Mushroom Picking in Umbria

Umbria's fields and forests have a wide variety of edible mushrooms. But before heading out to pick them it is essential to understand the regulations. Find out who may collect mushrooms (some people need a permit), when and how many may be collected.

Rain and sunshine are the perfect combination for the growth of mushrooms (funghi), which means that summer and autumn are mushroom seasons in Italy.

Mushrooms are picked in many different areas and play an important part in Italian cuisine. They are eaten in myriad ways: together with meat, game or poultry; used as a filling in ravioli; as part of a pasta or risotto dish; in soups or to make thick spreading creams.

When preserved in olive oil, mushrooms are also served as a starter, together with other antipasti. They may also be dehydrated - this is mostly the case for ceps (funghi porcini) - sold in little sachets and then rehydrated before use. And the white truffle (tartufo bianco) from Alba in the Piedmont region; a truffle is essentially a fungus that grows underground while a mushroom is an above-ground fungus.

Mushrooming Licences

In Italy a license (tesserino) is generally required to pick mushrooms (sometimes only outside of city limits). In some areas, this license will be delivered once the person has attended a basic course and passed a test; in other regions the license is given without conditions.

The license can be bought from the Mountain Community (comunità montane), the Consortium of Management of Parks (consorzio di gestione dei parchi), the Province (provincia) or the Town/City (il comune).

Each region or province has its own regulations, and also decides on a picking calendar (days when mushroom picking is allowed), as well as the quantity of mushrooms allowed per person (usually 3 Kg per day per person).

Mushrooming licences in Umbria

Residents of Umbria are not required to obtain a licence to mushroom in Umbria, however pickers must carry a valid photo ID while picking. Mushrooms cannot be picked in prohibited areas. Though a licence is not required, mushroom collectors must follow local prohibitions.

Those who are not residents of Umbria must obtain a permit from the Mountain Community in which the mushroom collecting will be done. Permits are valid for one year and the fee varies from community to community.

Permits available in Umbria are:

Non-resident (for personal use): valid for up to one year; a fee is payable
Scientific

Funghi Umbria has comprehensive information (in Italian) on mushrooming in Umbria.

For the Funghi Umbria website: Click here

General Collection Rules

Children under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult when mushrooming
Up to 3 Kg of mushrooms can be collected per day per person. Exceptions include:
- people picking mushrooms on their own private property are not restricted to 3 Kg
- low-income residents may obtain permission from their Mountain Community or town hall to collect up to 10 Kg of mushrooms per day (income requirements change from year to year)
Mushrooms must be collected in natural-fibre baskets (to ensure future mushroom growth by allowing spores to fall on the ground)
It is prohibited to collect mushrooms with a cap measuring less the 4 cm in diameter
It is prohibited to use rakes, hooks or any other means that may damage the soil, the mycelium (the thread-like equivalent to roots) and the roots of vegetation
It is prohibited to collect mushrooms during the night at the following times:
- In December and January, from 17:00 to 07:00
- In October, November and February, from from 18:00 to 07:00
- In other months, from 20:00 to 06:00

Types of Mushrooms Found in Umbria

agaric (Amanita caesarea/ovoli or ovolo buono)
black poplar (Agrocybe aegerita/piopparelli)
field/button mushroom (Agaricus capestris/prataioli)
green russola (including Russula virescens/russole)
honey agaric (Armillariella mellea/chiodini)
marzuolo (Hygrophorus marzuolus/dormienti)
morchella (Morchella vulgaris/spugnole)
oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus/orecchiette)
porcini (Boletus edulis/Boletus aereus/Leccinum carpini/porcini)
shaggy ink cap (Coprinus comatus)

Funghiumbria.it has information on edible and poisonous mushrooms found in Umbria, including photos and identifying characteristics.

For the list of mushrooms found in Umbria: Click here

For help identifying mushrooms, local pharmacies may be of assistance.

Safety

Each year about 40,000 people suffer mushroom poisoning in Italy.

There are about 300 different types of non-edible mushrooms in Europe. Eating them can cause digestive discomfort (nausea, diarrhoea) or more serious ailments such as convulsions, tachycardia or kidney infection.

Safety when picking

Wear clothing to adequately protect against the elements, including stinging insects and sharp or clinging plants
It is usually best to go mushroom picking a few days after rain, preferably on a warm, dry day
Use a stick to move the earth and use a knife to detach the mushroom, making sure the stalk is kept attached (for easier identification)
If a questionable mushroom is picked, keep it separate from other collected mushrooms to avoid contamination and in order to avoid inadvertent ingestion
Avoid picking mushrooms with holes, as they may contain insects or their larvae
Avoid picking mushrooms which are growing in an industrial area as the mushrooms may have absorbed toxins
Beware of vipers (poisonous snakes), which may be nestled on the ground near mushrooms

The staff of a local health department (Agenzia Sanitaria Locale/ASL) may be able to provide free advice on the mushrooms collected.

In case of poisoning, call or go to the Emergency Service (Pronto Soccorso). If possible, take some of the mushrooms or the remains of the dish eaten. Do not ingest any drugs, do not attempt to vomit.

In case of emergency, refer to AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Emergency Telephone Numbers in Umbria