Mushroom foraging is a great way to get out and enjoy Iowa's natural areas. This page features calendars that will help you determine when you might find certain mushroom species in Iowa. If you are interested in learning more about mushroom foraging in Iowa check out the video resources as well.
In-person sessions Safe Mushroom Foraging programs are scheduled throughout the year and you can find an offering near you. This program is geared towards individuals interested in learning more about fungi and the basics of foraging safety and not associated with the Wild-Harvested Mushroom Certification which is also offered through ISU Extension and Outreach and is a needed credential to sell wild-harvested mushrooms.
Videos
- Tips for Hunting Wild Edible Mushrooms
- Webinar: Common Spring Mushrooms in Iowa
- Webinar: Common Fall Mushrooms in Iowa
Calendars
The calendars on this page show the months when a mushroom species has been recorded in Iowa and other parts of the upper Midwest. The dates of the actual appearance of any one species can vary widely from year to year and is primarily based on environmental conditions, including ground temperature, the timing of rainfall, amount of precipitation, and season.
Calendar Key
| Not as abundant | Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Toxicity Unknown | TU1 | TU2 |
| Edible | E1 | E2 |
| Poisonous | P1 | P2 |
| Not Edible | NE1 | NE2 |
| Edibility Differs Among Species | EV1 | EV2 |
*signifies caution, specifics on each mushroom profile from the Safe Mushroom Foraging publication
Spring mushroom calendar
Check out the summer and fall calendars too.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half Free Morel | Morchella punctipes | *E1 | *E1 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | |||||
| Common ,White or Grey Morel | Morchella americana | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||||
| Common Eastern Black Morel | Morchella angusticeps | *E1 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E1 | |||||
| Smooth Thimble Cap | Verpa conica | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | ||||||
| Wrinkled Thimble Cap | Verpa bohemica | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | ||||||
| Beefsteak False Morel | Gyromitra brunnea | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | |||||
| Carolina False Morel | Gyromitra caroliniana | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | ||||
| White Elfin Saddle | Helvella crispa group | TU1 | |||||||||
| Devil's Urn | Urnula craterium | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | ||||
| Crimson Cup, Scarlet Elfcup | Sarcoscypha austriaca | TU1 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | ||||
| Palomino Cup, Recurved Cup | Peziza varia | TU1 | |||||||||
| Inky Caps | Coprinellus micaceus | *E2 | *E2 | ||||||||
| Oyster (pearl) Mushroom | Pleurotus ostreatus | E2 | |||||||||
| Golden Oyster Mushroom | Pleurotus citrinopileatus | E2 | E2 | ||||||||
| Scotch Bonnet, Fairy Ring | Marasmius oreades | E1 | E2 | ||||||||
| Velvet Stem | Flammulina velutipes | E1 | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||
| Deadly Gallerina | Galerina marginata | P1 | P1 | P2 | P2 | ||||||
| Artist's Conk | Ganoderma applanatum | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 |
| Dryads Saddle, Pheasant’s Back Mushroom | Polyporus squamosus | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||||||
| Turkey Tail | Trametes versicolor | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | |||||||
Summer mushroom calendar
Check out the spring and fall calendars too.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sept | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saddle | Helvella stevensii | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU1 | TU1 |
| Cabage Leaf Helvella | Helvella acetabulum group | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU1 | TU1 | |
| Palomino Cup, Recurved Cup | Peziza varia | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 |
| Chanterelles | Cantharellus cibarius group | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||
| Hard Puffballs, Earthballs | Scleroderma spp. | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 |
| Honey Mushroom | Armillaria mellea | *E1 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | |
| Sulphur Shelf, Chicken of the Woods | Laetiporus sulphureus | E1 | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 |
| Bitter Bolete | Tylopilus felleus | NE1 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | ||
| Hedgehog Mushroom | Hydnum repandum | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||
| Giant/Black-staining Polypore | Meripilus sumstinei | *E1 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | |
| Blackening Russula | Russula dissimulansgroup | TU1 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | ||
| Sickener | Russula emetica | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | ||
| Green Russula | Russula parvovirescens group | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||
| Fenugreek Milkcap | Lactarius torminosus | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | ||
| Tawny Milk Cap | Lactifluus volemus | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |
| Webcap | Cortinarius group | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | ||
| Fairy Fingers | Clavaria vermicularis | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | ||
| Golden Coral | Ramaria aurea | TU1 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | |
| Death Angel | Amanita bisporigera | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | ||
| False Parasol, Green Gill | Chlorophyllum molybdites | P1 | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | |
| Stinking Parasol/Dapperling | Lepiota cristata | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 |
| White Dapperling, White Agaricus Mushroom | Leucoagaricus leucothites | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||
| Meadow Mushroom | Agaricus campestris | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 |
| Deadly Gallerina | Galerina marginata | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 |
| Torn Fibercap | Inocybe rimosa | P1 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 |
| Black Trumpet | Craterellus cornucopoides | E1 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||
Fall mushroom calendar
Check out the spring and summer calendars too.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Elfin Saddle | Helvella crispa group | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU1 | TU1 | ||||
| Tippler's Bane, Common Ink Cap | Coprinopsis atramentaria | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E1 | *E1 | |
| Inky Caps | Coprinellus micaceus | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E1 | |||
| Shaggy Mane | Coprinus comatus | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E1 | *E1 | ||
| Oyster (pearl) Mushroom | Pleurotus ostreatus | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||||
| Golden Oyster Mushroom | Pleurotus citrinopileatus | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E1 | |||||
| Scotch Bonnet, Fairy Ring | Marasmius oreades | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E1 | E1 | |||
| Giant Puffball | Calvatia gigantea | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E1 | ||
| Puffballs | Lycoperdon spp. | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E1 | ||
| Hard Puffballs, Earthballs | Scleroderma spp. | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 | |||
| Velvet Stem | Flammulina velutipes | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | ||
| King Bolete | Boletus edulis | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||||
| Bitter Bolete | Tylopilus felleus | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE1 | ||||
| Bear’s Head Tooth Fungus | Hericium americanum | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||
| Hen of the Woods | Grifola frondosa | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||
| Lobster Mushroom | Hypomyces lactifluorum | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | *TU1 | ||||
| Giant/Black-staining Polypore | Meripilus sumstinei | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | ||||||
| Aborted Entoloma, Shrimp of the Woods | Entoloma abortivum | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E2 | *E1 | ||||
| Blackening Russula | Russula dissimulansgroup | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | |||||
| Sickener | Russula emetica | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 | |||
| Green Russula | Russula parvovirescens group | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||||
| Fenugreek Milkcap | Lactarius torminosus | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 | |||
| Tawny Milk Cap | Lactifluus volemus | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E1 | ||||
| Webcap | Cortinarius group | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | *EV2 | |||
| Fairy Fingers | Clavaria vermicularis | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE1 | |||
| Golden Coral | Ramaria aurea | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU2 | TU1 | ||||
| Death Angel | Amanita bisporigera | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 | ||
| False Parasol, Green Gill | Chlorophyllum molybdites | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | |||
| Stinking Parasol/Dapperling | Lepiota cristata | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 | |||
| White Dapperling, White Agaricus Mushroom | Leucoagaricus leucothites | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||
| Meadow Mushroom | Agaricus campestris | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E1 | |||
| Flat Top Agaricus | Agaricus placomyces | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | ||||
| Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom | Omphalotus illudens | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 | ||
| Deadly Gallerina | Galerina marginata | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 |
| Torn Fibercap | Inocybe rimosa | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P2 | P1 | |||
| Black Trumpet | Craterellus cornucopoides | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | |||
| Artist's Conk | Ganoderma applanatum | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 |
| Dryads Saddle, Pheasant’s Back Mushroom | Polyporus squamosus | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E2 | E1 | |||
| Turkey Tail | Trametes versicolor | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | NE2 | |