Winter mushrooms around Puget Sound

Winter in the Puget Sound area offers a surprisingly abundant mushroom season, thanks to the region’s mild climate, which extends the autumn fungal activity well into December and beyond. Foragers can still find sought-after edible mushrooms like hedgehogs (Hydnum spp.), matsutake (Tricholoma murillianum complex), and Pacific golden chanterelles (Cantharellus formosus).

Beyond these culinary delights, the woods showcase a variety of other fascinating fungi. Bright orange jelly fungi such as Dacrymyces chrysospermus add color to the damp forest, while maple-scented candy caps (Lactarius rubidus)—highly prized for their sweet aroma when dried—are a treat for both foragers and bakers. Fresh flushes of Xerocomellus species and Agaricus (the genus of button mushrooms) can also emerge, alongside delicate fungi like fairy parachutes (Marasmiellus candidus).

Winter also reveals intriguing finds such as turkey-tail (Trametes versicolor), the gelatinous toothed jelly fungus (Pseudohydnum gelatinosum), and witch’s butter (Tremella mesenterica). These mushrooms and lichens thrive on the moisture-rich environment of the season. With each walk through the woods, you may encounter species that highlight the subtle beauty of fungi during the colder months, making the Puget Sound a year-round haven for mycology enthusiasts.