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Mushrooms in Wake County, North Carolina
Updated October 2026 · from open GBIF records
960mushroom records
288species recorded
Augbusiest month
960 records since 1898 (779 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:
Giraffe Spots Peniophora albobadia3 January records since 2011
Crowded Parchment Stereum complicatum3 January records since 2011
Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 January records since 2011- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus2 January records since 2011
- Fungi Pallidohirschioporus biformis2 January records since 2011
Pear-Shaped Puffball Apioperdon pyriforme2 January records since 2011
Ceramic Parchment Xylobolus frustulatus2 January records since 2011
Bitter Oysterling Panellus stipticus2 January records since 2011
Usually recorded in February here:
- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus5 February records since 2011
- Poronidulus conchifer2 February records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 February records since 2011
Usually recorded in March here:
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor4 March records since 2011
- Crowded Parchment Stereum complicatum3 March records since 2011
- Poronidulus conchifer2 March records since 2011
Too few past records in April here to list species.
Usually recorded in May here:
Devil's Dipstick Mutinus elegans3 May records since 2011
Agaricus floridanus2 May records since 2011
Plums And Custard Tricholomopsis rutilans2 May records since 2011
False Turkeytail Stereum lobatum2 May records since 2011
Usually recorded in June here:
Destroying Angel Amanita bisporigera2 June records since 2011
Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus2 June records since 2011
White Chicken Mushroom Berkcurtia persicina2 June records since 2011- Devil's Dipstick Mutinus elegans2 June records since 2011
False Caesar's Mushroom Amanita parcivolvata2 June records since 2011
American Caesar's Mushroom Amanita jacksonii2 June records since 2011
Cinnabar Chanterelle Cantharellus cinnabarinus2 June records since 2011
Usually recorded in July here:
- False Caesar's Mushroom Amanita parcivolvata8 July records since 2011
Ravenel's Bolete, Powdery Sulfur Bolete Pulveroboletus ravenelii7 July records since 2011- White Chicken Mushroom Berkcurtia persicina7 July records since 2011
Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigo5 July records since 2011
Lentinus levis5 July records since 2011
Violet Gray Bolete Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus5 July records since 2011
False Parasol Chlorophyllum molybdites4 July records since 2011
Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betula4 July records since 2011
Ornate-Stalked Bolete Retiboletus ornatipes4 July records since 2011- Cinnabar Chanterelle Cantharellus cinnabarinus4 July records since 2011
- Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus4 July records since 2011
Eastern Cauliflower Mushroom Sparassis spathulata4 July records since 2011
Usually recorded in August here:
- Cinnabar Chanterelle Cantharellus cinnabarinus11 August records since 2011
- Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betula10 August records since 2011
Golden Reishi Ganoderma curtisii7 August records since 2011
Fragile Dapperling Leucocoprinus fragilissimus7 August records since 2011- American Caesar's Mushroom Amanita jacksonii6 August records since 2011
- False Parasol Chlorophyllum molybdites5 August records since 2011
Black Trumpet Craterellus cornucopioides5 August records since 2011- Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus4 August records since 2011
- Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigo4 August records since 2011
Scaly Sawgill Neolentinus lepideus4 August records since 2011
Common Puffball Lycoperdon perlatum4 August records since 2011
Separated-Tubes Bolete Xanthoconium separans3 August records since 2011
Usually recorded in September here:
Ringless Honey Mushroom Desarmillaria caespitosa18 September records since 2011- Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betula7 September records since 2011
- Lentinus levis6 September records since 2011
- Cinnabar Chanterelle Cantharellus cinnabarinus4 September records since 2011
- False Caesar's Mushroom Amanita parcivolvata3 September records since 2011
Purple-And-White Deceiver Laccaria ochropurpurea3 September records since 2011
Berkeley's Polypore Bondarzewia berkeleyi3 September records since 2011
Conifer Mazegill Gloeophyllum sepiarium3 September records since 2011
Oak Bracket Pseudoinonotus dryadeus3 September records since 2011- Pilatoporus palustris2 September records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 September records since 2011
Black-Staining Polypore Meripilus sumstinei2 September records since 2011
Usually recorded in October here:
- Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betula7 October records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor7 October records since 2011
Silver-Blue Milkcap Lactarius paradoxus5 October records since 2011- Purple-And-White Deceiver Laccaria ochropurpurea5 October records since 2011
- Blue Lactarius Lactarius indigo4 October records since 2011
Violet Webcap Cortinarius violaceus4 October records since 2011- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus4 October records since 2011
Suillus cothurnatus3 October records since 2011
Suillus hirtellus3 October records since 2011
Jack O Lantern Omphalotus illudens3 October records since 2011
Eastern Stinkhorn Phallus ravenelii3 October records since 2011
Bearded Tooth Hericium erinaceus3 October records since 2011
Usually recorded in November here:
- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus4 November records since 2011
- Oak Bracket Pseudoinonotus dryadeus4 November records since 2011
- Bearded Tooth Hericium erinaceus4 November records since 2011
- Eastern Stinkhorn Phallus ravenelii3 November records since 2011
- Pear-Shaped Puffball Apioperdon pyriforme3 November records since 2011
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 November records since 2011
Jelly Rot Phlebia tremellosa2 November records since 2011
Usually recorded in December here:
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor5 December records since 2011
- Crowded Parchment Stereum complicatum2 December records since 2011
- Eastern Stinkhorn Phallus ravenelii2 December records since 2011
- Birch Mazegill, Gilled Polypore Lenzites betulinus2 December records since 2011
Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus2 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 | 31 | |
| 2 | 30 | |
| 3 | 26 | |
| 4 | 25 | |
| 5 | 21 | |
| 6 | 17 | |
| 7 | 15 | |
| 8 | 14 | |
| 9 | 13 | |
| 10 | 13 | |
| 11 | 13 | |
| 12 | 12 | |
| 13 | 12 | |
| 14 | 12 | |
| 15 | 11 |
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: Aug, Oct, 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
Oct 3, 2026Lumpy Bracket Trametes gibbosanear Raleigh, NC (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 2Oct 3, 2026Golden Reishi Ganoderma curtisiinear Raleigh, NC (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 3Sep 27, 2026Lentinus levisin City of Raleigh Open Space - Horseshoe Park, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 4Sep 24, 2026Shaggy-Stalked Bolete Aureoboletus betulanear Durham, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 5Sep 14, 2026Jack O Lantern Omphalotus illudensnear Raleigh, NC (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 6Sep 7, 2026Lentinus levisin William B. Umstead State Park, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 7Aug 29, 2026Black-Staining Polypore Meripilus sumstineinear Raleigh, NC (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 8
- 9Aug 22, 2026Ringless Honey Mushroom Desarmillaria caespitosanear Raleigh, NC · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 10Aug 22, 2026Lentinus levisin William B. Umstead State Park, 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
960 records of mushrooms, shelf fungi and polypores (class Agaricomycetes) that fall inside this county's Census boundary. Licenses: 364 CC0 and 596 CC BY 4.0. See about the data for the full citation.