Mushroom spots in the Moscow region — where to pick mushrooms in September 2025

In late August and early September, the autumn "silent hunting" season opens in the forests of the Moscow region. Mushroom pickers will be able to fill their baskets not only with buttermilk, chanterelles, honey mushrooms, but also with noble porcini mushrooms. Izvestia tells about the most fungal places in the Moscow region.

What mushrooms can be found in the Moscow region in September

The forests of the Moscow region are rich in mushrooms. The main "star" of the autumn season is considered to be a white mushroom growing in deciduous and mixed forests. But he is not the only one who can be found during the "silent hunt".

What other mushrooms grow in the Moscow region in September

• milk mushroom;
• birch mushroom;
• podosinovik;
• chanterelles;
• The redheads;
• autumn honey mushrooms;
• buttermilk;
• mosses;
• oyster mushrooms;
• champignons.

At the same time, it is worth avoiding poisonous mushrooms such as red fly agaric, pale toadstool, spring entoloma, satanic mushroom, variegated champignon, gray float, paneolus and others.

The so—called false mushrooms, inedible species similar to edible mushrooms, are also dangerous. In the Moscow region, you can find twins of birch bark, white, chanterelles, honey mushrooms, champignons and butterflyfish. They differ from the "real" ones in an unusual shade, the shape of the legs and caps, and the texture.

Abnormal weather: forecast for September 2025 published

Weather forecast for September 2025 across Russia

Poisoning with false mushrooms can lead to serious consequences, up to death. If the buttercup, sawdust, or any other mushroom is suspicious, it is better not to touch them.

Where to pick mushrooms in the Moscow region in September

You can enjoy the "quiet hunt" in almost all areas of the Moscow region — there are mushrooms in all relatively large forests. The biggest catch awaits mushroom pickers in the Kiev, Kursk, Leningrad, Savelovsky and Gorky directions. Mushrooms, boletus (including white ones), horseradish, buttermilk, honey mushrooms, podberezoviki, horseradish and other edible mushrooms grow there. But other destinations can also enjoy a good catch.

List of mushroom spots in the Moscow region

• Istra — honey mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, horseradish;
• Noginsk — porcini mushrooms, honey mushrooms, chanterelles;
• Ruza — chanterelles, aspen trees, podberezoviki, honey mushrooms;
• Mozhaysk — honey mushrooms, chanterelles, buttermilk, porcini mushrooms;
• Chekhov — white, chanterelles, honey mushrooms;
• Nakhabino — honey mushrooms, chanterelles;
• Kolomna — chanterelles, honey mushrooms, mushrooms, buttermilk, redheads, porcini mushrooms, etc.;
• Dubna — belye, podosinoviki, honey mushrooms, podberezoviki;
• Serpukhov — belye, podosinoviki, podberezoviki;
• Stupino — whites, horseradish, honey mushrooms, podberezoviki.

It is best to look for mushrooms on the forest edges, as the open area provides more light and heat. Whiteflies, horseradish, podberezoviki and butterflyfish prefer to grow near the roots of trees — a mycelium is attached to them. The roots of large trees can reach a length of 10-15 m, so it is worth looking not only for the space near the trunk, but also around it.

Some types of mushrooms grow well in swamps (podberezoviki, mosses), so it is important to be careful when harvesting. An abandoned pasture overgrown with young trees can be a good place for "quiet hunting". But it is better not to touch mushrooms growing near highways and industrial enterprises: they may contain heavy metals, toxic and radioactive substances.

How to safely pick mushrooms in the Moscow region

To avoid a mushroom hunt turning into a tragedy, it is important to follow simple safety rules.:

• collect only those mushrooms that can be uniquely identified as edible;
• do not pick old, wormy, moldy mushrooms, even if they are edible.;
• do not put mushrooms in containers that do not allow air to pass through, it is better to choose a wicker basket or a plastic bucket with holes for this.;
• process mushrooms within 18-24 hours after harvesting;
• observe the mushroom cooking technology;
• at the first signs of mushroom poisoning (weakness, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, sweating, fever, confusion), consult a doctor immediately.

Joy and gruzd: Russians are buying up goods for mushroom pickers

Demand has also increased for the services of special guides who will help you leave the forest with a full basket.

It is also worth remembering about the general safety rules when hiking in the forest. Before going on a "silent hunt", it is important to warn your loved ones about your intention. It is necessary to tell where the gathering will take place and when it is planned to return home. In addition, you should study the map of the area in advance and take a paper copy of it with you — there may not be a connection in the forest. If there is a mobile network at the mushroom point, you should fully charge your phone and take an additional power source with you.

You need to dress up for a mushroom hunt in comfortable, closed clothes. It is better to wear rubber boots or thick-soled boots on your feet. Don't forget about repellents — even though summer is ending, ticks and mosquitoes are still active.

Earlier, Sergey Kondakov, the brand chef of the Moscow Mela restaurant, told Izvestia how to freeze porcini mushrooms for the winter.