Mushroom Identifier: Identify Mushrooms by Picture
Not sure what kind of mushroom this is? Upload a photo to identify it, compare look-alikes, and learn the signs of poisonous mushrooms before you pick.
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A mushroom identifier names a mushroom from a photo by comparing its cap, gills or pores, stem, and habitat with known species. Mushrooms are fungi, not plants: they can’t make food from sunlight, so they feed on dead wood, leaves, and soil, or live in partnership with tree roots. Habitat is a key clue: lingzhi grows on hardwood stumps, while stinkhorns pop up in garden mulch. If mushrooms keep appearing on your lawn, see how to get rid of mushrooms in your yard. For the best match, photograph the cap, the underside, and the base of the stem; PlantIn’s mushroom identifier then shows likely species, look-alikes, and whether each is edible or toxic.
What Kind of Mushroom Is This? How to Identify What You’ve Found
Mushroom identification starts with where you found it, not with the color of the cap. Write down what the mushroom grows on (wood, soil, grass, or dung) and which trees stand nearby. Many species grow with only one kind of tree, so it’s worth checking what tree it is.
Then take three photos: the cap from above, the gills or pores underneath, and the whole stem. Dig out the base gently instead of snapping the stem, because a cup-shaped sac at the bottom is typical of deadly amanitas. With those shots, a mushroom identifier by picture can suggest the most likely species.
Finally, compare the closest matches side by side. The parasol mushroom, for example, is a popular edible, but young ones look like the toxic green-spored parasol that grows on lawns. If a small yellow mushroom shows up in a houseplant pot, it’s usually the flowerpot parasol: harmless to your plant, but not safe to eat.
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Mushroom Identification Features: Cap, Gills, Stem, and More
Mushroom identification relies on seven features you can see, smell, or test at home. Check all of them, because two species can share a cap color but differ completely underneath.
Cap: Note the shape (rounded, flat, conical, or funnel-like), the color, and the surface: smooth, scaly, sticky, or dry. Caps often flatten and fade as the mushroom ages, so look at more than one if you can.
Gills, pores, or teeth: Look under the cap. Gilled mushrooms have thin blades, boletes have a sponge of pores, and hedgehog mushrooms have tiny teeth. Gill color matters: on the white button mushroom, it changes from pink to chocolate brown as the mushroom matures.
Stem: Check if it’s hollow or solid, and look for a ring around the stem. Always dig out the base, since a cup-like sac there is typical of deadly amanitas.
Spore print: Place the cap gills-down on half white and half dark paper for 6 to 12 hours. The color of the print (white, cream, pink, brown, or black) quickly rules out many look-alikes.
Smell: Smell it, but never taste it. Some species smell of anise, flour, or radish, and the stinkhorn is easy to recognize by its rotting-meat odor.
Flesh: Cut or press the mushroom and watch for color changes. Some boletes turn blue within seconds, while milk caps ooze a milky liquid.
Habitat: Note what it grows on, which trees are nearby, and the season. Wood, soil, lawn, and dung each host different species.
Mushroom vs. Fungus: What’s the Difference?
Every mushroom is a fungus, but most fungi never make mushrooms. Molds, yeasts, and rusts are fungi too, and identifying them usually takes a microscope. A mushroom is only the fruiting body of certain fungi, the part that rises above ground to release spores, which is why it can be identified by eye or from a photo.
Common Types of Mushrooms With Names
There are thousands of mushroom species, but most finds belong to a few main types. Knowing the type narrows down the name and shows which look-alikes to watch for.
Agarics: Gilled mushrooms with a cap and stem, including button, portobello, and shiitake. The same shape also covers many toxic species, so gills alone never prove a mushroom is edible.
Amanitas: White gills, a ring on the stem, and a cup at the base. This group includes the death cap and destroying angel, which cause most fatal mushroom poisonings.
Boletes: A spongy layer of pores instead of gills, as in porcini. Few are deadly, but some cause severe stomach upset, especially those with red pores or flesh that turns blue.
Chanterelles: Golden, funnel-shaped mushrooms with blunt ridges instead of true gills. Their main look-alike, the toxic jack-o’-lantern, has sharp gills and grows in clusters on wood.
Morels: Honeycomb caps that are completely hollow inside. False morels look similar but have a wrinkled, brain-like cap and cotton-like stuffing.
Oysters: Fan-shaped mushrooms in overlapping shelves on dead wood, like the winter mushroom they’re sometimes confused with.
Milk caps (Lactarius): They ooze a milky liquid when cut. Some are edible, while others, like the woolly milk cap, are toxic.
Mushroom Foraging Safety Rules
Never eat a mushroom based on an app, a photo, or a single feature.
Dig up the whole base: a cup or sac at the bottom is a sign of amanitas.
Avoid white-gilled mushrooms with a ring and a cup until an expert has seen them.
Cook every wild mushroom you eat, and try only a small portion of a new species.
Keep one uncooked mushroom in the fridge, so doctors can identify it if someone gets sick.
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How to Identify Mushrooms With PlantIn
PlantIn’s mushroom identifier works two ways. To identify a mushroom by picture, upload a photo of the cap, the underside, and the stem, and you’ll get the likely species with its look-alikes. If you can’t take a photo, use the filters on this page:
Choose the features you can see, such as cap color, edibility, or habitat.
Type the common or Latin name if you already have a guess.
Open the closest matches and compare them with your mushroom.
If the result is still unclear, send your photos to the experts through Ask the Botanist.
Why Use PlantIn’s Mushroom Identification App
PlantIn’s mushroom identification app gives you more than a name. For each species, you’ll see:
the common and Latin name;
whether it’s edible or toxic, and how it affects people who eat it;
its look-alikes and how to tell them apart;
habitat, season, cap size, color, smell, and taste notes;
tips on the cap, gills, and stem to check next time.
Every mushroom you identify is saved to your collection, so you can compare later finds with the ones you already know.
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FAQ
Can I identify a mushroom from a picture?
Yes, you can identify a mushroom from a picture with PlantIn’s mushroom identifier. Photograph the cap from above, the gills or pores underneath, and the whole stem, including its base. The more angles you add, the easier it is to rule out look-alikes.
Is there a free mushroom identifier app?
PlantIn’s mushroom identifier is free to try in the app and on the web. You can upload a photo and see likely species and their look-alikes, then upgrade for unlimited identifications.
How accurate is a mushroom identifier app?
A mushroom identifier app is accurate enough to narrow a find down to a few likely species, but not to prove a mushroom is safe to eat. Results improve with clear photos of every part, taken in daylight, of a fresh mushroom.
How can you tell if a mushroom is poisonous?
You can’t tell if a mushroom is poisonous by its color, smell, or taste. The death cap, one of the deadliest species, looks plain and smells mild. Only eat wild mushrooms that an experienced local expert has checked in person.
Can dogs eat mushrooms?
Dogs can eat plain, cooked store-bought mushrooms like white button, cremini, and portobello in small amounts, without butter, onion, or garlic. Wild mushrooms can be deadly to dogs. If your dog eats one, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. See which mushrooms are safe in our guide on whether dogs can eat mushrooms.
Can chickens eat mushrooms?
Chickens can eat store-bought mushrooms in small amounts, but they shouldn’t eat wild mushrooms from the yard or the run, since toxic species poison birds too. Learn which mushrooms are safe, raw or cooked, in our guide on whether chickens can eat mushrooms.
What should I do if a child eats a wild mushroom?
If a child eats a wild mushroom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (US) right away, even if there are no symptoms yet. Some deadly mushrooms cause no symptoms for 6 to 24 hours. Keep a sample of the mushroom for identification.
Are mushrooms growing in my yard poisonous?
Some yard mushrooms are harmless, but others, like the green-spored parasol, are toxic, so don’t eat any mushroom from your lawn and keep pets and children away from them. Mushrooms usually appear after rain in soil rich in organic matter.
