Top 20 Most Common Mushrooms in Oakland

1. Redlead roundhead

This colorful mushroom grows most commonly on woodchip mulch and in sandy pine forests of coastal areas around the world. The redlead roundhead is believed to have originated in Australia. It may look pretty enough to eat, but don’t; it is bitter, toxic, non-digestible, and likely to cause an upset stomach.

2. Turkey tail

The distinctively-striped turkey tail fungus grows on stumps and logs all over the forests of the northern hemisphere. It is, in fact, probably the most common species you will find. That doesn't mean this mushroom is plain, however; each cap is uniquely patterned. Look for bands of alternating textures as well as color.

3. Red cage

The red cage is a highly distinctive mushroom with a wild shape, even for a stinkhorn. Its fruitbody grows as a hollow, latticed structure, usually red or pinkish in color, that gives it the appearance of a rubber or plastic children's toy. A true stinkhorn, this species secretes a pungent-smelling slime that attracts flies - but repels humans!

4. Yellow fieldcap

Yellow fieldcap can be found across Europe and North America, with dung patties or heavily-manured fields being its favorite fruiting habitat. The species sometimes goes by the common name Yellow Fieldcap because its young cap sports a bold yellow or golden hue (that color often fades as the mushroom cap matures and flattens). Yellow fieldcap is not know to be edible.

5. Fly agaric

In Northern Asia and Europe, fly agaric grows under trees near the winter solstice and is collected for ritual use tied to the season. Its characteristic shape and coloring are still ubiquitous in many European fairy tale illustrations and Christmas traditions. It is highly toxic.

6. Lace lichen

Lace lichen stands out for its net-like, pendulous structure, making it easily distinguishable from others. It's not a mushroom but a lichen, a unique partnership between fungi and algae. Living mainly on oak trees, it's considered a sensitive air quality indicator. Its presence often indicates good air quality, since it's sensitive to pollutants. This lace lichen plays a vital role in its ecosystem, providing shelter and food for numerous species.

7. Cramp balls

Most commonly found on the surface of dead or dying oak trees, the pathogenic fungus cramp balls(Annulohypoxylon thouarsianum) is seen as an indicator of the health of any individual oak. The rapid proliferation of Sudden Oak Death, a blight increasingly common in the northwestern United States, has led to an increase in appearance of this fungus there.

8. Leratiomyces percevalii

Leratiomyces percevalii mushrooms grow on the Pacific coast from summer to winter. They are frequently seen in urban areas, on woodchips, grassy fields, and waste areas, or along the sides of roads and trails. Very little is known about the edibility of this species, so don't risk it!

9. Blewit

The blewit mushroom grows in fallen leaves in autumn and winter, sometimes appearing in ‘fairy ring’ circles. It can be used to make a green dye when chopped and boiled in an iron pot. The scientific name, Lepista nuda, derives from Latin words meaning “bare goblet,” a reference to the shape and texture of the mushroom.

10. Chicken-of-the-woods

Chicken-of-the-woods is a brightly-colored polypore related to the famed Chicken-of-the-Woods (Laetiporus sulphereus). The species are so closely related, that it was not until the 2000s that mycologists considered them to be distinct. Unlike its famed relative, the species is not considered a choice edible - there are conflicting reports as to its edibility, with some probable cases of gastrointestinal distress noted.

11. Hairy curtain crust

This clustered, overlapping fungus is found all over the world, and is considered native across both the northern and southern hemispheres. Both its common name, hairy curtain crust, and its scientific name, Stereum hirsutum, aptly describe its most obvious features: it is quite tough (stereum) and the younger fruitbodies are notably hairy (hirsutum).

12. Western jack-o'-lantern mushroom

The western jack-o'-lantern mushroom (Omphalotus olivascens) may be the most visually striking mushroom of the forest during day and night. During the day, brilliant large orange flat caps grow from both the ground and decaying stumps. At night, these mushrooms may glow in the dark, depending on location and maturity.

13. Sulphur tuft

The sulphur tuft grows on rotting wood of all types of trees; it is a particularly efficient decomposer of hardwoods. The mushrooms appear from spring to autumn and are often so tightly packed that they interfere with each other’s shape. This poisonous mushroom can cause temporary paralysis, distorted vision, and stomach pain if consumed.

14. Honey fungus

The honey fungus is a parasitic fungus that grows on the roots of many woody and perennial plants, damaging and possibly killing its host. It spreads underground and is considered to be the most damaging fungal disease in gardens across the UK. The appearance of the mushrooms above-ground heralds a much more extensive infection below.

15. Golden milk-cap

Sporting a subdued yellow cap with an indentation in the center, the golden milk-cap is often found growing near oaks. They look similar to other milkcaps and russalas, but can be distinguished by a quirky characteristic: when cut, the species bleeds a thick, milky-white, latex-like substance. Golden milk-caps are not toxic but they are incredibly bitter and so are considered inedible.

16. Springtime amanita

The springtime amanita is so-called because it normally fruits in late winter or early spring. The species, which has a cap toned with pale orange, pink, or brown, may be mistaken for toxic Amanita species, especially when it is young. Springtime amanitas can be found along the coast from southern Oregon down through California.

17. Death cap

The death cap is responsible for most of the mushroom-related fatalities around the world. Its toxin damages the liver and kidneys, creating symptoms that require hospitalization within hours of ingestion. It looks similar to many other mushrooms at varying stages of its development and has been used in assassinations since the days of the ancient Greeks.

18. Yellow stainer

The yellow stainer grows across North America and Europe and has been imported to Australia. It can be distinguished from other common white mushrooms by the bright chrome yellow color it turns when bruised. It is known to be poisonous, causing cramps, nausea, and purging. Unfortunately, it often gets accidentally eaten as it looks similar to several edible white mushrooms.

19. Oakmoss

Evernia prunastri grows shrubby on trees. The yellow-green lichen grows up to 10 cm. It consists of up to five millimeters wide shrubby branched bands with a light underside. At the edges of these open dusty (Sorale). Apothecias (with shiny brown disc) are rarely formed.

20. Common orange lichen

Common orange lichen was selected in 2006 by the United States Department of Energy as a model for genomic sequencing. Its widespread dispersal and bright yellow-orange color give the lichen its common name. It is primarily found growing on rocks, walls, and tree bark.

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