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Mushroom season

Winter mushrooms of Europe

December – February · 24 species · 10 edible · 1 poisonous

🟢 Edible: 7🟡 Conditionally edible: 3🔴 Poisonous: 1

In winter the forest falls silent, but it never fully falls asleep. After the very first winter thaw, the orange-yellow caps of the velvet shank (Flammulina velutipes) appear on willow, poplar and elder stumps — and sometimes on living trees. It's the only common edible mushroom that fruits at temperatures from –5°C to +5°C.

Warm winters, more and more common these days, give you a chance to find late autumn knights in December, and even the odd honey fungus during a long thaw. If the temperature stays above 0°C for several days in a row and the ground hasn't frozen, check the old stumps in parks and woods.

Season overview

Winter mushrooms: what, where and when

Do mushrooms grow in winter? Yes — and that surprises a lot of people. Europe's winter mushrooms are mostly the velvet shank (also called the winter mushroom), which fruits even under snow. If you're wondering which mushrooms grow in winter besides the velvet shank, there are late knights in mild winters and the odd honey fungus during a thaw. You'll recognize the velvet shank by its bright orange, almost lacquered caps and its dark, velvety stem.

The red winter mushrooms that foragers sometimes go looking for are the velvet shank itself: its honey-ginger caps stand out against the snow and are easy to spot on tree trunks. Winter mushrooms are easiest to find where winters are mild and thaws are frequent. Where frosts hold steady, as in the mountains, the winter season is shorter — there, people only look for velvet shank during long warm spells.

By month

Winter by month

Winter lasts three months — december, january, february — and each has its own mushroom character. Some species fruit at the start of the season, others at its height, and still others toward the end. Pick a specific month to see the full list of mushrooms that grow right then, with tips on the weather and where to forage.

Mushrooms in December →Mushrooms in January →Mushrooms in February →

Safety

Poisonous winter mushrooms

The velvet shank looks like the deadly poisonous funeral bell (Galerina marginata) — both grow on wood. The difference: the velvet shank has a stem that darkens toward the base with no distinct ring, and bright yellow caps. The funeral bell has a clear ring on its stem and a brown cap. Check EVERY mushroom.

Compare mushrooms with their lookalikes →All poisonous mushrooms →

Full catalog

All winter mushrooms — the full list

All 24 species of mushrooms that fruit in winter in Europe — edible, conditionally edible and dangerous. Tap a card to open the full description with photos, morphology and lookalikes.

Articles

What to read about winter mushrooms

Frequently asked questions

All about winter mushrooms

Do mushrooms grow in winter in Europe?

Yes — in winter, Europe has the velvet shank (Flammulina velutipes). It fruits at temperatures from –5°C to +5°C on the stumps of broadleaf trees (willow, poplar, elder). During a thaw you can also come across late knights and the odd honey fungus.

What winter mushrooms are there in Europe?

The main winter mushroom is the velvet shank (the winter mushroom). Also: blewits (until the early frosts), the funeral bell (poisonous — be careful!), and knights in open spots. Some bracket fungi grow on trees in winter, but they're not edible.

The velvet shank — where should you look?

Look for velvet shank on the stumps and living trunks of willows, poplars and elders. It grows in cities (parks, tree-lined avenues), along rivers and in floodplain forests. Clusters of orange-yellow caps are easy to spot on a snowy stump. It's active during thaws.

After what rain (or thaw) should you go looking for winter mushrooms?

The velvet shank is triggered not by rain but by a warm spell: 3–5 days at +1–5°C is enough. Go right away — winter mushrooms grow slowly but last a long time (they don't spoil at –5°C, they just "freeze" and thaw out alive).

Winter mushrooms — are they safe to eat?

The velvet shank is edible, but it must be boiled or fried — raw, it's toxic. The main danger is confusing it with the funeral bell (a deadly poison). Carefully check for a ring on the stem and the color of the spore print (the funeral bell's is rusty brown).

Where should you look for winter mushrooms in Europe?

The velvet shank grows all over Europe wherever there are old willows and poplars: city parks, riverside embankments, floodplain forests along rivers. It's easiest to find where winters are mild. Where frosts hold steady, people look for velvet shank only during long thaws.

The mushroom year

All seasons

🌱Spring mushroomsMarch – May☀️Summer mushroomsJune – August🍂Autumn mushroomsSeptember – November❄️Winter mushroomsDecember – February