Mushrooms in Union County, Illinois
Updated October 2026 · from open GBIF records
673mushroom records
241species recorded
Octbusiest month
673 records since 1879 (35 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:
Turkeytail Trametes versicolor8 January records across all years
Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa3 January records across all years
Mock Oyster Mushroom Phyllotopsis nidulans2 January records across all years- Stump Puffball Lycoperdon pyriforme2 January records across all years
- Vitreoporus dichrous2 January records across all years
Usually recorded in February here:
Pine Bracket Porodaedalea pini3 February records across all years
Elder Whitewash Lyomyces sambuci3 February records across all years
Cratered Duster Amphinema byssoides3 February records across all years
Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune2 February records across all years
Jelly Rot Phlebia tremellosa2 February records across all years
Purplepore Bracket Trichaptum abietinum2 February records across all years
Usually recorded in March here:
- Fungi Pallidohirschioporus biformis7 March records across all years
- Purplepore Bracket Trichaptum abietinum5 March records across all years
- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune4 March records across all years
- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus4 March records across all years
Spring Polypore Lentinus arcularius4 March records across all years
Bark Mycena Mycena corticola3 March records across all years- Poronidulus conchifer3 March records across all years
- Pine Bracket Porodaedalea pini3 March records across all years
False Turkey-Tail Stereum ostrea2 March records across all years
Stereum versicolor2 March records across all years
Usually recorded in April here:
Hairy Bracket Trametes hirsuta4 April records across all years
Dry Rot Serpula lacrymans3 April records across all years
Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamosus2 April records across all years
Usually recorded in May here:
Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus3 May records across all years
Common Collybia Gymnopus dryophilus3 May records across all years
Botryobasidium pruinatum2 May records across all years
Fungi Agroathelia rolfsii2 May records across all years- Antrodia albida2 May records across all years
- Fungi Pallidohirschioporus biformis2 May records across all years
White-Rot Fungus Trametes pubescens2 May records across all years
Protohydnum album2 May records across all years
Usually recorded in June here:
Deceiver Laccaria laccata6 June records across all years- Cratered Duster Amphinema byssoides3 June records across all years
- Stypella subhyalina2 June records across all years
- Marasmius tritici2 June records across all years
Usually recorded in July here:
- White Jelly Fungus Ductifera pululahuana5 July records across all years
- Stypella subhyalina5 July records across all years
Jelly Ear Auricularia auricula-judae4 July records across all years- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor3 July records across all years
Ruby Bolete Hortiboletus rubellus2 July records across all years
Crowded Parchment Stereum complicatum2 July records across all years
Acidic Gold-Pored Bolete Aureoboletus auriporus2 July records across all years- Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune2 July records across all years
Appalachian Chanterelle Cantharellus appalachiensis2 July records across all years
Smooth Chanterelle Cantharellus lateritius2 July records across all years
Usually recorded in August here:
Marasmius delectans2 August records across all years- False Turkey-Tail Stereum ostrea2 August records across all years
Reddening Lepiota Leucoagaricus americanus2 August records across all years- Haplotrichum croceum2 August records across all years
Chestnut Bolete Gyroporus castaneus2 August records across all years- Fungi Pallidohirschioporus biformis2 August records across all years
Usually recorded in September here:
Sickener Russula emetica3 September records across all years
Brain Puffball Calvatia craniiformis3 September records across all years
Old Man Of The Woods Strobilomyces strobilaceus3 September records across all years
Tyromyces galactinus2 September records across all years
Golden Reishi Ganoderma curtisii2 September records across all years
Green Brittlegill Russula aeruginea2 September records across all years- Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus2 September records across all years
Mycorrhaphium adustum2 September records across all years- Purplepore Bracket Trichaptum abietinum2 September records across all years
Purple-And-White Deceiver Laccaria ochropurpurea2 September records across all years
Jack O Lantern Omphalotus illudens2 September records across all years
Usually recorded in October here:
- Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus5 October records since 2011
- Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamosus2 October records since 2011
Orange Mycena Mycena leaiana2 October records since 2011
Bearded Tooth Hericium erinaceus2 October records since 2011
Bay Polypore Picipes badius2 October records since 2011
Usually recorded in November here:
Botryobasidium vagum2 November records across all years
Copper Brittlegill Russula decolorans2 November records across all years
Elegant Polypore Cerioporus varius2 November records across all years- Cratered Duster Amphinema byssoides2 November records across all years
- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus2 November records across all years
Dead Man's Hand Scleroderma polyrhizum2 November records across all years
Usually recorded in December here:
- Mock Oyster Mushroom Phyllotopsis nidulans3 December records across all years
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor3 December records across all years
Alcohol Inky Cap Coprinopsis atramentaria2 December records across all years
⚠ 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 | 20 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 4 | 11 | |
| 5 | 11 | |
| 6 | 10 | |
| 7 | 9 | |
| 8 | 8 | |
| 9 | 8 | |
| 10 | 8 | |
| 11 | 8 | |
| 12 | 8 | |
| 13 | 7 | |
| 14 | 7 | |
| 15 | 7 |
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: Oct, Sep, Jul.
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.
- 1Aug 5, 2026Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureusnear Makanda, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 2Oct 17, 2025Bay Polypore Picipes badiusin Shawnee National Forest, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 3Oct 11, 2025Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureusin Shawnee National Forest, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 4Oct 4, 2025Orange Mycena Mycena leaianain Shawnee National Forest, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 5Aug 23, 2025Jack O Lantern Omphalotus illudensnear Makanda, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 6
May 18, 2025Common Puffball Lycoperdon perlatumnear Makanda, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 7May 18, 2025Protohydnum albumnear Buncombe, IL (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 8Mar 18, 2025Poronidulus conchiferin Shawnee National Forest, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 9
Mar 8, 2025Deadly Galerina Galerina marginatanear Grand Tower, IL (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 10
Oct 13, 2024Candy Apple Waxy Cap Hygrocybe cuspidatain Union County, IL (location blurred by the observer) · 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
673 records of mushrooms, shelf fungi and polypores (class Agaricomycetes) that fall inside this county's Census boundary. Licenses: 636 CC0 and 37 CC BY 4.0. See about the data for the full citation.