24 Common Mushrooms Found in Florida! (2025)
What kind of mushroom did I find in Florida?
If you spend time outside, you’ve probably asked this question at least once. Mushrooms are incredibly common in Florida, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Believe it or not, there are THOUSANDS of different types of mushrooms that live in Florida. Since it would be nearly impossible to write about them all, I focused on the most common types that are seen.
IMPORTANT: You should NEVER eat a mushroom you find. There are many poisonous types, and some species will kill you. So stay safe, and don’t eat any wild mushrooms unless you are with a mycologist (mushroom expert)!
24 COMMON MUSHROOMS in Florida:
#1. Turkey-tail Mushroom
- Trametes versicolor
Identifying Characteristics:
- Caps are up to 8 cm (3 in) long and 5 cm (2 in) wide.
- Rings of different colors decorate the tops, ranging from black to shades of brown and white.
- They often grow in a stacked pattern, which makes them look like roof tiles.
This species is one of the most common mushrooms in Florida!
Turkey-tail typically grows on logs of deciduous trees. It’s found in mature forests where dead trees on the forest floor make a perfect environment for this fungus.
This multicolored fungus is easy to spot thanks to the concentric rings of different colors on its caps. The growing pattern of Turkey-tail is also recognizable by the way it grows in a stacked pattern that looks like roofing tiles.
Like many mushrooms, Turkey-tail is used in Eastern medicine and as an herbal supplement. However, wild specimens should NOT be consumed or handled, and supplements containing this mushroom are not FDA-approved.
#2. Splitgill Mushroom
- Schizophyllum commune
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 1–4 cm (0.3–1.6 in) wide.
- They are pale white or gray and grow in stacked clusters that resemble shelves.
- As its name suggests, the gills of this mushroom are spaced apart like individual threads.
Splitgill Mushrooms in Florida thrive on decaying trees during rainy periods.
These tough, leathery mushrooms were once thought to be nonpoisonous. However, recent research shows they’re often linked to fungal infections of the lungs. Symptoms can include breathing problems, prolonged cough, and other respiratory ailments.
Interestingly, this is one of the few mushrooms that grow abundantly in tropical weather. It thrives in heat and humidity thanks to its rubbery, tough structure. Fleshy, sponge-like mushrooms quickly rot, whereas this species lasts much longer.
Even though Splitgill Mushrooms are not poisonous, it’s best not to consume any you find in the wild. The unprocessed fungus can cause lung infections, and this mushroom can be confused with more dangerous species.
#3. Crowded Parchment
- Stereum complicatum
Identifying Characteristics:
- Individual caps are about 2 cm (0.8 in) across.
- This fungus grows in clusters of irregularly shaped semicircles, circles, and crescents.
- Its coloring is varying shades of brown and orange. It resembles crumpled pieces of paper.
Crowded Parchment is commonly found on dead oak trees. This inedible mushroom in Florida helps with breaking down dead trees. It’s easily recognized by the way it resembles crumpled paper.
However, despite being easy to find, this is one mushroom you’ll want to leave alone. While it isn’t considered poisonous, Crowded Parchment is often found near jelly fungus or algae, which can harm humans.
Instead of handling this mushroom, take photos to appreciate its complex structure.
#4. Pear-shaped Puffball
- Apioperdon pyriforme
Identifying Characteristics:
- The cap portion is 1.5-4.5 cm (0.6-1.8 in) wide by 2-4.5 cm (0.8-1.8 in) tall.
- Their coloring is off-white with brown spots that are dense toward the middle of the cap and spread out at the edges.
- Most specimens are pear-shaped, but they are often spherical as well. They grow in clusters of 4-10 caps.
Look for these mushrooms in Florida on rotting logs.
Pear-shaped Puffballs are commonly found during their long fruiting season, which lasts from July to November. They are nonpoisonous.
However, Pear-shaped Puffballs look similar to several dangerous species of poisonous mushrooms. For example, a lookalike called the Earthball mushroom can cause gastrointestinal distress, fever, and eye infections.
It’s better to purchase Pear-shaped Puffballs from an expert or forage with someone who knows what they’re doing. If not, you may end up sick.
#5. Violet-toothed Polypore
- Trichaptum biforme
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 1-7.5 cm (0.4-3 in) wide.
- Their shape is an irregular semicircle, similar to a seashell.
- The coloring of this fungus is shades of brown with violet, purple, or lavender rings near the edges.
If you spot a mushroom in Florida that looks like a clamshell, it’s likely a Violet-toothed Polypore! This species can be identified by its shell-like shape and striped purple coloring. It grows in stacked clusters on rotting logs.
Interestingly, Violet-toothed Polypore is known to only grow on decaying aspen and poplar trees. So, if you live near a forest with those species, you’ll likely find this mushroom!
Keep pets away from this species, as it’s particularly poisonous for dogs. It can cause stomach problems and dehydration. Violet-toothed Polypore is also inedible to humans.
#6. Green-spored Parasol
- Chlorophyllum molybdites
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 8-30 cm (3-12 in) in diameter.
- This mushroom is white or off-white with irregular brown spots and warts.
- The gills are visible around the edges of the top and very prominent on the underside.
This is the most frequently eaten poisonous mushroom in Florida!
Green-spored Parasols bear an unfortunate resemblance to several edible fungi, which means it’s often eaten by mistake. In addition, this fungus causes severe stomach symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and colic.
Unfortunately, this mushroom is common on lawns and in pastures, which puts children and pets are at greater risk for poisoning. Please keep them away from these mushrooms!
Green-spored Parasols grow directly from the ground instead of from tree logs or other decaying wood. We recently had a cluster pop up after we had new mulch put down. The spores are often present in soil or mulch and can remain dormant until the next fruiting season.
#7. Oyster Mushrooms
- Pleurotus ostreatus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 2–30 cm (0.8–12 in) wide.
- They are fan-shaped with thick stalks and grow in a stacked pattern or irregular clusters.
- Their coloring is often white or off-white, sometimes with a light purple or gray wash.
You can find Oyster Mushrooms in Florida both in the wild and on farms.
These mushrooms are often used as food and are commercially farmed worldwide. In fact, they were first cultivated in Germany during World War I to mitigate hunger because of rationing. As a result, you can find these mushrooms in most grocery stores, so eat those instead of a wild variety!
Something most people don’t know is that Oyster Mushrooms are carnivorous! This species eats nematodes that you might know as roundworms. They paralyze and consume the nematodes as a source of protein and nitrogen. Additionally, Oyster Mushrooms help to decay dead trees.
Pearl Oyster Mushrooms are also dried and used as a leather-like material or compressed into a wood substitute to make furniture. Mycelium, which is the fiber that gives Oyster Mushrooms their structure, is incredibly strong and resilient. Check out this page for more info!
#8. Ringless Honey Mushroom
- Desarmillaria caespitosa
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 2.5-10 cm (1–4 in) wide.
- Their coloring is light brown to pale yellow with white stalks.
- These mushrooms often grow in large clusters.
Ringless Honey Mushrooms in Florida are often confused with other species.
For example, they look similar to Honey Mushrooms (Armillaria mellea), except they don’t have a dark ring around the stalk. Unfortunately, they also imitate the Galerina Mushroom, which is deadly if ingested.
Ringless Honey Mushrooms are parasitic to the trees on which they grow. Eventually, the tree will stop producing leaves and die due to the fungal infection. They will infect various trees, from conifers to broad-leafed hardwood trees.
#9. False Turkey-tail
- Stereum ostrea
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 1–7 cm (0.4–2.8 in) wide.
- Their coloring is a mix of brown and red shades.
- These mushrooms have a shell-shaped cap that grows in stacked clusters.
If this mushroom in Florida reminds you of others you’ve seen, you aren’t alone! False Turkey-tail gets its name from its resemblance to Turkey-tail Mushrooms, another widespread variety. But, despite their similar appearance, they don’t have much in common.
While Turkey-tail is often used as an herbal supplement, False Turkey-tail is completely inedible. In addition, it can cause stomach pain and cramping.
They’re also part of completely different classes within the Fungi kingdom, with almost no genetic relation. For example, False Turkey-tail is a plant pathogen that infects live trees and grows from their bark. Eventually, this fungus weakens the tree to the point of falling over. Then, the mushroom will completely decompose the dead wood.
Like any wild mushroom, you should avoid handling or ingesting False Turkey-tail. It can cause fungal infections and stomach discomfort, and if you misidentify it, you may come in contact with an even more dangerous variety.
#10. Common Puffball
- Lycoperdon perlatum
Identifying Characteristics:
- Mature specimens are 1.5-6 cm (0.6 to 2.3 in) wide by 3-10 cm (1-4 in) tall.
- Their coloring is white to off-white, with spines and warts that are varying shades of brown.
- The shape varies from pear-shaped to spherical with a wide stalk.
It’s easy to find Common Puffball Mushrooms in Florida.
These distinctive fungi grow in gardens, yards, roadsides, and forest clearings. They’re easy to find because of their large size and bright white coloring. Common Puffballs also have an unusual covering of spiky warts on their surface, setting them apart from other types of puffballs.
Even though these mushrooms are considered nonpoisonous, it’s important to use caution when handling wild mushrooms. You shouldn’t eat any mushroom that hasn’t been identified by an expert because of the risk of misidentification. For example, the Common Puffball can easily be confused with immature Amanita mushrooms, which are poisonous and sometimes even deadly.
In addition, spores contained in the Common Puffball’s warts are released with handling. These spores can cause severe lung inflammation, resulting in cough, wheezing, or trouble breathing. Dogs are particularly susceptible to this symptom, so be careful not to let your pet play near Common Puffballs.
#11. Dyer’s Polypore
- Phaeolus schweinitzii
Identifying Characteristics:
- Caps can grow up to 25 cm (10 in) across.
- Their coloring varies by specimen: yellow, green, orange, brown, and red are all common. Usually, concentric rings of different colors decorate the tops.
- This mushroom grows as a stack of irregular flat disks.
Look for this mushroom in Florida near conifer trees.
Even though it’s a tree pathogen, Dyer’s Polypore often looks like it’s sprouting right out of the ground. This is because it often grows from the root system of a tree instead of its bark. It sort of looks like a stack of badly made pancakes. 🙂
Dyer’s Polypore gets its name because this mushroom is an excellent source of natural dyes! Its coloring varies significantly by the specimen, and it can be used to create green, yellow, gold, or brown dyes.
Although it’s useful as a dye source, this mushroom should never be eaten. Use caution when handling these fungi to avoid eye and skin irritation.
#12. Deer Mushroom
- Pluteus cervinus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps range from 3–12 cm (1-4.8 in) in diameter
- They have a typical mushroom shape, with a round, umbrella-like cap, and a short, thin stalk. As this mushroom matures, its cap expands and becomes convex.
- The coloring is most commonly medium brown but can range from off-white to dark brown.
Look for Deer Mushrooms in Florida on rotten logs, roots, and tree stumps. It’s a common variety in most forests. This fungus got its name from its typical coloring, similar to that of a white-tailed deer. It has a velvety-looking texture, like a deer’s fur as well.
Although this species is technically nonpoisonous, it’s not commonly gathered for eating. It has a bitter taste and an unpleasant rubbery texture. You’re better off with grocery-store mushrooms instead!
#13. Red Chanterelle
- Cantharellus cinnabarinus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Caps are 1-4 cm (0.4-1.6 in) wide.
- The coloring is typically bright pink to red.
- Their shape is similar to an umbrella that’s been blown up by the wind. A long stalk leads to a wide cap that’s slightly convex.
Look for Red Chanterelle mushrooms in mixed forests.
Thanks to their bright coloring and unique shape, they aren’t difficult to find! These mushrooms are prized for their beautiful red hue.
However, be cautious with these, as well as any wild mushroom. Because they can be easily confused with poisonous species, you should check with an expert before handling any mushroom you come across.
Red Chanterelles are similar to the more common Chanterelle mushroom but usually more delicate and slightly smaller. You’ll likely find both species growing together since they favor the same environment.
#14. Artist’s Bracket
- Ganoderma applanatum
Identifying Characteristics:
- Caps can be 3–30 cm (1-12 in) wide × 5–50 cm (2-20 in) long and up to 10 cm (4 in) thick.
- New specimens are white but quickly turn a dark reddish-brown as they mature.
- Their shape is similar to a fan, and these mushrooms grow in a shelf-like formation individually or in groups.
This is one of the largest mushrooms in Florida!
Artist’s Bracket caps are hard to miss, as they grow directly out of tree trunks and are too large to overlook. They’re tough and woody, and the surface of this mushroom often feels like leather.
Artist’s Bracket gets its name from a peculiar property of its white underside. You can scratch designs and pictures into their surface, and the picture remains as the mushroom dries. Here’s an example!
#15. Eastern American Jack-O’-Lantern
- Omphalotus illudens
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 3-20 cm (1-8 in) wide.
- Their coloring is bright orange to pale yellow.
- These mushrooms have a typical toadstool shape, thick stalk, and a large, flat cap.
You might find it odd that a mushroom is named after a popular Halloween decoration. However, once you learn more about Eastern American Jack-O’-Lantern mushrooms, you’ll quickly start to understand!
First, the coloring of this fungus is remarkably similar to bright orange pumpkins. Imagine a leering face on the cap, and you’ll see what I mean.
But probably the most interesting similarity between Jack-O’-Lanterns and this mushroom is that they both glow in the dark. That’s right! Eastern American Jack-O’-Lantern Mushrooms have a bioluminescent chemical that allows them to glow green in the dark. It’s thought that this glowing green light attracts insects, which then distribute the mushroom’s spores.
Although photo evidence of this phenomenon exists, it can be hard to witness for yourself. Every year, amateur mushroom foragers try to find Eastern American Jack-O’-Lanterns and bring them home to a dark room, only to be disappointed when their mushrooms don’t glow. It could be that the fungus isn’t fresh, or they’ve misidentified it. Either way, don’t be surprised if you find this mushroom but don’t see it glow.
Use caution when handling this mushroom. Eastern American Jack-O’-Lanterns are poisonous to humans and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps if ingested.
#16. Sulphur Tuft
- Hypholoma fasciculare
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 2–6 cm (0.8–2.4 in) in diameter.
- Their coloring is light yellow but darkens to greenish as they mature.
- This fungus grows in clusters of long-stalked, bell-shaped mushrooms.
Look for Sulphur Tuft Mushrooms in Florida on fallen logs, tree stumps, and buried roots in deciduous forests. This fungus is hardy and thrives in many environments. In fact, you can often find Sulphur Tufts even in places where other mushrooms won’t grow.
They look similar to some varieties of edible mushrooms, but you should resist the urge to handle or eat Sulphur Tufts. They are poisonous to humans, whether raw or cooked. This fungus causes vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, kidney disease, and in rare cases, death.
Sulfur Tufts have proven useful in forestry conservation. They outperform many other kinds of mushrooms, so they can be used to “push out” parasitic fungi that harm trees, like Armillaria ostoyae, which is sometimes called the “humongous fungus.”
#17. Summer Oyster Mushroom
- Pleurotus pulmonarius
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 5-20 cm (2-8 in) wide.
- They are white or off-white, with a smooth appearance above and orderly gills below.
- These mushrooms grow in stacked clusters that look like shelves on the trunks of trees.
This is the most-cultivated type of oyster mushroom in Florida.
It grows particularly well in warmer climates, which allows for a better growing season than other mushroom varieties. Because there is less need for climate control to keep these mushrooms fresh and growing well, you’ll often find them in the grocery store or at farmer’s markets!
However, it’s best to stick to the supermarket instead of eating wild specimens. Oyster Mushrooms are incredibly easy to misidentify, and it only takes one poisonous mushroom to cause horrible discomfort or death.
#18. Yellow Patches
- Amanita flavoconia
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 5.5-11.5 cm (2.2-4.5 in) long.
- Their coloring is bright orange to yellow, with a yellow and white stem.
- This mushroom typically erupts as a single toadstool-shaped growth.
If you come across a yellow mushroom that looks more like a cartoon, you might have found this variety! Yellow Patches are large toadstool-like mushrooms with bright orange or yellow caps. They have prominent yellow warts.
Although its toxicity hasn’t been confirmed, it’s assumed to be poisonous because this mushroom is a part of the Amanita family. Therefore, it shouldn’t be handled or consumed. Instead, take a picture and impress your friends with your knowledge of common fungi!
#19. Blewit
- Lepista nuda
Identifying Characteristics:
- Their caps are 4–15 cm (1.6–6 in) in diameter.
- The coloring ranges from pinkish-purple to lilac. Overall, it has a gray-brown cast.
- This mushroom has a long, woody stem and flat, wide caps. The gills are prominent and straight, extending the length of the underside.
Blewit, also commonly known as Wood Blewit, is a common mushroom with an unusual appearance! Although mostly whiteish-brown, the gills are often pink to purple and older specimens have a lilac cast.
They’re well-known for the strong odor they produce, which many describe as similar to frozen orange juice concentrate. That’s not a smell I often associate with fungi. 🙂 Look for this mushroom on forest floors, where it grows best in rotting leaf litter.
#20. Golden Reishi
- Ganoderma curtisii
- The caps are semicircular or kidney-shaped, with a shiny, lacquered upper surface.
- Their coloring is usually red or orange in the center with yellow and white edges.
- They usually have a stem, but not always.
This mushroom found in Florida is a beauty!
Its shiny upper surface, red or orange, surrounded by an outer zone of yellow and white, resembles the setting sun.
Golden Reishi is best known for its medicinal value. Like other Reishi species, it shares the name “lingzhi” or “mushroom of immortality” in traditional Chinese medicine. This fungus has been used for everything from treating infections and fighting cancer to regulating diabetes and making cosmetics.
Normally, you’ll spot this mushroom in deciduous or mixed forests. It grows on dead hardwood trees, helping to break down the woody material. Golden Reishi will occasionally parasitize living trees by growing from their wounds.
#21. Christmas Lichen
- Cryptothecia rubrocincta
- This lichen forms roughly circular patches.
- Its coloring is pale or mint green with a red outer ring.
- The older section of the patch is often covered in small red granules, which sometimes make the entire lichen appear red from a distance.
Christmas Lichen is one of the most eye-catching lichens in Florida.
It gets its name from its stunning outer red ring and green inner color.
No other North American lichen displays such flashy coloring, so it’s great for beginners to identify. To find it, you’ll need to visit subtropical and tropical areas. Unlike some lichens, it rarely grows on rocks; instead, it grows on the bark of hardwood trees. It’s most common in sea-level forests that receive good sunlight.
#22. Hairy Hexagonia
- Hexagonia hydnoides
- The roughly semicircular, thin cap is densely covered with dark brown or almost black hairs.
- The underside is brown to dark brown with tiny pores.
- Its flesh is rusty brown.
This shaggy-looking mushroom grows in deciduous forests in Florida.
It grows on dead or decaying wood singly or in small groups. It causes white rot in the wood, helping break down woody material in the forest’s nutrient cycle.
Although it’s normally covered in small, hair-like structures, older mushrooms may be bald. To identify them, look at the mushroom cap and find the hairs or small black dots where the hairs used to be.
#23. Latte Bracket
- Trametes lactinea
- The caps are fan-shaped with zones of brown, tan, and white.
- The upper surface is uneven.
- The underside is white or cream with tiny pores and may become brown with age.
The Latte Bracket is one of the many mushrooms found in deciduous forests in Florida. It may grow singly, but you’ll often see it colonizing dead hardwood in clusters.
Like the more well-known Turkey-tail, the Latte Bracket is used medicinally.
Researchers have found that Latte Brackets have antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytostatic (slows cancer), and genoprotective properties.
#24. Column Stinkhorn
- Clathrus columnatus
- The young mushroom resembles a whitish chicken egg, which splits as it matures to give rise to three to five arms.
- The arms are orangish or red, hollow, spongy, soft, pocketed, and joined at the top.
- This mushroom produces a brown spore slime on the arms’ inner edges.
This species might be the weirdest-looking mushroom in Florida.
Creative minds have also given these unusual mushrooms several other fun common names, including “devil’s dipstick” and “stinky squid.”
The “stinky” part of their name is true; you’ll sometimes smell these mushrooms before you see them. Some folks mistake the smell for carrion or feces before finding the source. Reportedly, Charles Darwin’s daughter hated these mushrooms and habitually used their scent to seek and destroy them.
The foul odor has a purpose, though. It attracts small flies who land in the brown spore slime and help spread the spores. Column Stinkhorns grow in woodlands and open, disturbed areas, often near woody debris. Usually, they grow from the ground, but occasionally, they grow from stumps or even living trees.
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