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Chip Cherries
ExploreFungi
Chip Cherries
leratiomyces ceres
Chip Cherries are colorful mushrooms that look like tiny cherries growing on trees! They are fun to find during nature walks, especially in the forest.
Habitat: Chip Cherries thrive in damp, wooded areas, often found at the base of trees.
Appearance
The Chip Cherries has striking bright red to orange-red caps, often with a paler, yellowish margin. Its small, round caps sit atop a slender white or pale yellowish stem, sometimes growing in scattered groups. This mushroom truly stands out against its woody backdrop.
KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderAgaricalesFamilyStrophariaceaeGenusLeratiomyces
Category
FungiRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
2
Interesting facts
If you crush them, they can sometimes smell faintly like radishes!
Its scientific name, *ceres*, refers to the Roman goddess of agriculture!
The cap can change from deep red to orange as it gets older!
These tiny mushrooms often pop up in gardens using wood chip mulch!
Special abilities
Ability
Warning Colors
Chip Cherries has bright red caps that act as a visual warning, helping to deter animals that might try to eat them.
Ability
Wood Recycler
Chip Cherries can break down dead wood into useful soil nutrients, helping to clear debris and enrich the forest floor.
Ability
Spore Shooter
Chip Cherries releases millions of tiny spores that float on the wind, helping new mushrooms grow far away.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 2-6 cm
- Edibility
- inedible
- Cap Diameter
- 1-4 cm
- Growth Substrate
- wood
- Season
- Summer to Fall
- Spore Color
- Purple-brown
Ecological connections
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Traits
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Arboreal
Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Decomposer
Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Also known as
Cherry MushroomsForest CherriesLittle Red Mushrooms
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Do not touch or eat mushrooms without an adult's help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Chip Cherries?
The easiest way to identify Chip Cherries is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
How tall is Chip Cherries?
2-6 cm
Is Chip Cherries edible?
inedible
How big is Chip Cherries?
1-4 cm
Where is Chip Cherries usually found?
Chip Cherries thrive in damp, wooded areas, often found at the base of trees.
What does Chip Cherries grow on?
wood
When is Chip Cherries in season?
Summer to Fall
What color are Chip Cherries spores?
Purple-brown
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
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Recent Snaps
Dec 26, 2025
Santa Barbara Botanic Gardeni
Photo attribution
(c) Aaron Kreisberg, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Where to spot
Park46 sightings50 species
Washington, US
Pioneer Square
You might spot Rock Pigeon, American Crow, and Olympic Gull.
View guide →
Park30 sightings12 species
California, US
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
You might spot Red-Cage Fungus and Black-Bellied Slender Salamander.
View guide →
Park116 sightings11 species
Washington, US
Gas Works Park
You might spot Canada Goose, Daisy, and Duck.
View guide →
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