January Mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest

Cat’s Tongue

Pseudohydnum gelatinosum

Considered a species ‘complex’, which includes multiple closely related species that can be difficult to separate visually.

Chanterelle

Cantharellus

Chanterelles can be found somewhere in our region nearly every month of the year.

Hair Ice

Exidiopsis effusa

What you’re seeing is not actually a mushroom or any part of the fungus. This is just ice created by a metabolic process of the fungus living inside of the wood. It’s believed that the fungus excretes water in a manner that allows it to create these fine filaments of ice on the surface.

Late Oyster

Sarcomyxa serotina

Edible, but not rated highly by many. Most easily recognized by the winter fruiting, and the unique texture of the stem

Scarlet Cup

Sarcoscypha coccinea

Witch’s Butter (and similar)

Tremella mesenterica / Dacrymyces chrysospermus / Naematelia aurantia

Globular, orange jellies growing on wood

Turkey Tail

A very common polypore that has been popularized by suggestions of its medicinal properties. Pick them while they’re still fresh and steep in water for tea. In my experience, the tea tastes like hot water

Yellowfoot Chanterelles

Craterellus tubaeformis

One of the most abundant ‘choice’ edibles at this point in the season

Black Trumpet

Craterellus calicornucopioides

More common as you move south. Can be found in Washington but more common in central to southern Oregon and especially Northern California

Wax Caps

Genus Hygrocybe

Often brightly colored in varying shades of red, orange, and yellow.

Parrot Mushroom

Gliophorus psittacinus

A beautiful color-changing mushroom often with red, green, and yellow coloration.

Sulphur Tuft / Conifer Tuft

Hypholoma genus

Hypholoma fasculare is bitter with greenish tint to the gills when young. Poisonous

Rosy Oystering

Scytinotus longinquus