Home › California › Santa Cruz County
Mushrooms in Santa Cruz County, California
Updated October 2026 · from open GBIF records
5,197mushroom records
783species recorded
Decbusiest month
5,197 records since 1895 (3,560 in the last 10 years)
Fruiting now
Based on past sightings (mostly since 2011; all years where recent records are few), not a forecast. Weather and place matter a lot, and a listing here says nothing about whether a mushroom is safe.
Usually recorded in January here:
Redwood Rooter Caulorhiza umbonata37 January records since 2011
Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria27 January records since 2011
California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens23 January records since 2011
Wood Blewit Lepista nuda23 January records since 2011
Turkeytail Trametes versicolor22 January records since 2011
Parrot Mushroom Gliophorus psittacinus19 January records since 2011
Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare19 January records since 2011
Death Cap Amanita phalloides17 January records since 2011
Golden Milk Cap Lactarius alnicola16 January records since 2011
Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum16 January records since 2011
Galactic Milk Cap Lactarius xanthogalactus15 January records since 2011
Midnight Entoloma Entoloma medianox15 January records since 2011
Usually recorded in February here:
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor16 February records since 2011
Bittersweet Orange Ringless Amanita Amanita velosa11 February records since 2011- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus9 February records since 2011
Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune7 February records since 2011
Rosy Conk Rhodofomes cajanderi7 February records since 2011- Galactic Milk Cap Lactarius xanthogalactus7 February records since 2011
- California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens7 February records since 2011
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum7 February records since 2011
Candy Cap Lactarius rubidus7 February records since 2011- Parrot Mushroom Gliophorus psittacinus7 February records since 2011
Cherry-Red Waxy Cap Hygrocybe laetissima6 February records since 2011- Redwood Rooter Caulorhiza umbonata6 February records since 2011
Usually recorded in March here:
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor14 March records since 2011
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum13 March records since 2011
Purple Fuzz Punctularia atropurpurascens9 March records since 2011
Blushing Bride Amanita novinupta9 March records since 2011
Mulch Maids Leratiomyces percevalii9 March records since 2011- Bittersweet Orange Ringless Amanita Amanita velosa8 March records since 2011
Cryptic Globe Fungus Cryptoporus volvatus7 March records since 2011
Earpick Fungus Auriscalpium vulgare6 March records since 2011- Rosy Conk Rhodofomes cajanderi6 March records since 2011
- California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens5 March records since 2011
- Parrot Mushroom Gliophorus psittacinus5 March records since 2011
- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune5 March records since 2011
Usually recorded in April here:
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor10 April records since 2011
Cabbage Parachute Gymnopus brassicolens9 April records since 2011- Blushing Bride Amanita novinupta9 April records since 2011
Pale Brittlestem Candolleomyces candolleanus7 April records since 2011
Spring Fieldcap Agrocybe praecox6 April records since 2011- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune6 April records since 2011
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum5 April records since 2011
Red Cage Clathrus ruber5 April records since 2011- Bittersweet Orange Ringless Amanita Amanita velosa5 April records since 2011
Lilac Oysterling Panus conchatus5 April records since 2011- Clathrus archeri4 April records since 2011
- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus4 April records since 2011
Usually recorded in May here:
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor7 May records since 2011
- Cabbage Parachute Gymnopus brassicolens5 May records since 2011
Wine-Colored Pogie Rhizopogon vinicolor4 May records since 2011- Clathrus archeri4 May records since 2011
- Blushing Bride Amanita novinupta4 May records since 2011
Barrow's Bolete Boletus barrowsii3 May records since 2011- California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens3 May records since 2011
- Death Cap Amanita phalloides3 May records since 2011
Horse-Hair Fungus Gymnopus androsaceus2 May records since 2011
Black Witch's Butter Exidia glandulosa2 May records since 2011
Artist's Conk Ganoderma brownii2 May records since 2011
Collybiopsis villosipes2 May records since 2011
Usually recorded in June here:
- Artist's Conk Ganoderma brownii8 June records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor4 June records since 2011
Prince Agaricus augustus4 June records since 2011- Lilac Oysterling Panus conchatus4 June records since 2011
Northern Red Belt Fomitopsis mounceae3 June records since 2011- Pale Brittlestem Candolleomyces candolleanus2 June records since 2011
- Clathrus archeri2 June records since 2011
Big Sheath Mushroom Volvopluteus gloiocephalus2 June records since 2011- Blushing Bride Amanita novinupta2 June records since 2011
Usually recorded in July here:
- Prince Agaricus augustus4 July records since 2011
- Cryptic Globe Fungus Cryptoporus volvatus3 July records since 2011
Xylodon brevisetus2 July records since 2011
Red Belted Conk Fomitopsis pinicola2 July records since 2011- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus2 July records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 July records since 2011
Ceriporia spissa2 July records since 2011- Artist's Conk Ganoderma brownii2 July records since 2011
Usually recorded in August here:
- Cryptic Globe Fungus Cryptoporus volvatus4 August records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor3 August records since 2011
- Russula versicolor2 August records since 2011
- Death Cap Amanita phalloides2 August records since 2011
- Pale Brittlestem Candolleomyces candolleanus2 August records since 2011
Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsonii2 August records since 2011- Artist's Conk Ganoderma brownii2 August records since 2011
Usually recorded in September here:
- Artist's Conk Ganoderma brownii4 September records since 2011
- Caloboletus marshii3 September records since 2011
- Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsonii3 September records since 2011
- Death Cap Amanita phalloides3 September records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor3 September records since 2011
- Cabbage Parachute Gymnopus brassicolens2 September records since 2011
Usually recorded in October here:
- Caloboletus marshii8 October records since 2011
- Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsonii7 October records since 2011
- Northern Red Belt Fomitopsis mounceae6 October records since 2011
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum5 October records since 2011
- Ceriporiopsis subvermispora4 October records since 2011
Suede Bolete, Brown And Yellow Bolete, Boring Brown Bolete, Yellow-Cracked Bolete Xerocomus subtomentosus4 October records since 2011
Crystal Brain Fungus Myxarium nucleatum4 October records since 2011
Elmerina caryae3 October records since 2011
Purplepore Bracket Trichaptum abietinum3 October records since 2011
Jelly Rot Phlebia tremellosa3 October records since 2011- Collybiopsis villosipes3 October records since 2011
Brown Cubical Rot Laetiporus conifericola3 October records since 2011
Usually recorded in November here:
Ballen's American Caesar Amanita calyptroderma23 November records since 2011- Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare20 November records since 2011
- Death Cap Amanita phalloides17 November records since 2011
- Redwood Rooter Caulorhiza umbonata14 November records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor13 November records since 2011
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum10 November records since 2011
- Midnight Entoloma Entoloma medianox9 November records since 2011
Blue-Staining Suillus Suillus caerulescens9 November records since 2011- Suede Bolete, Brown And Yellow Bolete, Boring Brown Bolete, Yellow-Cracked Bolete Xerocomus subtomentosus7 November records since 2011
Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus7 November records since 2011- Caloboletus marshii6 November records since 2011
Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus6 November records since 2011
Usually recorded in December here:
- Death Cap Amanita phalloides21 December records since 2011
- California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens20 December records since 2011
- Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria19 December records since 2011
- Redwood Rooter Caulorhiza umbonata17 December records since 2011
- Ballen's American Caesar Amanita calyptroderma16 December records since 2011
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum13 December records since 2011
- Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare13 December records since 2011
- Blue-Staining Suillus Suillus caerulescens12 December records since 2011
- Midnight Entoloma Entoloma medianox12 December records since 2011
Honey Fungus Armillaria mellea11 December records since 2011
Blackening Slime Spike Gomphidius oregonensis10 December records since 2011
Western Amethyst Laccaria Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis10 December records since 2011
⚠ Never eat a wild mushroom based on this site. We show where fungi have been recorded, nothing more. We never say any mushroom is edible or safe, and you shouldn't decide that from any website, app or photo. Many deadly mushrooms look like harmless ones. If someone may have eaten a wild mushroom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Most-recorded species
| # | Species | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 109 | |
| 2 | 82 | |
| 3 | 76 | |
| 4 | 75 | |
| 5 | 63 | |
| 6 | 63 | |
| 7 | 57 | |
| 8 | 54 | |
| 9 | 51 | |
| 10 | 47 | |
| 11 | 44 | |
| 12 | 43 | |
| 13 | 42 | |
| 14 | 41 | |
| 15 | 40 |
Being on this list doesn't mean a mushroom is common, easy to identify or safe. It only means it has been recorded here often.
Best months to look
Records by month, all years. Busiest: Dec, Jan, Nov.
Sightings map
● Each dot is a place with at least one record (rounded to about 1 km). Locations can be approximate, and many are on private land. Numbered blue circles are recent sightings, shown only to a general area of about 10 km.
Recent sightings
The 9 most recent dated records in this county, newest first. Data as of October 26, 2026. Records can take weeks or more to reach GBIF, so the newest finds may not show yet. Places are given only as a public park or forest (from the USGS Protected Areas Database) or the nearest town, and the numbered circles on the map cover a general area, not an exact spot.
- 1Aug 27, 2026Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsoniinear Santa Cruz, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 2Aug 14, 2026Turkeytail Trametes versicolornear Felton, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 3Jul 26, 2026Artist's Conk Ganoderma browniiin The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 4Jul 26, 2026Ceriporia spissain Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 5Jul 11, 2026Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinusin Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 6Jun 5, 2026Clathrus archeriin Garfield Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 7Jun 2, 2026Red Cage Clathrus ruberin Trescony Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 8Jun 1, 2026Honey Fungus Armillaria melleain Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 9
May 30, 2026Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adustanear Santa Cruz, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
Many sightings are on private land. Always get the landowner's permission, and follow the rules of parks and forests, which often limit or ban collecting.
Bring along
🍄
Regional mushroom field guideSee on Amazon🍄
Folding mushroom knife with brushSee on Amazon🍄
Wicker foraging basketSee on Amazon🍄
10x hand lens / loupeSee on Amazon🍄
Spore print paperSee on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
How we built this page
5,197 records of mushrooms, shelf fungi and polypores (class Agaricomycetes) that fall inside this county's Census boundary. Licenses: 2,003 CC0 and 3,194 CC BY 4.0. See about the data for the full citation.