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Mushrooms in Orange County, North Carolina
Updated October 2026 · from open GBIF records
12,273mushroom records
1,310species recorded
Octbusiest month
12,273 records since 1857 (727 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:
Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus2 January records since 2011
Brown-Toothed Crust Fungus Hydnoporia olivacea2 January records since 2011
Ceramic Parchment Xylobolus frustulatus2 January records since 2011
Crowded Parchment Stereum complicatum2 January records since 2011
Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 January records since 2011
Common Porecrust, Split Gill Fungus Schizophyllum commune2 January records since 2011
Usually recorded in February here:
Lilac Bonnet Mycena pura9 February records across all years- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor5 February records across all years
Rhodocollybia prolixa4 February records across all years
Cat's Tongue Pseudohydnum gelatinosum4 February records across all years
Crystal Brain Fungus Myxarium nucleatum4 February records across all years
False Chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca3 February records across all years
Herald Of Winter Hygrophorus hypothejus3 February records across all years
Surprise Webcap Cortinarius semisanguineus2 February records across all years
Yellowleg Bonnet Mycena epipterygia2 February records across all years
Mock Oyster Mushroom Phyllotopsis nidulans2 February records across all years- Brunneoporus juniperinus2 February records across all years
Milk-White Toothed Polypore Irpex lacteus2 February records across all years
Usually recorded in March here:
Black Witch's Butter Exidia glandulosa5 March records across all years- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor5 March records across all years
Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa3 March records across all years- Milk-White Toothed Polypore Irpex lacteus3 March records across all years
Atkinson's Destroying Angel Amanita elliptosperma3 March records across all years
Mycoacia fuscoatra2 March records across all years
Cinnamon Porecrust Fuscoporia ferrea2 March records across all years- Cortinarius austrovenetus2 March records across all years
- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus2 March records across all years
Narrow Entoloma Entoloma strictius2 March records across all years
Stringy Butt Rot Poriella subacida2 March records across all years- Ceramic Parchment Xylobolus frustulatus2 March records across all years
Usually recorded in April here:
Jelly Ear Auricularia auricula-judae7 April records across all years
Spring Polypore Lentinus arcularius6 April records across all years
Laddered Webcrust Hyphoderma setigerum5 April records across all years
Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamosus4 April records across all years- Fungi Xanthoperenniporia tenuis3 April records across all years
Amber Jelly Exidia recisa3 April records across all years
Gymnopus subsulphureus3 April records across all years
Botryobasidium vagum3 April records across all years
Rhizopogon nigrescens2 April records across all years- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 April records across all years
Lentinus levis2 April records across all years
Rooting Bovist Lycoperdon radicatum2 April records across all years
Usually recorded in May here:
- Gymnopus subsulphureus15 May records across all years
Gymnopus earleae7 May records across all years- Spring Polypore Lentinus arcularius6 May records across all years
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor5 May records across all years
Flammulaster carpophilus5 May records across all years
Deceiver Laccaria laccata5 May records across all years- Ramaria verna5 May records across all years
Common Collybia Gymnopus dryophilus4 May records across all years
Gymnopus semihirtipes4 May records across all years
Crown-Tipped Coral Artomyces pyxidatus4 May records across all years- Psathyrella atomata4 May records across all years
- Black Witch's Butter Exidia glandulosa3 May records across all years
Usually recorded in June here:
Yellow Patches Amanita flavoconia5 June records since 2011
Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus3 June records since 2011
Black-Staining Polypore Meripilus sumstinei2 June records since 2011
American Caesar's Mushroom Amanita jacksonii2 June records since 2011
Protohydnum album2 June records since 2011
Violet Gray Bolete Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus2 June records since 2011- Ceramic Parchment Xylobolus frustulatus2 June records since 2011
False Caesar's Mushroom Amanita parcivolvata2 June records since 2011
Usually recorded in July here:
Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigo5 July records since 2011
Cinnabar Chanterelle Cantharellus cinnabarinus3 July records since 2011- Violet Gray Bolete Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus3 July records since 2011
Ornate-Stalked Bolete Retiboletus ornatipes3 July records since 2011- Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus3 July records since 2011
Collybiopsis biformis2 July records since 2011
Black-Stalked Marasmius Tetrapyrgos nigripes2 July records since 2011
False Turkeytail Stereum lobatum2 July records since 2011- American Caesar's Mushroom Amanita jacksonii2 July records since 2011
- Black-Staining Polypore Meripilus sumstinei2 July records since 2011
Amethyst Deceiver Laccaria amethystina2 July records since 2011- False Caesar's Mushroom Amanita parcivolvata2 July records since 2011
Usually recorded in August here:
- Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigo19 August records since 2011
- American Caesar's Mushroom Amanita jacksonii7 August records since 2011
Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betula7 August records since 2011
Blusher Amanita rubescens4 August records since 2011- Crown-Tipped Coral Artomyces pyxidatus4 August records since 2011
Ringless Honey Mushroom Desarmillaria caespitosa4 August records since 2011
Reddening Lepiota Leucoagaricus americanus4 August records since 2011- Lentinus levis3 August records since 2011
Deceptive Jack Suillus decipiens3 August records since 2011
Eastern Cauliflower Mushroom Sparassis spathulata3 August records since 2011- False Turkeytail Stereum lobatum3 August records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor3 August records since 2011
Usually recorded in September here:
Suillus hirtellus24 September records since 2011- Ringless Honey Mushroom Desarmillaria caespitosa8 September records since 2011
- Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betula7 September records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor4 September records since 2011
Painted Suillus Suillus spraguei3 September records since 2011
Agaricus pocillator3 September records since 2011
Jewelled Amanita Amanita gemmata3 September records since 2011- Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigo3 September records since 2011
Oak Bracket Pseudoinonotus dryadeus3 September records since 2011
Ganoderma resinaceum3 September records since 2011
Eastern Stinkhorn Phallus ravenelii3 September records since 2011- False Caesar's Mushroom Amanita parcivolvata3 September records since 2011
Usually recorded in October here:
- Ganoderma resinaceum4 October records since 2011
Stinking Dapperling Lepiota cristata3 October records since 2011- Oak Bracket Pseudoinonotus dryadeus3 October records since 2011
Bearded Tooth Hericium erinaceus3 October records since 2011
Coker's Lavender Staining Amanita Amanita lavendula2 October records since 2011- Inocybe glaucescens2 October records since 2011
- Lilac Bonnet Mycena pura2 October records since 2011
- Suillus hirtellus2 October records since 2011
- Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betula2 October records since 2011
Destroying Angel Amanita bisporigera2 October records since 2011
Conifercone Cap Baeospora myosura2 October records since 2011- Deceptive Jack Suillus decipiens2 October records since 2011
Usually recorded in November here:
- Bearded Tooth Hericium erinaceus3 November records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor3 November records since 2011
Pear-Shaped Puffball Apioperdon pyriforme3 November records since 2011
Hen Of The Woods Grifola frondosa2 November records since 2011- Poronidulus conchifer2 November records since 2011
Aborted Entoloma, Shrimp Of The Woods Entoloma abortivum2 November records since 2011- Crowded Parchment Stereum complicatum2 November records since 2011
Usually recorded in December here:
Needle Bonnet Mycena clavicularis47 December records across all years- Yellowleg Bonnet Mycena epipterygia17 December records across all years
Rhodocollybia lentinoides9 December records across all years- Lilac Bonnet Mycena pura8 December records across all years
Giraffe Spots Peniophora albobadia7 December records across all years
Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum7 December records across all years- Cat's Tongue Pseudohydnum gelatinosum7 December records across all years
Dendrothele candida6 December records across all years- Hymenochaete curtisii6 December records across all years
Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes4 December records across all years- Exidia cokeri4 December records across all years
Peat Brownie Bogbodia uda4 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 | 102 | |
| 2 | 57 | |
| 3 | 51 | |
| 4 | 49 | |
| 5 | 47 | |
| 6 | 43 | |
| 7 | 41 | |
| 8 | 39 | |
| 9 | 38 | |
| 10 | 36 | |
| 11 | 34 | |
| 12 | 34 | |
| 13 | 33 | |
| 14 | 32 | |
| 15 | 31 |
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.
- 1
Aug 27, 2026Pleated Inkcap Parasola plicatilisin Orange County Open Space - Hollow Rock Nature Park, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 2Aug 27, 2026Turkeytail Trametes versicolorin Orange County Open Space - Hollow Rock Nature Park, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 3Aug 27, 2026Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinusin Orange County Open Space - Hollow Rock Nature Park, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 4Aug 23, 2026Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigoin Orange County Open Space - New Hope Preserve, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 5
Aug 20, 2026Devil's Dipstick Mutinus elegansnear Carrboro, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 6
Aug 19, 2026Shiny Cinnamon Polypore Coltricia cinnamomeanear Carrboro, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 7
Aug 19, 2026Flaming Gold Bolete Aureoboletus auriflammeusnear Carrboro, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 8Aug 19, 2026Cinnabar Chanterelle Cantharellus cinnabarinusnear Carrboro, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 9Aug 9, 2026Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigoin Eno River State Park, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 10Aug 7, 2026Cubamyces lactineusnear Carrboro, NC · 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
12,273 records of mushrooms, shelf fungi and polypores (class Agaricomycetes) that fall inside this county's Census boundary. Licenses: 11,676 CC0 and 597 CC BY 4.0. See about the data for the full citation.