Complete Routes for Wild Mushroom Picking in Yunnan
1. Yiliang: Enjoying Scenic Views while Picking Wild Mushrooms
Yiliang Goujie Town Xiaoshao Wild Mushroom Ecotourism Village is located 56 kilometers east of Kunming city. From mid-June to mid-November each year, 300 to 500 species of wild mushrooms in the Xiaoshao ecological village forest gradually mature, including Morels, Porcini Mushrooms, Boletus edulis, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Grifola frondosa. Morels are particularly abundant, making this area the largest producer of Morels in the province.
During the day, visitors can pick mushrooms, enjoy wildflowers, admire waterfalls, and go fishing. At sunset, they can visit Yi ethnic minority courtyards in Xiaoshao to taste various wild mushrooms, especially the fragrant and tender Morels. Adventurous tourists can also try authentic Yi dishes like cured meat and native chickens. After mushroom picking, tourists can explore nearby scenic spots such as Taiyang Valley, Dadie Waterfall, Yilong Lake, and Shiban River, enjoying the beautiful countryside scenery.
2. Jinning – Good Mountains, Good Waters, Better Mushrooms
With the market season for wild mushrooms approaching, “Junjiezi” in Liu Street, Jinning County, has become lively again. The wild Morels, Porcini Mushrooms, and Shiitake Mushrooms produced here are highly favored by consumers for their green and environmentally friendly qualities.
Local residents report that from late May to the end of September, Jinning’s Junjiezi market holds two daily sessions. Liu Street is abundant in over 20 types of high-quality wild mushrooms such as Morels, Shiitake Mushrooms, Matsutake Mushrooms, and Porcini Mushrooms. Currently, wild mushrooms have started to enter the market, with several dozen kilograms sold daily. In about a week, wild mushrooms from various towns will be widely available, with Liu Street alone producing around 150 tons annually and a daily trading volume of over 5 tons. This makes it a top destination for mushroom enthusiasts!
Travel Route: Drive on the Kunyu Expressway to Niulian Toll Station, then travel approximately 16 kilometers along the “Shang (Suan) – Liu (Jie)” road to reach “Junjiezi” in Liu Street.
3. Shilin: Fresh Mushrooms Begin to Grow in Changhu
Recently, delicious mushrooms can be tasted on the dining tables of various restaurants in Shilin County. However, the scarcity and high prices of mushrooms have deterred many residents. Currently, most mushrooms in Shilin County restaurants are purchased from other regions. Local residents who want to eat mushrooms have to buy them from the market, where they are quite expensive.
Due to concerns over poisonous mushrooms and limited mushroom varieties, consumers are advised to be cautious when purchasing.
Travel Route: Kunshi Expressway – Jiushi A Tourism Special Line – Changhu
4. Songming: New Mushroom Varieties Cultivated Under the Forest
Walking through the villages of Songming County, one can see villagers returning with baskets full of wild mushrooms. Last year, Songming successfully experimented with 5 mu of Elm Yellow Mushroom, and this year, it has added three new varieties: Flower Mushroom, Shiitake Mushroom, and Bipolar Mushroom, all of which are currently in the experimental stage. Mushroom enthusiasts should consider trying these new varieties!
5. Fumin: Versatile Ways to Enjoy Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms
Yunnan’s Shiitake Mushrooms are best from Fumin, Xundian, Wuding, and Luoping counties. They are characterized by their plumpness, whiteness, freshness, and sweet fragrance, with peak production from June to September. Fumin has a wide variety of Shiitake Mushrooms, typically categorized by color into green, white, and yellow Shiitake Mushrooms. The elegant and tender green Shiitake Mushroom is considered the best. Green and white Shiitake Mushrooms are abundant from June to July, while yellow Shiitake Mushrooms appear slightly later. Harvesting Shiitake Mushrooms requires sharp eyes, keen sense of smell, and knowledge of weather and terrain.
From June to September, Shiitake Mushrooms can be found in every rural home in Fumin. Fumin County’s pickled Shiitake Mushrooms are particularly famous for their golden or brownish-yellow color, delicate texture, rich aroma, softness, and refreshing taste. They are used in various dishes such as “Fire-Clamped Shiitake Mushrooms,” “Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms,” “Shredded Shiitake Mushrooms,” and “Shiitake Mushroom Soup,” and are also used as stuffing for pasta, each with its unique flavor.
6. Xundian: Chicken Head Mushrooms Flood the Market in August
When it comes to wild mushrooms in Xundian, Chicken Head Mushroom is the most famous. Starting from Kunming, drive 90 kilometers along the Kunqu Expressway, exit Xundian and continue for 23 kilometers to reach Xundian Hekou Town, famous for its Chicken Head Mushroom. During the mushroom season, the faint scent of mushrooms permeates the air along the winding mountain roads.
Xundian produces over a dozen varieties of wild mushrooms annually, including Chicken Head Mushroom, Porcini Mushroom, Shiitake Mushroom, and Morel. During the mushroom picking season, farmers pick mushrooms in the morning and sell them at the farmers’ market at noon, ensuring freshness. With sufficient rainfall this year, mushrooms are plentiful as the rainy season arrives. Chicken Head Mushrooms will be widely available in August. Mushroom enthusiasts can purchase and enjoy them in Xundian or gather with friends and family to pick them themselves.
7. Luquan: Wild Mushrooms Covering Mountains and Valleys
Recent rainfall has caused various wild mushrooms to emerge in Luquan. Along the Kunluo Highway near Luquan, local residents spread freshly picked wild mushrooms on green leaves and wait for passersby to purchase them.
Luquan’s unique natural environment has endowed it with rich resources of wild edible mushrooms, earning it the title of “Mushroom Township.” In the coming months, Luquan’s restaurants, homestays, and hotels will offer a variety of delicious wild mushroom dishes, including flavorful Shiitake Mushroom Soup and Porcini Mushroom Soup, and stir-fried Morels and Porcini Mushrooms with red peppers, ensuring a satisfying culinary experience.
Residents seeking to purchase wild mushrooms to take home can buy them from local residents along the Kunluo Highway near Luquan County.
8. Dali: Scent of Mushrooms Everywhere
In Xiangyun, locally produced Zaogu Mushrooms are typically cooked with garlic and green peppers, boiled until almost dry, and then served.
In Yangbi, white chickens are common, while Yongping chickens are black. Black chickens are prepared in the same way as white chickens. However, white chickens are fresher, and black chickens have a stronger aroma. The local cold mushrooms unique to Jizushan in Bijie County are mainly used for stewing chicken. Because cold mushrooms are highly prized, they are typically dried and preserved after being picked during the mushroom harvesting season and can be used for chicken stew throughout the year.
Jianchuan has a variety of cilantro mushrooms that locals slice and eat raw as a condiment, providing a unique flavor. Jianchuan residents sometimes use Matsutake Mushrooms for cold mixing, often slicing and grilling fresh Matsutake Mushrooms. They also use fresh Matsutake Mushrooms to stir-fry with garlic.
About two to three kilometers from the county town of Heqing, there is a farmhouse specializing in wild mushroom hot pot. The wild mushroom hot pot from this farm is prepared by mixing 20 to 40 kinds of wild mushrooms in a special preparation method, resulting in a delicious flavor.
The famous wild mushroom specialty store “Junwang Garden” in Xiangyun specializes in wild mushroom hot pot, typically featuring more than 10 kinds of mushrooms. When fresh mushrooms are not available, frozen, pickled, and dried mushrooms can be enjoyed year-round.
9. Chuxiong: Mushroom Kingdom Lives Up to Its Reputation
Zixi Mountain: Here, you can pick wild mushrooms such as Morchella, Chicken, and Shiitake Mushrooms. Due to the large number of tourists, you may need to walk a little further if you want to pick mushrooms. Driving up the mountain along the winding mountain road, you can smell the faint aroma of mushrooms in the air.
In the vicinity of the Kesheng River, which is about two to three kilometers from the town of Heqing County, many local residents sell freshly picked wild mushrooms. Due to the natural environment in which they grow, Luquan has rich resources of wild edible mushrooms, making it a famous “mushroom town.” Whether in Luquan’s large and small restaurants, homestays, or hotels, you can enjoy a variety of delicious wild mushrooms, such as Shiitake, mushroom soup, red chili, and green chili.
If you want to purchase wild mushrooms to take home, you can buy them from local residents along the Kunluo Highway near Luquan County.
10. Qujing: “Winter Eats Fuzi, Summer Eats Mushroom”
In Qujing, eating wild mushrooms is a tradition in Malong County. Malong’s wild mushrooms are well-known. In Malong, there are many varieties of wild mushrooms, including Chicken Head, Fragrant Fungi, Wood Ear, Beef Liver, Poppy Mushrooms, Pine Hair Mushrooms, Frozen Mushrooms, Buckwheat Mushrooms, Yellow Parasol Mushrooms, and Chicken Fat Mushrooms.
Source from:
https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20200601A0I8XO00
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA3MTg1NjMwNg==&mid=2650892861&idx=4&sn=b89c84d9d7ba2076e1e6076bf316be08&chksm=84d2f3e0b3a57af6c6d332e0ebec0a34ef94ce82d6a37623cee8ed3fb8d19c233a1ef051a373&scene=27
