Fall for Fungi in Half Moon Bay

Hello, my name is Jennifer Segale and I’m excited to participate in blogging here at Half Moon Bay Patch. My background is in natural science, namely horticulture — and I love writing about all things dirty, green and interesting! Stay tuned and check in from time to time to peruse my latest garden related rants!

Ahh, Fall.

It’s the time of year for falling leaves, shorter days, root crop-infused meals and the start to the holiday season. I love this time of year, and am especially grateful to experience it on the Half Moon Bay coast. We have gorgeous fields, amazing waves and an abundance of wildlife around town.

One of the most interesting little gems popping up here and there, this time of year, is the Fly Agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria). Although fairly poisonous (and psychoactive), the Fly Agaric mushroom lives symbiotically with pine trees and the acidity their needles and roots produce throughout the year. The Fly Agaric’s iconic red cap with white dots are the fruit part of the body which produces and distributes spores. Beneath the fruiting body is a complex network of fine threads known as hyphae. The hyphae permeate the fungi’s food source (woodland floors, pine needles, dense tree roots, etc.) and absorb all the needed nutrients.

The attached pictures were taken at the entrance to Montara Mountain, a bit north of Ocean View Farms. You can easily come across several “fairy rings” of this fascinating fungi on your way up the mountain. Other areas around Half Moon Bay where I've seen them growing is in pine or spruce groves in Moss Beach, El Granada and throughout Tunitas and Lobitos Creek canyons.

It's awesome to stumble apon these interesting creatures growing so effortlessly here on the coast.

Half Moon Bay is a host to many types of fungi, many of which are safe and edible. However, mushroom hunting should be left to the experts in most cases - so maybe stick to picture taking, as I did. But if you crave experimenting with fungi for culinary purposes, check out these mushroom suppliers and try growing your own:

Far West Fungi 

Fungi Perfecti


Have you noticed any mushrooms growing in your own garden?

Feel free to comment! Tell us what they look like and where they are growing...


For more information about Jennifer, please visit her bio page here on Half Moon Bay Patch and her two websites: Wildflower Farms  Dirty Girl Gardening. She can be reached at 650-726-5883.

To receive news feeds about Half Moon Bay and the unincorporated Coastside between Montara and Pescadero, visit Half Moon Bay Patch on Facebook and "like" us here. Follow us on Twitter here.