Mushroom Guru · South Africa · Edible Field Guide

Edible
Mushrooms

A guide to wild and cultivated edible species found in South Africa — identification, season, habitat, and preparation. Click View Now on any species for full details.

21Wild Species
11Spawn Available
SAContext
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Showing 32 species
Mushroom Guru Shop — Grain Spawn

Cultivated species — available to grow at home

All species below are available as professional-grade grain spawn from our 250m² GMP-aligned facility in Strand. Produced on red sorghum, HEPA-filtered inoculation, dual-stage sterilisation — the same standard as our medicinal extracts. Browse all spawn →

South African Edible Field Guide

All edible species — wild and cultivated

□ Russula capensis
Russula capensis Cape Russula

Vivid pink-purple cap, brittle chalk-like flesh. Mycorrhizal with pine and fynbos.…

Wild · Edible
□ Boletus badius
Imleria badia Bay Boletus

Bay-brown cap; pores turn blue-green when bruised. Under conifers.…

Wild · Edible
□ Amanita rubescens
Amanita rubescens The Blusher

Flesh blushes pink-red when cut or damaged. This mushroom is toxic when raw.…

Wild · Edible with care
□ Agaricus campestris
Agaricus campestris Field Mushroom

Classic SA grassland mushroom. Pink gills turning chocolate-brown. White spore print — NO.…

Wild · Edible
□ leccinum duriusculum
Leccinum duriusculum Poplar Boletus

Grey-brown cap with dark scabers on stipe. Exclusively under poplar trees.…

Wild · Edible
□ Boletus edulis
Boletus edulis Porcini / Penny Bun

King of edible mushrooms. Brown cap, reticulate stipe, cream pores. Never blues.…

Wild · Edible ★
□ Pine ring
Lactarius deliciosus Pine Ring / Saffron Milk Cap

Bleeds carrot-orange latex. Exclusively under pine. Concentric ring zones on cap.…

Wild · Edible
□ Coprinus comatus
Coprinus comatus Shaggy Ink-cap

Must harvest young and white — autodigests to black ink. Delicate flavour.…

Wild · Time-critical
□ Suillus luteus
Suillus luteus Slippery Jack

Persistently slimy brown cap. Yellow pores. Ring on stipe. Exclusively under pine.…

Wild · Edible
□ Laetiporus sulphureus
Laetiporus sulphureus Chicken of the Woods

Vivid sulphur-yellow overlapping brackets on wood. Chicken-like texture when young.…

Wild · Edible
□ Macrolepiota procera
Macrolepiota procera White Parasol

Large parasol cap up to 30cm. Snake-skin stipe pattern. Moveable ring.…

Wild · Edible
□ Lepista nuda
Lepista nuda Wood Blewit

Distinctive violet-purple gills and stipe. Late autumn to winter. Cook thoroughly.…

Wild · Edible
□ Cantharellus cibarius
Cantharellus cibarius Golden Chanterelle

False forking ridges (not true gills). Apricot scent. Under pine and oak.…

Wild · Edible
□ Calvatia gigantea
Calvatia gigantea Giant Puffball

Football to beach-ball sized. Pure white flesh throughout = safe to eat. Slice to confirm.…

Wild · Edible
□ Flammulina velutipes
Flammulina velutipes Velvet Shank

Dark velvety stipe base. Honey-coloured cap. Fruits in winter through frost.…

Wild · Edible
□ Craterellus cornucopioides
Craterellus cornucopioides Horn of Plenty

Deep black funnel with no gills. Extraordinary intense flavour when dried.…

Wild · Edible
□ Morchella esculenta
Morchella esculenta Morel

Honeycomb hollow cap. Spring fruiting. MUST COOK — toxic raw.…

Wild · Edible (cooked only)
□ Armillaria mellea
Armillaria mellea Honey Fungus

Clusters at tree bases. White spore print confirms. Cook thoroughly.…

Wild · Edible (cooked only)
□ Sparassis crispa
Sparassis crispa Cauliflower Fungus

Large ruffled creamy-white mass at base of pine. Also medicinally significant.…

Wild · Edible
□
Auricularia auricula-judae Wood Ear

Ear-shaped gelatinous bracket on dead elder wood. Widely used in Asian cuisine.…

Wild · Edible
□ fistulina hepatica
Fistulina hepatica Beefsteak Fungus

Bleeds red juice when cut. Tongue-shaped. On living oak. Young specimens best.…

Wild · Edible
□ Pleurotus ostreatus
Pleurotus ostreatus Grey Oyster

Fruiting Temp: 18–21°C · Substrate: Wheat or barley straw…

□ Spawn Available
□ Pleurotus columbinus
Pleurotus columbinus Blue Oyster

Fruiting Temp: 8–12°C · Substrate: Wheat or barley straw…

□ Spawn Available
□ Golden Oyster
Pleurotus citrinopileatus Golden Oyster

Fruiting Temp: 20–28°C · Substrate: Wheat or barley straw…

□ Spawn Available
□ Elf Oyster
Pleurotus pulmonarius Elf Oyster

Fruiting Temp: 18–24°C · Substrate: Wheat or barley straw…

□ Spawn Available
□ Elm Oyster
Hypsizygus ulmarius Elm Oyster

Fruiting Temp: 16–22°C · Substrate: Hardwood supplemented substrate…

□ Spawn Available
□ Indian Oyster
Pleurotus floridanus Indian Oyster

Fruiting Temp: 24–32°C · Substrate: Supplemented wheat straw…

□ Spawn Available
□ King Oyster
Pleurotus eryngii King Oyster

Fruiting Temp: 12–18°C · Substrate: Supplemented hardwood…

□ Spawn Available
□ Shiitake (Warm)
Lentinula edodes Shiitake (Warm)

Fruiting Temp: 18–25°C · Substrate: Hardwood logs or supplemented sawdust…

□ Spawn Available
□ Beech Mushroom
Hypsizygus tessulatus Shimeji / Beech Mushroom

Fruiting Temp: 13–18°C · Substrate: Supplemented hardwood…

□ Spawn Available
□ Agrocybe / Swordbelt
Cyclocybe aegerita Agrocybe / Swordbelt

Fruiting Temp: 18–24°C · Substrate: Supplemented hardwood or straw…

□ Spawn Available
□ Chestnut Mushroom
Pholiota adiposa Chestnut Mushroom

Fruiting Temp: 12–18°C · Substrate: Supplemented hardwood…

□ Spawn Available
Always confirm identification with an expert before consuming any wild mushroom. "When in doubt, throw it out".  ·  Disclaimer  ·  ©2026 Mushroom Guru (Pty) Ltd

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