Wild winter mushrooms from Shangyou

Last updated 2026-11-10 — When buying mushrooms, it's better to choose wild ones. To distinguish between wild winter mushrooms and cultivated shiitake mushrooms, look at their stems. Generally speaking, the stems of wild winter mushrooms are longer because they grow in the wild over a longer period, whereas those of cultivated mushrooms have shorter stems. In addition to examining the stems, you can also check for a line that runs through the middle of the stem, which can also indicate that it’s a wild mushroom—the line mark is a remnant of sun-drying. Some mountain dwellers, after picking wild mushrooms, string the stems together one by one with a long thread and dry them in the sun. This naturally sun-dried method gives the mushrooms more aroma compared to those dried in an oven. If there is no thread, it means the mushrooms were oven-dried and are generally less flavorful.