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The Splitgill (Schizophyllum commune) is a widespread small fan-shaped fungus that thrives on dead or dying hardwood with white, hairy skin and lengthwise split pseudo-gills. Usually 1–3(5) cm across, fan-shaped, soft when young, turns leathery with age. The upper surface is white or off-white, sometimes with pink tinge, often covered with algae (which makes it green), and it is extremely hairy. The gills are rather delicate pseudo-gills or ridges, not real gills, The species

Mushrooms rise where light fades, feeding on decay, thriving in liminal spaces, and marking the thin places where the veil between worlds softens. To the dark witch, they are omens, guides, and guardians of the unseen. Bringing mushroom statues and décor into your practice invites the energy of the underworld forest, the hidden realms, and the spirits who dwell in the rot and the roots. Here are deep, shadowed, witch-in-the-woods ways to work with them. 1. Craft a Threshold A

There are spirits that grow in the deep green, quiet places, those that whisper when the mist rolls low across the fields. The Liberty Cap, Psilocybe semilanceata, is one such emissary. I’ve always found its presence unsettlingly intelligent, a small, conical herald of altered sight and dangerous freedom. I’ve met the Liberty Cap most often in the dying light of autumn, when the air smells of wet earth and surrender. It grows in the boundary places: among sheep pastures and f

Welcome, wanderer, to my shadowed corner of the web. Amanita Obscura was not always called thus, it began as Fungi Nerd UK, a humble offering to my endless fascination with the strange, the spored, and the silent kingdom beneath our feet. For over six years I have walked among the mushrooms, learning their shapes, scents, and secrets, and their hold on me has only deepened. But my path is twofold. Alongside the study of mycology beats the pulse of magick, folk magick and the

Here’s the beautiful Deer Shield mushroom (Pluteus cervinus)—a humble yet enchanting fungus that often goes under the radar. It was a complete surprise to have found this as we are currently experiencing a heatwave in the UK, but I guess where there is a will, there is a way and mushrooms are tenacious and persistent. Though direct magickal correspondences for this specific species aren’t well documented, we can weave its symbolic and intuitive aspects into a powerful magical

The Brown Roll Rim: Paxillus involutus This mushroom contains a toxin that can be neutralised by lengthy boiling and discarding the water several times but this does not remove other toxins that can build up in the body over time and eventually lead to a rather nasty death. It is eaten in certain parts of Eastern Europe but still leads to deaths every year there. Definitely a mushroom to avoid. Despite having gills this mushroom is closer related to Boletes (mushrooms with po

Here’s a visual feast of the Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystina): those vibrant purple caps catching the autumn light and then fading subtly, revealing the magic behind its name. Botanical & Symbolic Essence The Amethyst Deceiver, mycorrhizal and small yet striking, wears deep purple when moist, then fades to lilac or pale buff—hence its “deceiver” moniker. It thrives in deciduous or coniferous woodlands, often among beech or oak, from late summer into winter. Though edi

Turkey Tail Mushroom (Trametes versicolor) known for its vibrant, multicolored bands resembling the plumage of a wild turkey — holds both medicinal and folkloric significance across cultures, though its mythology is subtle and often woven into broader fungal traditions or local forest lore. In contemporary folk witchcraft, turkey tail is sometimes used as a charm or altar offering to: • Support spiritual resilience and protection, especially in times of grief or illness. • Ai

The bell-shaped mica cap mushrooms grow in clusters on wood debris and stumps, from spring to autumn. The caps appear wet and inky once they mature and begin to release spores. At that point, they can be boiled with cloves to create a useful black ink. Toxicity Mica cap is a poisonous mushroom, gastroenteritis occur 30 minutes to 3 hours after ingestion. Major symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea, sometimes accompanied by sweating, weakness, dizzines