Jack o'lantern mushroom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Omphalotus olearius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Subkingdom:	Dikarya
Phylum:	Basidiomycota
Subphylum:	Agaricomycotina
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Marasmiaceae
Genus:	Omphalotus
Species:	O. olearius
Binomial name
Omphalotus olearius (DC.) Sing.

The Omphalotus olearius, also known as the jack-o'-lantern mushroom, is a bright orange mushroom. It has gills underneath its cap. This mushroom can look a lot like some chanterelle mushrooms, but it's important to know the difference.

One super cool thing about the jack-o'-lantern mushroom is that it's bioluminescent. This means it can actually glow in the dark! It's found in forests in Europe. You can spot it growing on old tree stumps, on roots hidden underground, or at the bottom of hardwood trees.

Be careful! The jack-o'-lantern mushroom is poisonous to humans. It contains a harmful substance called illudin S. If someone eats this mushroom, they will get very sick. They might have bad stomach cramps, start vomiting, and have diarrhea. Even though it's not usually deadly, it causes a lot of pain. So, never eat a mushroom unless an expert says it's safe!

What Does It Look Like?

The jack-o'-lantern mushroom has a bright orange color. Both its stem and its cap are this vibrant shade. You can usually find these mushrooms growing in big groups. They appear from late summer and can last until November.

They often grow right on or very close to tree stumps. Sometimes, you might see them on the ground. This happens when they are growing on tree roots that are buried just under the surface.

The most amazing part of this mushroom is its glow. It's not the whole mushroom that glows, but only the gills underneath the cap. They give off a cool, lime-green light in the dark!

How to Tell It Apart From Other Mushrooms

It's really important to know how to tell the jack-o'-lantern mushroom apart from other mushrooms, especially the edible chanterelle. They look similar, but there are clear differences.

Jack-o'-lantern mushrooms have true gills. These gills are sharp and do not branch or fork. Chanterelles, on the other hand, have ridges that are more like folds than true gills. This is the easiest way to tell them apart.

Another clue is the color inside the stem. If you peel the stem of a jack-o'-lantern mushroom, the inside will be orange. If you peel a chanterelle's stem, the inside will be much paler. Always remember these differences to stay safe!

Images for kids

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  Western Jack O'Lantern Mushroom

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  Western Jack O'Lantern Mushroom, close-up of gills