Mushrooms in Ventura County, California
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:
California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens9 January records since 2011
Oak-Loving Bolete Xerocomellus dryophilus8 January records since 2011
Big Sheath Mushroom Volvopluteus gloiocephalus7 January records since 2011
Yellow Fieldcap Bolbitius titubans5 January records since 2011
Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune5 January records since 2011
Golden Milk Cap Lactarius alnicola4 January records since 2011
Sandy Stilt Puffball Battarrea phalloides3 January records since 2011
Liver Bolete Suillellus amygdalinus2 January records since 2011
Pleated Marasmius Marasmius plicatulus2 January records since 2011
Wood Blewit Lepista nuda2 January records since 2011
Bonnets Mycena californiensis2 January records since 2011- Psathyrella uliginicola2 January records since 2011
Usually recorded in February here:
- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune6 February records since 2011
Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum6 February records since 2011- Big Sheath Mushroom Volvopluteus gloiocephalus6 February records since 2011
- Wood Blewit Lepista nuda5 February records since 2011
- California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens4 February records since 2011
Turkeytail Trametes versicolor3 February records since 2011- Agaricus zelleri2 February records since 2011
Western American False Panther Amanita pantherinoides2 February records since 2011- Dictyocephalos attenuatus2 February records since 2011
Coral Tooth Hericium coralloides2 February records since 2011
Cultivated Mushroom Agaricus bisporus2 February records since 2011
Usually recorded in March here:
- Big Sheath Mushroom Volvopluteus gloiocephalus6 March records since 2011
- Yellow Fieldcap Bolbitius titubans4 March records since 2011
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum3 March records since 2011
- California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascens2 March records since 2011
Crystal Brain Fungus Myxarium nucleatum2 March records since 2011
Usually recorded in April here:
- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune7 April records across all years
Desert Inkcap Montagnea arenaria3 April records across all years
Gasteroid Agaricus Agaricus deserticola2 April records across all years- Big Sheath Mushroom Volvopluteus gloiocephalus2 April records across all years
- Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum2 April records across all years
Usually recorded in May here:
- Sandy Stilt Puffball Battarrea phalloides4 May records since 2011
- Desert Inkcap Montagnea arenaria3 May records since 2011
Red Cage Clathrus ruber2 May records since 2011- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune2 May records since 2011
Usually recorded in June here:
- Red Cage Clathrus ruber18 June records since 2011
- Desert Inkcap Montagnea arenaria3 June records since 2011
- Gasteroid Agaricus Agaricus deserticola2 June records since 2011
- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune2 June records since 2011
Too few past records in July here to list species.
Usually recorded in August here:
Plantpot Dapperling Leucocoprinus birnbaumii2 August records since 2011
False Parasol Chlorophyllum molybdites2 August records since 2011
Milky Conecap Conocybe apala2 August records since 2011
Usually recorded in September here:
Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsonii6 September records since 2011- False Parasol Chlorophyllum molybdites5 September records since 2011
- Rhizopogon brunsii3 September records since 2011
Mulch Maids Leratiomyces percevalii2 September records since 2011- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune2 September records since 2011
Usually recorded in October here:
- Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsonii13 October records since 2011
Usually recorded in November here:
Brown Hay Cap Panaeolina foenisecii2 November records since 2011
Pungent Slippery Jack Suillus pungens2 November records since 2011- Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsonii2 November records since 2011
Usually recorded in December here:
- Golden Milk Cap Lactarius alnicola2 December records since 2011
- Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsonii2 December records since 2011
Most-recorded species
| # | Species | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | |
| 2 | 23 | |
| 3 | 22 | |
| 4 | 21 | |
| 5 | 18 | |
| 6 | 14 | |
| 7 | 12 | |
| 8 | 11 | |
| 9 | 10 | |
| 10 | 9 | |
| 11 | 9 | |
| 12 | 9 | |
| 13 | 7 | |
| 14 | 6 | |
| 15 | 6 |
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: Jan, Feb, Mar.
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 10 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.
- 1Oct 1, 2026Western Chicken-Of-The-Woods Laetiporus gilbertsoniiin Mission Verde Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 2Apr 26, 2026Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum communein Los Padres National Forest, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 3Apr 26, 2026Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum communein Los Padres National Forest, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 4Jan 21, 2026Red Cage Clathrus rubernear Saticoy, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 5Jan 13, 2026California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascensnear San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 6Jan 12, 2026California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascensnear Oak View, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 7Dec 29, 2025Parasola conopilain Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 8Dec 23, 2025California Jack O' Lantern Omphalotus olivascensin Wildwood Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 9Dec 15, 2025Golden Milk Cap Lactarius alnicolanear Oak View, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 10Dec 6, 2025Golden Milk Cap Lactarius alnicolain Lynn Oaks Park, CA · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
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How we built this page
383 records of mushrooms, shelf fungi and polypores (class Agaricomycetes) that fall inside this county's Census boundary. Licenses: 62 CC0 and 321 CC BY 4.0. See about the data for the full citation.