The common denomination Cep refers to a whole group of mushrooms (B. Edulis, B. Aestivalis, B. Aureus, Pinophilus) with very similar characteristics between each other.
It certainly is the most known between edible mushrooms and easily recognizable by less expert “fungaioli”.
Ceps are gathered also in Spain and in the east-European countries, however the local ones are the most appreciated for flavour and perfume. Predominantly they live in symbiosis with chestnuts, oaks, beech trees and some conifers. The harvest time is from June to November.

It is very widespread in Italy and it grows up in habitats that are pretty different from each others: oaks, chestnut and beech woods. The harvest time starts from May/June until the beginning of autumn. Chanterelle is not a very perishable mushroom and it is hardly damaged by bugs, therefore it is easy to preserve.

Morels come up in different environments: from river embankments to various kinds of woods, from coastal areas to mountain territories, where the Morchella conica variety is the most spread. They prefer fresh and humid environments with a sandy ground. Depending on the vegetative ranges, they fructify from March until the first days of June, however the production is never abundant.

Honey mushroom too are very common in Italy, mainly in conifers woods where they create real “stains” and, considered the small dimensions, they are collected in little groups. The harvest time starts in summer until late autumn.

The Ceasar’s mushroom gathering is forbidden when it is still closed because it is easy to confuse it with toxic species: Amanita Muscaria or Amanita Phalloides. It grows from summer to autumn in warm and bright environments, therefore we can hardly find it in thick woods. Unfortunately it is becoming very rare because of an indiscriminate gathering of still too young mushrooms.

The St. George’s mushroom is essentially vernal, the gathering is from April to May, however it is possible to find it occasionally also in autumn.
Generally it grows on lawns and pastures and it isn’t unusual to find it on the woods margins.

We can find this mushroom in the broad-leaved woods, in humid and dark environments on plains and hills. The harvest time is from August until the end of November and it usually shows itself in numerous colonies.