12 Common Mushrooms You Might Find in Your Yard

There are millions of species in the fungus kingdom. And though mycologists have identified and described less than 200,000 of them, a small number of the same species seem to emerge in our yards again and again. 

Fortunately, mushrooms in the yard are typically harmless, both to the lawn itself and to people, as long as the fungi remain uneaten. They may even be a helpful signal alerting you to high levels of lawn moisture.

Whether you’re a mushroom enthusiast or a cautious mycophobe, you may wish to become familiar with the mushrooms that regularly grow in your yard. Identifying mushrooms is fun and rewarding, and you can start sharpening your skills right from your front porch.

So, which common mushrooms might you see in your yard? From colorful fly agarics to odorous stinkhorns, we’ve got you covered in this common mushroom list.

Fly Agaric

Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), also known as fly amantia, may be the most easily recognizable item on this list. With a classic toadstool shape and a red cap with white spots, fly agarics most closely resemble the mushroom emoji.

Often, the caps are yellow instead of white. The two varieties of fly agaric you are most likely to see in an American lawn are the red-capped A. muscaria subsp. flavivolvata (American fly agaric) and yellow-capped A. muscaria var. guessowii (American fly agaric, yellow variant).

They get fairly large, with stalks and caps that may both grow to about six inches tall and wide. Fly agarics are hard to miss. Since the life cycle of these fruiting bodies is about one to three weeks, you’re sure to notice them on your property.

Fly agarics usually appear in small groups. When they first emerge, they look like small eggs until they mature into their signature shape. People sometimes mistake young, egg-shaped fly agarics for puffballs, but their true identity becomes clear as they grow.

A. muscaria has a wide range, appearing all over the Northern Hemisphere, where they’re native, and the Southern Hemisphere, where they’ve been introduced. Most often, fly agarics grow in woodlands, but they’re frequently found in lawns near woodlands as well. They tend to congregate near fir trees.

Fly agarics may look like the mushrooms from Super Mario, but do not eat them. They have much more in common with the video game’s purple poison mushroom. Fly agarics will not help you level up and are, in fact, poisonous.

Giant Puffball

Giant puffballs (Calvatia gigantea) don’t look much like mushrooms. When you see this mushroom in your yard, you may think at first you’ve spotted a volleyball. Giant puffballs form large, white spheres that can get as large as a beach ball. Legend says they can weigh up to 50 pounds, too.

Multiple species look like small puffballs when young, but there’s no misidentifying a giant puffball; you’ll know it when you see it. if you cut a fresh puffball in half and discover that it’s uniformly white and pillowy inside, that double confirms it: puffball mushroom. (The inside of an older, crustier puffball will be a greenish shade of brown.)

You can find this cloud-like fungus in temperate areas all around the world in yards, in fields, and alongside the road. They tend to reappear in the same spots year after year. If you find giant puffballs in your backyard, expect to see them again in the future.

This is not the type of fungi that comes and goes in a few days. It takes weeks for them to begin decomposition and then even more time before they completely break down. If you want them gone faster than that, remove them.

Why are puffballs growing in your yard? They are saprobic, meaning they decompose dead matter. Even if you don’t think you have any decaying matter in your yard, giant puffballs can grow where the old root systems of now-dead trees once were.

Fairy Ring

The fairy ring mushroom species Marasmius oreades is one of multiple species that grows in the shape of a ring. Many fruiting bodies emerge at the same time, forming a large circle. The name can be confusing since this behavior isn’t unique, but M. oreades is the ring species most often in lawns.

The individual fruiting bodies are not particularly distinct. They have pale stems and tan or white caps, growing to about two inches tall and two inches wide. It is their ring pattern that makes them stand out among other similar-looking species.

Fairy rings are native to North America and Europe, where they form their attractive rings in lawns and other grassy areas. Sometimes, in coastal areas, they even show up in dunes.

The below-ground mycelia for this species forms in a ring-shape, which is why their fruiting bodies appear in curious rings above-ground. However, there are many legends and myths surrounding fairy rings that are more fun to embrace, from the belief that elves and fairies utilize the rings to the theory that the rings are portals to another dimension.

This species also breaks down dead organic matter like tree stumps and logs, so they are likely to return multiple times until the decomposing matter is gone. In the meantime, the location of the ring may result in the appearance of dead grass.

This mushroom is not actually harming your yard on a significant level, but it can cause unsightly brown patches in your otherwise green lawn and is often considered a turfgrass disease.

Stinkhorn

The common stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus) appears in lawns, gardens, mulch, and around dead trees. Its distinct shape is hard to mistake for anything else, though what will really give it away is the smell. Likely, you’ll notice a foul, rotting odor in the air when you walk outside your door or open a window.

This species is common in North America and Europe. In the United States, P. impudicus is frequently seen west of the Mississippi River. A similar stinkhorn mushroom, Ravenel’s stinkhorn (P. ravenelii), is more common in yards east of the river.

P. impudicus has a more pitted head than P. ravenelli, which has a rounded head. The two can be difficult to distinguish, but to your nose, they’ll effectively be the same. Both tend to attract flies and smell like rotting meat.

Despite their unwanted smell and generally gross attributes, stinkhorns are absolutely harmless, both to people and to your lawn. They also come and go in a few days, with the smell fading quickly. 

If you truly cannot stand the smell or perhaps have guests coming over, you can pluck the stinkhorns from the ground and toss them. However, keep in mind that this is only a temporary fix. They are likely to return within their preferred window (late summer and early fall) and may come back year after year.

Inky Cap

Inky caps (Coprinopsis atramentaria) are small, clustering mushrooms that emerge in lawns from late spring until early fall. They have gray caps that are initially dome-shaped, but they flatten out as they open. Clusters of inky caps are usually a few inches tall, possibly up to half a foot in height. 

A black liquid oozes out of inky caps, and this substance was at one point commonly harvested to make ink. After inky caps release their spores, their gills slowly decay into the inky sap as the fruiting bodies decompose. The ink tends to drip off the edges of the cap.

Though they look a little creepy, slimy-looking inky caps are harmless and won’t damage your lawn. You can even try your hand at harvesting the mushrooms and processing them into ink. All you need is a fine-mesh filter and a jar.

Their life cycle is short-lived. They may be gone just 24 hours after first sighted. They do tend to re-emerge in the same spots on a somewhat perennial basis, as long as whatever decomposing matter the inky caps are eating remains below the surface.

Though inky caps are usually associated with grassy areas, these fruiting bodies can aggressively push their way through asphalt, only to experience a short, 1-day life cycle. Give some inky cap mushrooms in your yard a squeeze, and you’ll feel how flimsy they are. The apparent fragility makes their ability to burst through surfaces that much more impressive.

Ringless Honey Mushroom

Ringless honey mushrooms (Armillaria tabescens) grow in clusters from trees and tree stumps. Sometimes, you may not realize that a portion of tree stump remains on your land, and ringless honey mushrooms may appear to be growing out of the ground.

Yellowish brown, toadstool-shaped fruiting bodies that grow out of the same spot characterize this fungus. The “ringless” portion of their name is what sets them apart from honey mushrooms (A. mellea), which have rings as well as sticky caps.

Though it’s hard to see, ringless honey mushrooms can be bioluminescent. The mycelial threads at the bottom of the cluster glow at night, emitting a green light. You can see the light on darker evenings if you’re lucky.

You can find ringless honey mushrooms throughout much of the eastern United States. While they are fairly small, the clusters themselves can grow to be a foot or two tall. Multiple clusters can grow at the same time, creating dense clumps of ringless honey mushrooms.

The fruiting bodies of this species are short-lived once they emerge. These mushrooms will probably decompose within a week or so in your yard. However, like most species on this list, they are likely to return throughout the season or in future years.

Milky Conecap

Milky conecaps (Conocybe apala), also known as white dunce caps, are classic lawn mushrooms, typically popping up in short, frequently mowed grass. These small, white toadstools are usually seen in the morning, only to decompose throughout the day.

In fact, a bright, sunny day can have milky conecaps falling apart and decomposing back into the ground by noon. If you don’t make it outside in the morning, you might miss your chance to identify them entirely.

As for the name “conecap,” these white mushrooms have clearly cone-shaped caps, though the caps flatten out into discs as they decay over a matter of hours. Their flimsy stems are thin and hollow. Milky conecaps are only a few inches tall.

Heavy storms precede milky conecaps, which are also often found on golf courses. This species loves short grass but also sometimes grows in leaf litter and mulch. Milky conecaps are found throughout North America and Europe.

These little mushrooms tend to pepper lawns in the summer, starting in June and continuing through the fall, in October. Because they’re harmless to your lawn and so short-lived, there’s no reason to let their presence concern you.

Lawnmower’s Mushroom

Somewhat similar to milky conecaps are lawnmower’s mushrooms (Panaeolus foenisecii), which are also small, short-lived, and fragile fungi that like well-mowed lawns. P. foenisecii is mostly brown, with small caps on thin stems.

This common species has many alter egos, including haymaker, haymaker’s panaeolus, and brown hay mushroom. Additionally, it’s worth noting that P. foenisecii is one of a group of multiple species generally indistinguishable for most people, referred to as “little brown mushrooms.”

Lawnmower’s mushrooms are common in the United States, particularly in yards along the Pacific Northwest and East Coast. This diverse species can be found many times of the year, even during winter in warmer regions. 

These toadstools can be up to four inches tall with caps that expand to about a half inch in diameter. The stems are fragile, just like with milky conecaps, and the fruiting bodies don’t live for long. As a saprobic species, these will return as long as there is dead organic matter to break down.

Meadow Mushroom

Meadow mushrooms (Agaricus campestris) are clearly named for their frequent growing location,meadows, and they’re also commonly found in the grass around homes. These toadstools are about four inches tall with prominent caps that expand to about four inches wide.

The fruiting bodies are mostly white, though if you pluck one and turn it over, you’ll discover that its gills are pinkish. This species also has a partial veil that leaves a ring around the stalk. Sometimes, the fruiting bodies of this fungi form a fairy ring in the grass, but not always.

Found far and wide, this species is found not only in North America but also in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and even New Zealand. They also have a wide growing season, surfacing in U.S. lawns from May to as late as November.

The mycelium that produces these fruiting bodies can live for decades, so if you’ve found meadow mushrooms in a spot before, it’s likely that you’ll find them there again. 

While some people forage meadow mushrooms, they have a few dangerous lookalikes, including the deadly destroying angel (Amanita bisporigera), so be wary. As for your lawn, as usual, this mushroom poses zero threat.

Green-Spored Parasols

Green-spored parasols (Chlorophyllum molybdites) are also known as false parasols, green-spored lepiota, and simply “the vomiter.” From these names, you can already ascertain some of the main characteristics of this species. They’re parasol-shaped, they have green spores, and you should not eat them.

These mushrooms are pretty big, rising out of the grass and reaching a height of nearly a foot tall, with a flat cap that also reaches about a foot in width. Green-spored parasols are white with brown scales on the cap, and the stems have a double-edged ring.

Green-spored parasols are found throughout most of the temperate world, and within the United States, they’re most often discovered east of the Great Plains and in California. The fruiting bodies usually grow in summer and fall.

As dangerous as they are if consumed, they once again pose no risk to your lawn health. If you are concerned that a child or pet may get a hold of a green-spored parasol, you can remove it by hand. They are safe to touch—just not to ingest.

Jack-O’-Lantern

Another species you should have on your radar is the eastern jack-o’-lantern mushroom (Omphalotus illudens), a poisonous mushroom that usually grows on decaying stumps, often in yards. Like ringless honey mushrooms, jack-o’-lanterns are bioluminescent and glow at night.

This species is typically found east of the Rocky Mountains, and though it’s typically spotted in wooded areas, its fruiting bodies can also pop out of your lawn if there is decaying tree matter below ground or nearby. There is also a western jack-o’-lantern (O. olivascens) common in California.

Do not confuse jack-o’-lanterns with two often-foraged, orange edible mushrooms: chanterelles and chicken of the woods. Chanterelles have elaborate folds that go down the stem instead of true gills, while jack-o’-lanterns have true, non-forking gills. Chicken of the Woods is a polypore shelf mushroom with no gills. Jack-o’-lanterns are bioluminescent, while the others are not.

To see the bioluminescent glow, you must check out jack-o’-lanterns at night. The darker, the better. Give your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness, and do not bring a flashlight with you. The greenish glow will be strongest when the mushrooms are young and fresh and when spore production is at its peak.

You can remove jack-o’-lantern mushrooms from your yard by simply plucking them and throwing them away, but they are likely to return in the same spot, possibly for years. They are safe to touch but never to eat. Educate yourself and members of your household once you discover jack-o’-lanterns growing on your property.

Bird’s Nest

You won’t actually find bird’s nest mushrooms (of the Nidulariaceae family) in your yard, but it’s highly likely that you’ll find them in your mulch. Bird’s nest fungi are saprobic and are found in wood chips and mulch all over the world.

As the name implies, this curious family of fungi produces fruiting bodies that look like small birds’ nests, complete with what appears to be little eggs. Usually, the “nests” are no bigger than a single fingernail, and many nests form near each other in large clusters.

You are most likely to see bird’s nest fungi in the fall in shady areas that remain damp for an extended period of time after rainfall.

Unlike other mushrooms that release spores through their gills, bird’s nest fungi rely on the rain. When the rain splashes into the nests, the “eggs” spill out. The rain can splash the eggs up to four feet away. Once the eggs dry out in their new location, they open and release millions of spores to create new fungi.

This type of fungi will assist in breaking down organic matter in your mulch, which helps make nutrients available to plants. Assuming you have mulch because you have a garden, bird’s nest fungi are your friend. Some consider it unsightly, but bird’s nest fungi is so small that you may not even notice it unless you look up close.