Wild mushrooms can’t be scheduled — but they are predictable. Knowing the windows lets you lock in quality fresh product and buy dried or preserved stock for the rest of the year.
Spring: morels
March to June, starting in Asia and moving north. This is when fresh morels are at their best and dried export lots are graded for the year ahead.
Summer: chanterelles and porcini
Chanterelles appear from June in Europe and the Pacific Northwest; porcini follow from late summer. Dried porcini prices are usually set by early-autumn harvest volumes.
Late summer to autumn: matsutake
Matsutake season runs roughly August to October in Yunnan, Japan and Korea. Closed-veil buttons command the highest prices; open caps are excellent value for cooking.
Autumn: white truffle
White truffle (Tuber magnatum) from Alba and the Balkans peaks October to December. Fresh truffles ship within 48 hours of grading — order early in the season for the best sizes.
Winter: black truffle
Black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) from Périgord, Spain and Australia (in the southern winter) gives a second, longer truffle season. Brine-preserved truffle and peelings keep the flavour on menus year-round.
