Truffle identification

The prestige and price is a constant carrot to encourage many would-be truffle hunters and we’re often sent pictures of finds from around the world. Very rarely do these turn out to be actual edible
truffles, so it is always wise to get your haul identified. Truffles are generally quite a distinctive group of fungi, but the promise of something very special can lead people to convince themselves that what they’ve found is actually more truffle-like than it really is. The number one fungi mistaken for truffles are earth balls ( Scleroderma
spp.). These spherical fungi grow above ground (or sometimes just below the soil surface, have a light coloured exterior and a purple/black/brown
interior. They generally lack the distinctive marbling of truffles and are quite inedible. After receiving several pictures of earth balls, we felt we
should highlight this common mistake to help any would-be hunters. But don’t be discouraged, we have also received pictures of real truffles and are more than happy to help identify any finds. If you’ve found a truffle or truffle-like fungi, feel free to get in contact and we’ll have a look at it for you: Shop@PlantationSystems.com
or +44(0)1433 659 167.