Mushrooms month by month · 44 species

Mushrooms in December in Turkey

In December, 44 species in our guide are in season in Turkey: 18 edible or traditionally used and 5 poisonous or deadly. Edible highlights: Shaggy ink cap, Wood ear mushroom, Honey fungus and Oyster mushroom.

Mushrooms in season in December

December falls in the winter months in Turkey. This page is built from the season data on our species pages; rain, temperature and altitude can shift seasons by a few weeks.

The most recorded mushrooms in December

Mushroom	Status	December records
Shaggy ink capCoprinus comatus	Edible	22
Stubble rosegillVolvopluteus gloiocephalus	Unknown	22
Honey fungusArmillaria mellea	Edible	17
Split gillSchizophyllum commune	Unknown	15
White saddleHelvella crispa	Unknown	13
Oyster mushroomPleurotus ostreatus	Edible	10
Grey knightTricholoma terreum	Unknown	9
Red cage fungusClathrus ruber	Unknown	9
Common puffballLycoperdon perlatum	Edible	9
Saffron milk capLactarius deliciosus	Edible	8
Common stinkhornPhallus impudicus	Unknown	7
Parasol mushroomMacrolepiota procera	Edible	7
Clouded funnelClitocybe nebularis	Unknown	6
Panther capAmanita pantherina	Poisonous	6
Wood ear mushroomAuricularia auricula-judae	Edible	5
Tawny funnelParalepista flaccida	Unknown	5
Common bird’s nest fungusCrucibulum laeve	Unknown	5
Fly agaricAmanita muscaria	Poisonous	5
Turkey tailTrametes versicolor	Unknown	4
Barometer earthstarAstraeus hygrometricus	Unknown	4

Source: GBIF and iNaturalist, all years combined. Status is a guide and is not enough to decide to eat a mushroom; do not eat a wild mushroom unless an expert has seen it in person. Full data and method

Poisonous look-alikes in December

Alongside the edible species, Panther cap, Sulphur tuft, Jack-o'-lantern mushroom, Common ink cap and Livid pinkgill are also in season this month. Never eat a mushroom you cannot identify with certainty.

Common ink cap Coprinopsis atramentaria Poisonous
Jack-o’-lantern mushroom Omphalotus olearius Poisonous
Livid pinkgill Entoloma sinuatum Poisonous
Panther cap Amanita pantherina Poisonous
Sulphur tuft Hypholoma fasciculare Poisonous

Records by region in December

Verified GBIF and iNaturalist records made in December, with the five most recorded species per region (data as of 2026-11-02). Numbers are past records, not a promise for this year.

Marmara · 294 records
1. Shaggy ink cap 20
2. Honey fungus 17
3. Split gill 11
4. White saddle 11
5. Blewit 8
Aegean · 108 records
1. Stubble rosegill 18
2. Common puffball 7
3. Blewit 4
4. Mycena seynii 4
5. Jack-o'-lantern mushroom 4
Central Anatolia · 46 records
1. Blewit 6
2. Cushion bracket 6
3. Oyster mushroom 6
4. Grey knight 4
5. Chicken of the woods 2
Mediterranean · 15 records
1. Stubble rosegill 2
2. Sordid blewit 1
3. Barometer earthstar 1
4. Split gill 1
5. Cobalt crust 1
Black Sea · 7 records
1. Scarlet cup 1
2. Tricholoma vaccinum 1
3. Anthracobia melaloma 1
4. White saddle 1
5. Magpie inkcap 1
East and Southeast · 2 records
1. Grey knight 1
2. Tricholoma caligatum 1

See records by province on the map →

Mushroom recipes for December

Creamy mushroom pasta, made with button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Pasta & risotto Creamy mushroom pasta Button and oyster mushrooms in a silky cream and parmesan sauce, brought together with starchy pasta water – on the table in 30 minutes. 30 min Button mushroom Mains Saffron milk caps fried in butter Wild saffron milk caps fried with onion in butter, the way they're cooked around Turkey's Black Sea and Marmara coasts. Ready in 35 minutes. 35 min Saffron milk cap

Crispy fried oyster mushrooms, made with oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Snacks & starters Crispy fried oyster mushrooms Oyster mushrooms soaked in garlicky yoghurt, dredged in spiced flour and deep-fried until crisp, served with a dill and garlic yoghurt dip. 37 min Oyster mushroom

Oyster mushroom 'döner' wraps, made with oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Mains Oyster mushroom 'döner' wraps Oyster mushrooms marinated in spiced yoghurt, pressed in a hot cast-iron pan until crisp and wrapped in lavash with sumac onions and garlic yoghurt. Ready in 40 minutes, plus 30 minutes marinating. 40 min Oyster mushroom

Truffle tagliolini, made with truffle (Tuber spp.)

Pasta & risotto Truffle tagliolini Fine egg pasta tossed with butter and Parmigiano and finished with fresh shaved truffle: Italy's best-known truffle dish, ready in 15 minutes. 15 min Truffle

Pioppino mushroom spaghetti, made with poplar mushroom (Cyclocybe cylindracea)

Pasta & risotto Pioppino mushroom spaghetti Pioppino (poplar mushrooms) sautéed in garlicky olive oil and softened in white wine over a low heat, tossed with spaghetti: serves two, ready in 30 minutes. 30 min Poplar mushroom

Articles for December

Mushroom foraging in Turkey: is it allowed, and where?

Edible mushrooms in December

Honey fungus (Armillaria mellea): Honey fungus fruits in autumn after the first rains, from late September to December; Turkish GBIF records cluster between October and January.

Pinkmottle woodwax (Hygrophorus russula): In Europe this species fruits from late summer to late autumn; Turkish GBIF records are from August and December.

Frequently asked questions

Which mushrooms grow in December in Turkey?

According to our guide, 44 species are in season in December, including the edible Shaggy ink cap, Wood ear mushroom, Honey fungus, Oyster mushroom, Saffron milk cap, Common puffball, Poplar mushroom and Black trumpet.

Are there poisonous mushrooms in December?

Yes: Panther cap, Sulphur tuft, Jack-o'-lantern mushroom, Common ink cap and Livid pinkgill.

Which mushrooms start their season in December?

Hairy curtain crust and Barometer earthstar.

Which mushrooms end their season in December?

Shaggy ink cap, Red cage fungus, Panther cap, Sulphur tuft, Saffron milk cap, Poplar mushroom, False death cap, Pinkmottle woodwax, Fairy ring champignon, White dapperling, Weeping bolete, Shaggy parasol, Truffle, Livid pinkgill, Wood blewit, Bloody milk cap and Horse mushroom.

Where in Turkey are most mushrooms recorded in December?

Verified GBIF and iNaturalist records for this month come mostly from Marmara (294), Aegean (108) and Central Anatolia (46).

Is it safe to forage in December?

Only pick species you can identify with certainty; 5 poisonous or deadly species in our guide are in season. In an emergency in Turkey call 112; the poison centre is 114.

Sources

All sources (20)

Other months

Data sources and licences

Observations from GBIF.org (human observations and herbarium specimens; records flagged with geospatial issues excluded) and iNaturalist research-grade records, retrieved 2 November 2026. Macrofungi only (Agaricomycetes, Pezizomycetes), named to species. Every point links to its own record, with the recorder and licence (CC0, CC BY, CC BY-NC).

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Province centres: Wikidata. Region comes from the record's GADM province, or the nearest province centre when missing. For protected species (iNaturalist "threatened" or IUCN VU/EN/CR) locations are rounded to ~10 km; locations obscured by iNaturalist are marked "approximate".

An observation shows that a mushroom was seen there on that day, not that it is there now or that it may be picked. Counts reflect how many people record fungi in an area more than how common a species is.

Last updated: 4 November 2026Prepared by the Poros Mantar editorial teamReport a correction

Mushrooms in December in Turkey

Mushrooms in season in December

The most recorded mushrooms in December

Poisonous look-alikes in December

Records by region in December

Marmara · 294 records

Aegean · 108 records

Central Anatolia · 46 records

Mediterranean · 15 records

Black Sea · 7 records

East and Southeast · 2 records