Mushrooms popping up in the lawn may seem harmless or even a sign of healthy soil. But not all of them are safe to be around. While some mushrooms are edible, others can be extremely toxic, even deadly. What makes them more dangerous is that many poisonous species resemble the ones that can be consumed.
So, if you see mushrooms growing around in your yard and are a pet owner or a parent, it is important to know what’s growing in your yard. Gorging on wild mushrooms has caused many to lose their lives or suffer permanent neurological damage, as poisonous mushrooms can lead to abdominal pain, liver damage, and, in severe cases, even death. This guide discusses 16 types of poisonous mushrooms that may be growing in your yard.
What Are Lawn Mushrooms?
Lawn mushrooms are usually considered a nuisance for some homeowners, as they can be poisonous. The hat-like mushrooms that emerge from the ground are just the fruiting part of the fungus. The head of the mushroom is the reproductive part, scattering spores across your yard with the help of the wind. The rest of the mushroom stays firmly underground and breaks up dead material in your lawn. The nutrients derived become sustenance for the grass.
Reasons You Have Mushrooms in Your Yard
There are several factors that can cause mushrooms to grow in the lawn. If the lawn is rich in organic content, it becomes the perfect growing ground for mushrooms. While mushrooms in your yard aren’t always a concern, poisonous varieties can pose a serious risk to you, your family, and your pets.
Here are some reasons why mushrooms might be growing in your garden -
Your Yard Stays Shady
Mushrooms thrive in damp and shady areas. So, if you have a lot of shade in your yard, that might be why you’re seeing them grow. If you have branches from overgrown trees, consider trimming them, as it’ll allow more sunlight.
Rotten Wood Around Your Home
If you see a large number of mushrooms growing all of a sudden, understand that there might be rotting wood somewhere nearby. These fungi feed on decaying tree roots or old stumps. Consider removing the stumps and trees or mixing more leafy green matter into the soil to balance the wood content.
The Soil is Compacted
The soil becomes compacted when the puddles remain for a long time. Mushrooms love and thrive in moist environments. Aerating the lawn can help in better drainage, which makes the area less growth-friendly.
Continuous Rain
Mushrooms grow overnight after rain or may sprout due to the rainy and cloudy weather. These mushrooms are less of a worry, as they vanish on their own when there’s enough sunlight.
16 Poisonous Lawn Mushrooms
Ringless Honey Mushrooms
Ringless honey mushrooms are most commonly found in the eastern United States. They grow up to 2-8 inches tall and 1-4 inches wide and have golden honey-colored caps. They grow on stumps or tree trunks, particularly oak trees, from September to November. Though fungi play an important role in the ecosystem, ringless honey mushrooms should be eliminated, as they can kill trees by preventing them from receiving water and nutrients.
Meadow Mushrooms
Despite being commonly called meadow or field mushrooms, they usually pop up in backyards, especially during the summer months. They grow among grasses and can easily be identified by their white or gray-brown caps with pink to brown gills underneath. Though they are harmless, they closely resemble a toxic variety, and they should be kept away from children and pets. These mushrooms are relatively small and can grow up to 1-2 inches tall, with caps that range from 1-4 inches wide.
Haymaker Mushrooms
These mushrooms are known by many names, such as mower’s mushrooms, lawn mowers’ mushrooms, or brown hay mushrooms. They are common in yards across North America and Europe. It grows about 1 to 3 inches tall with caps less than 1.5 inches wide. Though the haymaker mushroom is not poisonous, it shouldn’t be eaten. Hence, it is advisable to keep your pets and children away. As haymaker mushrooms prefer a perfectly mowed lawn, they can take over the space very quickly.
Deathcap Mushrooms
Death cap mushrooms were introduced to the United States by the importation of a European cork oak. Since then, they have spread their species across the Pacific and formed a close relationship with local hardwood trees. They can usually be seen after the first fall rains and are often found thriving in well-watered lawns. The mushroom features umbrella-shaped caps in a greenish-brown hue, paired with yellowish gills underneath, with white rings around its stalk and a sac-like structure at the base. It also contains toxins, which can lead to severe liver failure, with symptoms often appearing about 12 hours after consumption.
Western Destroying Angel
They have a very uncanny similarity to death cap but are native to California. The mushroom has uniform white rings, which vanish as the shrooms age and can be seen growing near oak, pine, or hazel trees. They appear only during the period when the winter transitions into spring. Western destroying also contains amatoxins, which are lethal to the human body.
Alcohol Inky Cap
The Alcohol inky cap is named for its reaction with alcohol due to a toxic compound called coprine. Unlike its lookalike Shaggy Name, it lacks the shaggy texture on its cap. It is considered hazardous because eating it shortly before or even days after consuming alcohol can trigger severe reactions, such as nausea, pounding headaches, and several other unpleasant symptoms.
Vomiters
A study in 2018 found that around 7,400 cases of mushroom poisoning occur annually in the US, with many linked to vomiter mushrooms. They are most commonly found across North America and can grow up to 2-10 inches tall, and their caps grow up to 2-12 inches wide. They are also known as the false parasol or green-spored parasol. They are mostly mistaken for the edible lawyer’s wig, but it lives up to its name by causing intense vomiting if consumed. Look out for the green spores and keep children and pets away from them.
Two-Spored/Easter Destroying Angel
Two-spored or Eastern destroying angels spread from New York to Texas, making it a major problem in the eastern states. It is a 5-inch tall fungus with a cottony-white cap that becomes tan-yellow or pastel-pink when exposed to dry weather. It is aromatic and may seem like food, but it isn’t edible. This is because of the deadly toxin, amanitins, present in it. It can harm a person’s liver and kidneys, resulting in death within seven days if not treated promptly.
Common Stinkhorn
The common stinkhorn is frequently found in wooden yards and mulched garden beds. It has a strong, unpleasant odor, often compared to the smell of rotting meat. It is advisable to keep the pets away from the mushrooms as it can cause illness in them. They can grow quite tall, reaching between 3.9 and 11.8 inches in height, and their caps can measure up to 1.6 inches in width. The mushrooms are most commonly found in parts of Europe and North America, particularly in the Gulf Coast.
Autumn Skullcap
Autumn skullcaps are most commonly found growing near decomposed trees and wood. They can also be found on conifer or broadleaf trees around North Carolina. They are the perfect reminder to remain cautious around brown mushrooms, as they might look like other edible species. They are flat, chocolate-brown caps about ½ inch wide, subtly touched with honey-yellow around edges and creamy tan stalks. They may look harmless, but they contain amatoxins, which shut down the functioning of the body within six hours of ingestion.
Puffballs
Puffball mushrooms can thrive in temperate climates and come in different varieties, including the giant puffball. It can grow up to 2 feet in width. When you accidentally step on the smaller ones scattered across the lawn, they burst open, releasing a cloud of brown spores. They don’t have gills or stems and are non-poisonous. Hence, they are safe to add to the meal but ensure the flesh inside is white.
Fly Agaric
The fly agaric is a psychoactive mushroom with deep ceremonial roots in the cultures of Northern Europe and Asia. It later spread to temperate regions of North America. It has a bright orangish-red cap with white spots and was even featured in Super Mario. They usually grow near spruce and fir trees. The white spots can be washed away by the rain, which makes it challenging to recognize. The Fly Agaric mushrooms contain toxic alkaloids like muscimol and muscarine. If eaten raw and in large amounts, it can cause breathing issues and severe poisoning.
Webcaps
The deadly webcap (Cortinarius rubellus) and the fool’s webcap (Cortinarius orellanus) are two closely related species that look alike and also resemble some edible species. They contain a toxin called orellanin, which first triggers flu-like symptoms if ingested. Its long latency period, ranging from two days to three weeks, leads to delayed diagnosis. If left untreated, orellanin poisoning can cause kidney failure and eventually death.
Deadly Dapperling
Deadly dapperling is a gilled mushroom that is commonly found across Europe and parts of Asia. This mushroom contains amatoxins, which may cause serious liver damage and may be fatal without prompt medical intervention. The deadly dappling usually appears harmless and is often confused with edible species.
Russula Species
Known for their striking caps and bright white gills and stems, Russula mushrooms are most commonly found in grassy lawns. Like boletes, fungi are the visible bodies of the underground network that play an important role in helping trees absorb nutrients from the soil. While some Russula species are harmless and some are edible, it can be challenging to distinguish between the two. If consumed, the toxins can cause stomach upset.
Little Brown Mushroom
Little brown mushrooms, or LBM, can sometimes be deadly or barely harm you. Some may even cause wild and lasting psychedelic effects. They are small and grow either in clusters or on their own. LBMs usually grow from the ground, dead or living trees, or other decaying matter and might have flat or rounded caps with gills or folds. Their height and thickness may vary, but stems are usually narrow compared to the cap’s width.
Conclusion
Mushrooms love wet and shaded areas. As discussed in the blog, they can be poisonous. Hence, it is important to identify them and know how to prevent them from growing in your lawn. You can consider addressing the drainage issues, removing rotting wood, etc, to make the environment non-conducive for their growth.
