Species map · Pleurotus ostreatus
Oyster mushroom map of Turkey: where and when it grows
Our map holds 45 verified records of the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) from 11 provinces of Turkey. Most come from Bolu, İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir; records peak in October, November and December.
- records
- 45
- provinces
- 11
- regions
- 5
- latest record
- Oct 2026
Records by province
- Marmara 16
- Black Sea 14
- Central Anatolia 11
- Aegean 2
- Mediterranean 2
Linked provinces have their own page with every species recorded there. Record density also reflects where observers work.
Which months?
This page covers only where and when the species is recorded in Turkey. For identification and edibility, see the species page. Built from research-grade, geo-referenced GBIF and iNaturalist records, refreshed at the start of every month.
Poisonous look-alikes of the oyster mushroom
- Lentinellus species Lentinellus spp. Poisonous
- Ivory funnel Clitocybe dealbata Poisonous
Records by region: Marmara 16; Black Sea 14; Central Anatolia 11; Aegean 2; Mediterranean 2. Most records come from Bolu, İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Karaman, Kırklareli, Burdur and Balıkesir.
Records peak in October, November and December; about 57% of dated records fall in September–November and 8% in March–May.
Wild oyster mushrooms fruit in the cool months, into January–February in southern Europe, and in Turkey GBIF records also cluster between October and March. Cultivated oyster mushrooms are produced all year round.
The oyster mushroom is a saprotroph, a wood decomposer that causes white rot. It grows in clusters on dead or dying trunks and branches of broadleaf trees, especially beech and oak.
Lentinellus species (Lentinellus spp., poisonous): Some species are toxic; gill edges are jagged and the cap finely hairy.
Ivory funnel (Clitocybe dealbata, poisonous): Contains muscarine; grows from soil in grass, not on wood.
King oyster (Pleurotus eryngii, edible): A related edible species with a thick, fleshy stem, usually growing singly.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the oyster mushroom grow in Turkey?
Most records come from Bolu, İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir and Karaman.
When does the oyster mushroom fruit in Turkey?
Records peak in October, November and December.
Which province has the most oyster mushroom records?
Bolu, followed by İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir. The order also reflects where observers are active.
What habitat does the oyster mushroom prefer?
The oyster mushroom is a saprotroph, a wood decomposer that causes white rot. It grows in clusters on dead or dying trunks and branches of broadleaf trees, especially beech and oak.
Can I pick mushrooms where they are recorded?
A record is not a permit. Commercial picking in state forests needs a permit; picking in national parks is prohibited.
How current is this map?
Records are re-fetched from GBIF and iNaturalist at the start of every month and this page updates automatically.
What should I do in case of mushroom poisoning?
Call 112 at once; Turkey's poison centre is 114.
Sources
- 6831 sayılı Orman Kanunu (mevzuat.gov.tr) mevzuat.gov.tr
- 2873 sayılı Millî Parklar Kanunu, md. 14 (mevzuat.gov.tr) mevzuat.gov.tr
- GBIF ve iNaturalist: Türkiye gözlem kayıtları (sitemizin haritası) gbif.org
All sources (6)
- Wikipedia (EN): Pleurotus ostreatus en.wikipedia.org
- Vikipedi (TR): Kavak mantarı tr.wikipedia.org
- First Nature: Pleurotus ostreatus first-nature.com
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: Prepared by the Poros Mantar editorial teamReport a correction