All Posts

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

The Beefsteak Fungus, also called Ox-tongue or Poor Man’s Meat, is a bracket fungus that grows on oak and sweet chestnut. Its uncanny resemblance to raw meat, complete with “bleeding” red juice, has given it a place in folklore as a symbol of vitality, sacrifice, and decay-into-renewal. While edible, its tart, acidic taste makes it more a curiosity than a delicacy. Identification Guide Where it grows: Found on oak and chestnut trees, either parasitic on living trunks or sapro

If you like fungi then you have to also have an interest in trees because trees and mushrooms are deeply, almost magically, entwined in both ecology and folklore. Beneath the forest floor, trees live in a deep partnership with fungi. Their roots intertwine with delicate fungal threads, mycelium, forming a hidden network that sustains them both. The fungi draw up water and minerals from the soil, while the trees, in return, gift them sugars created through photosynthesis. Thi

On my morning walk through the woods, I was suddenly stopped in my tracks by an awful stench, like death, rotting flesh, and excrement all at once. At first, I assumed it was the remains of some unlucky creature, perhaps a fox’s leftover meal. But as I searched the undergrowth, I discovered around eight stinkhorns in different stages of decay. Suddenly, the terrible smell made perfect sense. Despite their grotesque odor, I couldn’t help but let out a little squeal of exciteme

Dryad’s Saddle (Polyporus squamosus), one of the easier-to-spot bracket fungi in the UK: Dryad’s Saddle – Identification Guide 🍄 Shape & Form: Large, fan- or saddle-shaped bracket fungus. Can grow singly, in small clusters, or overlapping tiers. Resembles a seat or “saddle” growing from the side of a tree (hence the name). 🍄 Size: Caps commonly 10–60 cm across (can be very large). Can weigh several kilograms when mature. 🍄 Cap Surface: Cream to yellow-brown background. Cov

I have a beautiful woodland walk not too far from where I live, I take my dog Boo there most days, not a lot of people know about it so I very rarely see anyone else there. I tend to take the same route through the woods, I’m a creature of habit and deviating from the norm is difficult for me. During my daily walk yesterday I had an overwhelming urge to take a different route, I followed that thread of intuition and curiosity and I’m so glad I did as I was rewarded whit the m

You can use fungi in many ways, spellwork, divination, spirit connection and much more. Here is a short script for invocating the Dryads Saddle to help with your workings, it can be used on its own or as part if a larger ritual. Just do what comes naturally to you. Set the space: Place a small offering at the base of a tree (a little water, herbs, or grain). If indoors, use a wooden token,image of or a dried piece of Dryad’s Saddle. Begin with grounding breath. Touch the eart

I love Cornwall, whenever I visit it feels like I’m coming home, alas I am cursed to forever reside in the Midlands (or at least until the kids get older) so ive resigned myself to the occasional visit. When I do visit I always make a special effort to go to Minster Church, this beautiful small church is at the top of the Valency Valley and has much of its own history and folklore ( I will do a separate post this week). If you make your way to the bottom of the graveyard via

Yellow Stainer mushroom (Agaricus xanthodermus), it’s a mushroom with powerful symbolism because it looks edible but is toxic and reveals its true nature only when bruised or cut, turning yellow. This mushroom isn’t for beginners, it has many harmless, edible lookalikes so is especially difficult to identify if foraging for culinary reasons. You will need to engage your sense of smell for this one as it gives off a strong chemical odour, especially when warmed in a microwave.

September marks the true beginning of mushroom season here in the UK, and by the time the equinox arrives, the woods are alive with fungi. This year, everything seems to have fruited early and in abundance, berries, nuts, and, of course, mushrooms. My favorite of them all is, without a doubt, the iconic Amanita muscaria. Just this past Sunday, I stumbled upon a beautiful patch growing locally, a true treasure. I’ve already begun harvesting and carefully preparing them to use

Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) is one of the most iconic and mysterious mushrooms in folklore. Discover its connection to witches, shamans, cunning folk, and the spirit world — and how it came to symbolize magic, liminality, and transformation. The Red-Capped Spirit of the Forest Fly agaric is perhaps the most recognizable mushroom in the world, the red cap with white specks that looks plucked from the pages of a fairytale. Botanists call it Amanita muscaria, but in the lore o

Boletus edulis (the king bolete, porcini, penny bun mushroom) Magickal Correspondences of Boletus edulis (Porcini / Penny Bun) 🍄‍🟫 Element: Earth 🍄‍🟫 Planet: Jupiter (abundance, growth, prosperity) 🍄‍🟫 Zodiac: Taurus & Cancer (nurturing, stability, fertility) 🍄‍🟫 Gender: Masculine Symbolism & Energetic Qualities 🍄‍🟫 Prosperity & Wealth – As a prized edible mushroom, it symbolizes luck, harvest, and financial gain. 🍄‍🟫 Fertility & Growth – Its thick, fleshy fruitin

Folklore of Boletus edulis (Porcini / Penny Bun) 🍄‍🟫Forest Spirit’s Gift🍄‍🟫 In Slavic, Baltic, and Central European folklore, porcini are believed to be gifts of the Leshy (forest guardian spirit). Finding a large, healthy porcini was a sign of the Leshy’s favor, and sometimes a token of safe passage through the woods. 🍄‍🟫 “Penny Bun” in England 🍄‍🟫 In Britain, the mushroom is called the penny bun because its rounded, golden-brown cap resembles a little bread roll. Th