You’re Not Tripping—These Mushrooms Really Glow in the Dark

From the freakishly stunning Enigma to the lesser-known yet powerful Pluteus americanus, there’s no shortage of mushroom varieties with unique traits—some even glow in the dark! Encountering a forest floor or decaying wood lit up by the soft glow of bioluminescent mushrooms can be a magical and mesmerizing experience, creating an otherworldly atmosphere in the dark of night. But why does this phenomenon occur?

Glowing Fungi? Why Some Mushrooms Glow in the Dark

Scientists have been studying bioluminescent mushrooms for quite some time, but it wasn’t until recently that they finally unraveled the mystery behind their glow. A group of researchers uncovered the mushrooms’ secret—they utilize oxyluciferin molecules, an enzyme called luciferase, and oxygen, which are the same light-producing substances present in other luminescent creatures and plants.

“On a chemical level, bioluminescence in mushrooms is caused by a group of compounds called ‘luciferins,’” says Dr. K Mandrake, PhD and co-author of the Psilocybin Mushroom Bible. Luciferin comes from the Latin root for “light-bearing.” Mandrake explains that luciferins “react with oxygen and enzymes under certain conditions to produce bluish-green light.”

“Interestingly,” he tells DoubleBlind in an email, “this mechanism is identical across all bioluminescent fungal species.” Currently, scientists know of around 100 mushroom species that glow in the dark—and most grow on wood. Mandrake says that the fact that they all produce luciferins “suggests that bioluminescence evolved early on in fungal history, and the trait has been retained by different species as they evolved.”   

Yet, exactly why some mushrooms evolved to glow in the dark is uncertain. Some research suggests that mushrooms glow to attract insects, which may help the mushrooms spread spores. To test the hypothesis, scientists conducted an experiment employing synthetic mushrooms equipped with green LED lights that emit a glow reminiscent of the fungal bioluminescence found in nature. Remarkably, these plastic mushrooms managed to attract a diverse array of insects, suggesting that these insects aid in the distribution of spores. This collaborative effort contributes to the survival of these mushroom species, which, unfortunately, don’t have legs to spread their spores themselves—yet.

READ: How To Identify Magic Mushrooms: Step-by-Step

What Kind of Mushrooms Glow in the Dark? A Brief List of Bioluminescent Mushrooms

Now that we have a better idea of why certain mushroom species “shine bright like a diamond,” let’s dive into some of the, ahem, trippier species around the world. From the richly diverse Amazon in the Ribeira Valley to the tropical and humid jungles of Southeast Asia, plenty of shrooms light up the night. Here are a few of our favorites:

Green Pepe (Mycena chlorophos)

Found only in the rain forests near Sao Paulo, these thin, wispy mushrooms might not be much to look at during the day, but the fungus has a dazzling performance at night. The mushroom displays caps resembling tiny parachutes shooting up from their hair-like base. Initially, these caps appear as dark grayish-brown, transitioning into shades of grayish-yellow or pale grayish-brown as they mature. The delicate stems, which are thin, cylindrical, and hollow, are enveloped in a thick gel and emit consistent yellow-green bioluminescence; however, the caps themselves do not glow.

  ​   DoubleBlind Mag Read More