26 Common Mushrooms Found in South Carolina! (2025)
What kind of mushroom did I find in South Carolina?
If you spend time outside, you’ve probably asked this question at least once. Mushrooms are incredibly common in South Carolina, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Believe it or not, there are THOUSANDS of different types of mushrooms that live in South Carolina. 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)!
26 COMMON MUSHROOMS in South Carolina:
#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 South Carolina!
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. Common Greenshield Lichen
- Flavoparmelia caperata
Identifying Characteristics:
- This lichen grows in roughly circular patterns with wavy edges.
- The coloring is pale green to yellowish.
Common Greenshield Lichen is technically not a mushroom, but instead, it is a lichen. Lichens are complex organisms made up of both fungi and algae. The combination of these two types of organisms allows lichens to live in diverse climates, ranging from cool, dry areas to warmer regions with humid weather.
As a result, you can find Common Greenshield Lichen across South Carolina. It most often grows on tree bark, although you might occasionally find it on rocks. Look for a rounded, pale-green growth with wavy edges.
#3. 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 South Carolina 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.
#4. 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 South Carolina 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.
#5. Chicken of the Woods
- Laetiporus sulphureus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The shelf-like caps are 5-60 cm (2-23.5 in) across and up to 4 cm (1.5 in) thick.
- Their coloring is a strikingly bright yellow, sometimes with an orange or pink center.
- They grow in a stacked shelf pattern of fan-shaped caps on the sides of trees.
Chicken of the Woods grows on a variety of hardwood trees. Usually, it thrives on dead trees, although it occasionally parasitizes mature living trees.
Many people eat this mushroom in South Carolina and Europe.
However, you should never eat this mushroom if you found it in the wild. Uncooked, it can cause an upset stomach and is unpleasant in texture. Plus, it can be confused with other poisonous varieties that can cause unpleasant symptoms or even permanent injury and death.
Unfortunately, it’s often confused with Laetiporus huroniensis, a poisonous mushroom that causes fever and vomiting. It’s best to purchase your Chicken of the Woods mushrooms from an expert forager and leave wild specimens alone!
#6. 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 South Carolina 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.
#7. 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 South Carolina 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.
#8. 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 South Carolina 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.
#9. 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 South Carolina!
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.
#10. 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 South Carolina 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!
#11. Honey Mushroom
- Armillaria mellea
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 3-15 cm (1-6 in) in diameter.
- They range in color from buttery yellow to light brown.
- This species grows in large clusters of shelf-like caps.
Honey Mushrooms in South Carolina are considered tree parasites.
These “plant pathogens,” as they’re sometimes called, grow into the roots, bark, and wood of living hardwood and conifer trees. Their rhizomes (the “underground” parts of the fungus) leach nutrients from the wood, slowly killing the tree. The mushrooms themselves often sprout from the base of infected trees.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to effectively kill Honey Mushrooms without killing the tree they infect. Eventually, the tree will become so weak from the spreading rhizomes that it dies and eventually falls.
Honey Mushrooms look very similar to several poisonous varieties, so it’s best to steer clear of these mushrooms and don’t try eating one!
#12. 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 South Carolina 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.
#13. 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 South Carolina 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.
#14. Witch’s Butter
- Tremella mesenterica
Identifying Characteristics:
- Fruiting bodies can be up to 7.5 cm (3 in) in diameter.
- The shape is irregular, gelatinous, and brain-like.
- This fungus is typically bright lemon-yellow.
This is one of the WEIRDEST mushrooms in South Carolina!
Witch’s Butter, which gets its name from its unusual shape and color, completely differs from what most people picture in a mushroom. It has an irregular, ridged appearance that looks like brains and a jelly-like texture that trembles and vibrates if disturbed. Additionally, its coloring is bright yellow, unlike most mushrooms that blend in with their environment.
If the appearance of Witch’s Butter wasn’t strange enough, it also has fascinating properties that set it apart. During dry weather, this fungus dries and shrivels into a leathery mass. Then, when it rains, it fully revives back into its original state!
Look for this strange fungus on dead tree limbs that are still attached to trees or recently fallen branches. It will grow on any deciduous tree but is most prevalent on red alder.
#15. 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 South Carolina.
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.
#16. 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 South Carolina 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.
#17. 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 South Carolina 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!
#18. 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.
#19. 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 South Carolina!
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!
#20. 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.
#21. 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 South Carolina.
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.
#22. 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!
#23. Peach-colored Fly Agaric
- Amanita persicina
- Domed caps are usually peach or pale red with pale yellow or tan warts.
- Gills are creamy with a pale pinkish tint, crowded, and unattached to the stem.
- The stem is fragile, narrower at the top, and yellow to white.
This stunning mushroom wasn’t recognized as a species until 2015!
Previously, scientists believed it belonged to the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) species.
Peach-colored Fly Agarics are woodland mushrooms that grow in South Carolina beneath oaks and pines. They share a mycorrhizal association or type of symbiotic relationship with these trees. Sometimes, you may spot just one mushroom, but they often grow in groups.
As beautiful as they are, these mushrooms are best left alone. Peach-colored Fly Agarics have neurotoxic and hallucinogenic properties, which can cause dizziness, blurred vision, hallucinations, and other unpleasant symptoms.
#24. 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 South Carolina 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.
#25. 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 South Carolina.
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.
#26. Bushy Beard Lichen
- Usnea strigosa
- The body has a bushy, shrub-like form.
- Each stalk has many short, hair-like branches growing from it at right angles.
- Usually, it’s pale green to greenish-gray.
This lichen grows primarily on oak trees. It thrives best on old trees and bark and usually grows on the branches rather than the trunk.
If a tree has a colony of Bushy Beard Lichen, it may indicate that the tree is sick. This lichen prefers a good amount of sunlight, and its appearance can suggest that a sick tree isn’t putting on as much foliage. However, its growth can also be a good sign for the environment because this species is susceptible to air pollution, so seeing it around means you’re probably breathing clean air!
Like other Usnea species or beard lichens, Bushy Beard Lichen has been used as food and medicine. It contains high levels of vitamin C and usnic acid, which has potent antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Learn about other awesome things in South Carolina!
- POISONOUS MUSHROOMS that grow in South Carolina
- VENOMOUS SPIDERS found in South Carolina
- Flowers that attract HUMMINGBIRDS in South Carolina
- The MOST Common INSECTS that live in South Carolina
Which type of mushroom is your favorite?
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