Types of knights in Ukraine: a complete guide

Knights are typical fall mushrooms that grow in characteristic rows and large groups, hence their Ukrainian name, which comes from the word for “row”. It's a large family: some species are prized for their flavor, others are conditionally edible, and some are poisonous. So it pays for a forager to know the main members by sight.

Let's go over the main knight species of Ukraine — where they grow, what they look like and which are safe.

Grey knight (“mousey”)

One of the most common and tastiest. The cap is gray or grayish brown, often with radial streak-like fibers; it grows in pine and mixed forests in late fall, often half-buried in the forest litter. A good edible mushroom. More in the article how to recognize the grey knight.

Poplar knight

Grows only under poplars, often in large clusters, from the second half of fall. The cap is reddish brown and slimy in wet weather. Conditionally edible, needs boiling. Read more about the poplar knight.

Wood blewit (“blue-leg”)

A striking mushroom with a purple cap and stem that grows at forest edges, in gardens and on leaf piles. It's prized for its flavor after boiling. We've dedicated a separate article to the blue-leg.

Yellow knight

A late mushroom of sandy pine forests with a yellowish-green cap; often half-buried in sand. It's easy to confuse with the green brittlegill, so check its features carefully.

Careful: poisonous knights

Not all knights are safe. The most dangerous is the tiger (leopard) tricholoma: a large gray cap with dark scales, and it can cause severe poisoning. We cover poisonous knights and their features separately. The main rule: don't pick a large “gray knight” with distinct scales on the cap unless you're sure.

How to tell knights apart

Host tree and soil: the poplar knight grows under poplars, the yellow knight and grey knight in pine forests on sand, the wood blewit on leaf piles.
Color: from gray (grey knight, tiger tricholoma) to purple (blue-leg) and greenish (yellow knight).
Scales: distinct dark scales on a large gray cap are a reason to suspect the poisonous tiger tricholoma.

Almost all edible knights are boiled before cooking.

Sources

“Key to the Fungi of Ukraine” (Kyiv, Naukova Dumka publishing house).
Tricholoma on GBIF, the global biodiversity database.
Tricholoma, Lepista on MycoBank, the international fungal nomenclature database.
Tricholoma on Wikipedia.

Frequently asked questions

What types of knights are there?

The best known are the grey knight (“mousey”), poplar knight, wood blewit (blue-leg) and yellow knight. There are poisonous ones too, above all the tiger (leopard) tricholoma.

Which knight tastes best?

The grey knight and the wood blewit (blue-leg) are the most prized. Both are good after boiling.

Are all knights edible?

No. Most are edible or conditionally edible, but the tiger tricholoma is poisonous and causes severe poisoning. It's best not to pick unfamiliar large gray knights with scales.

When do knights grow?

They're fall mushrooms: they come up en masse from September through November, and the grey knight and poplar knight hold on until the first frosts.

Which trees should you look for knights under?

The poplar knight under poplars, the grey knight and yellow knight in pine forests on sand, the wood blewit at forest edges and on leaf piles.

Where does the Ukrainian name for knights come from?

From the word for “row”: they often grow in long rows and large groups. This habit of growing in clusters is a characteristic trait of the genus.

How do you tell an edible knight from a poisonous one?

The most dangerous, the tiger tricholoma, is large and gray, with distinct dark scales on the cap. If you have any doubt about a large gray knight, it's better not to pick it at all.

Do knights need to be boiled?

Yes, almost all edible knights are boiled before frying or pickling, with the water discarded.