13 Common Mushrooms Found in Idaho! (2025)
What kind of mushroom did I find in Idaho?
If you spend time outside, you’ve probably asked this question at least once. Mushrooms are incredibly common in Idaho, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Believe it or not, there are THOUSANDS of different types of mushrooms that live in Idaho. 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)!
13 COMMON MUSHROOMS in Idaho:
#1. Fly Agaric
- Amanita muscaria
Identifying Characteristics:
- Caps are 8–20 cm (3–8 in) in diameter.
- The stalks are 5–20 cm (2–8 in) tall.
- These mushrooms have the typical looks of a “toadstool” with a bright white stalk and red, white-spotted cap.
I think this is the CUTEST mushroom in Idaho! 🙂
Fly Agaric looks just like the mushrooms found in Mario video games.
These mushrooms are considered toadstools, which are usually poisonous to humans. Fly Agaric is no exception. This fungus can cause hallucinations, low blood pressure, nausea, loss of balance, and in rare cases, death. If you ingest it, you should seek medical treatment immediately.
Luckily, Fly Agaric is a very conspicuous fungus in its fully-grown form. However, young mushrooms can be mistaken for other edible types, so you should steer clear of eating any wild mushrooms.
#2. Dryad’s Saddle
- Cerioporus squamosus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The cap is 8–30 cm (3–12 inches) across and up to 10 cm (4 in) thick.
- It has a thick stem, and the cap is generally white or off-white with brown scales on top.
- They grow in clusters of up to three mushrooms stacked on top of one another like tiles.
Look for this mushroom in Idaho near fallen trees.
Dryad’s Saddle is typically most abundant in spring. If you’re looking for Morel mushrooms, you may find this variety since their fruiting periods (when the fungus produces an above-ground mushroom) are about the same.
This species is important in forest ecosystems because it helps to decompose dead trees, creating new rich soil. However, it occasionally becomes a parasite on living trees as well.
Although Dryad’s Saddle is considered nonpoisonous, it can easily be confused with other deadly mushrooms. Unless you have experience with wild mushrooms, you should never eat or handle one.
#3. Shaggy Mane
- Coprinus comatus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) wide and 6–20 cm (2.3–8 in) tall.
- Their coloring is white when they first emerge, slowly turning black as their scales lift.
- These mushrooms grow directly from the ground as single caps or clusters.
It’s easy to see how Shaggy Mane Mushrooms in Idaho got their name!
These tall, slender mushrooms have distinctive scales that make them look like they’re covered in shaggy hair. They often grow in suburban yards or fields straight from the ground.
Shaggy Manes definitely have some “yuck” factors. They’re called Ink Caps because their black gills liquefy and leak down the mushroom to release its spores. Additionally, the entire mushroom will “auto-decay,” digesting itself into a dark liquid within hours of being picked.
Shaggy Manes look very similar to poisonous mushrooms that are found in Idaho. Leave these mushrooms where you found them, and never eat them!
#4. Mica Cap
- Coprinellus micaceus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The bell-shaped caps are 1–2.5 cm (.5–1 in) in diameter when new and expand up to 5 cm (2 in) as they open.
- These mushrooms grow in dense clusters of bell-shaped caps with long, thin stems. The caps have grooves that run vertically, giving them the appearance of a head of straight hair.
- Their coloring is grayish brown.
This unassuming mushroom has a creepy talent – it can self-destruct! Mica Cap autodigests within a few hours of being picked, meaning its flesh turns from a spongy white structure into an inky black liquid. Yuck!
Mica Cap is usually found in clusters at the base of deciduous trees in mature forests. This mushroom’s less-than-appetizing qualities are just one reason I recommend never eating wild mushrooms. Additionally, there’s a high likelihood of ingesting a poisonous mushroom by mistake.
If you see Mica Cap in the wild, it’s best to take a picture of the fascinating clusters and then leave it be. After all, if you pick it, you’re likely to be covered in gross black goo!
#5. 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 Idaho.
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.
#6. 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 Idaho 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.
#7. Orange Jelly Spot
- Dacrymyces chrysospermus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Complex groups of caps grow up to 6 cm (2.4 in) across.
- The coloring is vibrant orange-yellow.
- This fungus has an irregular, wavy shape and often looks like goop stuck to a tree.
Orange Jelly Spot isn’t technically a mushroom in Idaho!
Even though it looks like a mushroom, this species is just a fungus. As you can see, it gets its name from its unusual shape and color, which completely differs from what most people picture in a mushroom. In fact, it looks more like a bright orange brain than anything else! Orange Jelly Spot also has a jelly-like, wobbly texture.
You can find this strange fungus on dead conifer trees like pine and spruce. It was originally discovered in New England but has a worldwide distribution! Most people probably go their whole lives without knowing this oddity exists, but if you keep an eye out in the woods, you’re likely to find it.
#8. 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 Idaho 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.”
#9. Candleflame Lichen
- Candelaria concolor
Identifying Characteristics:
- Single lobes of this lichen are less than 1 cm (0.4 in) wide, but they can cover enormous surface areas, including entire trees.
- The coloring is golden yellow to yellow-green.
- This lichen has a branch-like appearance, similar in shape to coral.
Candleflame Lichen is technically NOT a mushroom in Idaho.
Instead, lichens are complex organisms that involve a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae. The mutually beneficial relationship allows lichens to survive in habitats that would kill fungi and algae independently.
For example, Candleflame Lichen can be found anywhere from arid deserts to wet conifer forests. It’s one of the most widespread lichens in the world! Look for this lichen on trees, where it attaches to tree bark and slowly spreads.
#10. Elegant Sunburst Lichen
- Rusavskia elegans
- It forms small colonies up to 2.5 inches across.
- The body is leaf-like and divided into small lobes.
- The color may be yellowish-orange, bright orange, or dark reddish-orange.
Elegant Sunburst Lichen is more than just a beauty to look at!
This was the first species scientists used for lichenometry, or using a lichen’s presumed growth rate to estimate the age of exposed rock faces. Archeologists, paleontologists, and geologists, in particular, use this method to estimate how old the specimens they find might be.
Elegant Sunburst Lichen is widespread, growing on rocks in humid and dry climates. Pay special attention to rocks that birds or rodents perch on because their droppings provide the lichen with the extra nitrogen it needs to thrive.
Its color may vary depending on where you find it. Elegant Sunburst Lichen is often a lighter yellowish-orange when growing in creeks. On rocks that are out of the water, it tends to be bright orange; in dry areas, it may darken to reddish-orange.
#11. Wolf Lichen
- Letharia vulpina
- This lichen forms a small, highly branched, shrub-like structure.
- Its coloring is bright yellow or yellow-green.
This lichen grows on trees and branches in coniferous forests. Unlike some lichens that are essential food sources for wildlife like deer, Wolf lichens are toxic.
It gets its name from a dark history. Historically, people dried and powdered Wolf Lichen and sprinkled it on meat to poison wolves and foxes. People have also used Wolf Lichen in less harmful ways. Modern researchers have found that powdered Wolf Lichen can prevent slugs and snails from invading your garden. Lightly dusting dried Wolf Lichen can deter these pests. Some Native American groups also used Wolf Lichen medicinally or to create yellow dyes.
However, it’s probably best to leave Wolf Lichen where it is. Colonies of this beautiful species may live for thousands of years, but it’s dwindling in some areas as it is sensitive to air pollution.
#12. Northern Red Belt
- Fomitopsis mounceae
- The cap is fan-shaped and often shiny with bands of brown and red. The edge is white or pale yellow.
- The underside is white or yellow and covered with pores, and the flesh is woody and brown.
The Northern Red Belt is easy to find in Idaho.
It usually grows on dead conifers, though it occasionally grows on hardwoods and sometimes parasitizes living trees. It’s an essential mushroom to the nutrient cycle in many North American forests. As it grows, it causes brown cubical rot, which helps decay the woody material.
These perennial mushrooms can be found at any time of year. When young and just emerging from a tree, they look like white bumps, as if someone stuck marshmallows to the tree!
They often darken as they age, and their surface grows bumpy and uneven. The older caps are sometimes more domed and hoof-shaped than flat and fan-like. Older mushrooms have been known to grow to 18 inches (45.72 cm) wide and 7 inches (17.78 cm) deep.
#13. Hooded Sunburst Lichen
- Xanthomendoza fallax
- This lichen grows in small rosettes up to 1.5 inches (3.81 cm) wide.
- The rosettes are leaf-like, appear wrinkled, and are divided into branches.
- They’re usually yellowish-orange, reddish-orange, orange, or greenish-yellow.
The Hooded Sunburst Lichen is a common species in Idaho.
Its color varies somewhat with its habitat. In areas of deep shade, it’s often greenish-yellow, while in partial shade, it may be yellowish-orange to orangish-red, and in full sun, it can be deep orange.
This lichen thrives on the bark of hardwood trees, particularly elm or oak trees. However, it’s adaptable and grows on other hard surfaces, including cemetery stones, large rocks, or even bones.
Hooded Sunburst Lichen often reproduces asexually. The tips of the lichen’s lobe curl around to expose crescent-shaped slits that open and release packets of young lichen. These packets are then dispersed to colonize other surfaces.
Learn about other awesome things in Idaho!
- POISONOUS MUSHROOMS that grow in Idaho
- VENOMOUS SPIDERS found in Idaho
- Flowers that attract HUMMINGBIRDS in Idaho
- The MOST Common INSECTS that live in Idaho
Which type of mushroom is your favorite?
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