Spore Print: White Habitat: This mushroom is found in sandy river bottoms in the plains of Colorado, usually in late October or November. Edibility: Edible. Comments: This mushroom often grows in large groups and is always associated with the Cottonwood or Poplar trees. It is usually one of the only mushrooms growing in late fall and early winter, growing up through the sandy river bottoms. Be sure not to confuse it with the poisonous T. pessundatum which grows in association with conifers or oak, is a little more reddish brown, and usually doesn't grow in densely packed groups. This is a favorite of mushroom hunters who have finished the prime mushroom season and are looking for a mushroom that grows in late fall and early winter. Preparing the mushroom for a meal is a bit tricky because of the sand and a viscous (sticky) cap surface when moist. The best way to get rid of the sand is to have two pots of water and soak the mushroom in the water occasionally moving from pot to pot and refilling the pots with clean water as you progress. If you dry this mushroom while there is sand in the gills, the sand will become trapped in the shrinking mushroom gills and will be nearly impossible to remove. This mushroom is great fried with steak or canned as 'Postich'.
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