushroom will be vibrant in any dish but isn’t normally eaten as its bland flavor.