In Minecraft, the world is full of unique resources and creatures that have surprising uses. One such example is mushrooms – colorful organisms that can serve not only as food but also play an important role in alchemy, decoration, and even cow breeding.
There are two main types of small mushrooms in the game: brown and red. Both types spawn naturally and share similar properties. They can grow on various types of blocks, be transformed into giant versions using bone meal, and have special lighting requirements – they need dark places or specific blocks in order to grow.
In addition to the two basic types – red and brown – there are also more exotic forms of mushrooms in Minecraft:
- Giant mushrooms, which grow from small ones when bone meal is used on suitable ground and there is enough vertical space. These massive structures resemble trees with caps.
- Crimson Fungus and Warped Fungus – special types found in the Nether. They serve as decoration, a light source, and bait for striders and hoglins.
- Mooshrooms – cows covered in these unique plants, found in two variants: red and brown. The brown Mooshroom has unique abilities, such as producing suspicious stew when fed a flower.
Where to find Mushrooms in Minecraft
Before you can start your own farm, you’ll first need to collect a few mushrooms. They don’t grow everywhere, but there are several key places where you can find them:
- Dark Forest – This is probably the easiest biome to start in. The trees here grow so densely that very little light reaches the ground. You’ll find both red and brown ones scattered among the trees.
- Swamp – An ideal environment for brown ones, which often grow near water, on tree roots, and directly on the ground.
- Caves – A classic location where mushrooms appear quite frequently in dark underground spaces.
- Nether – While this dimension has its own unique mushroom-like fungi (Crimson and Warped Fungus), you can also find red and brown ones in shadowy corners or on various Nether blocks.
- Mushroom Fields – This is the rarest but most abundant biome in the entire game. The entire island is covered in mycelium, a special block that allows mushrooms to grow even in full sunlight. You’ll find entire colonies of these wonderful plants here, along with unique creatures known as Mooshrooms.
- Old Growth Taiga – A dense, overgrown forest filled with massive trees, where mushrooms are more plentiful than in most other biomes.
How to plant Mushrooms in Minecraft
Once you’ve collected a few mushrooms, you can start building your own farm. First, you need to make sure the growing conditions are right.
The substrate – what mushrooms grow on
Mushrooms can grow on regular blocks like dirt, grass, or stone, as long as the light level is low enough. If you want to grow them in brighter areas, you’ll need special blocks. Podzol is a good choice if you want mushrooms to grow in slightly higher light. Mycelium is even better – it allows mushrooms to grow even in full sunlight, which makes it perfect for surface farms. If you’re working in the Nether and growing Crimson or Warped Fungus, you’ll need Nylium – either crimson or warped, depending on the type.
Lighting
If you’re not using podzol or mycelium, you have to keep the light level below 12. Mushrooms won’t spread or grow if it’s too bright. That’s why it’s best to make your farm underground, inside a cave, or in any enclosed space where you can control the lighting easily.
Space requirements
Mushrooms will only grow if there’s enough space around them. Only one mushroom can grow on a single block, and they won’t spread if they’re too crowded. To increase their spread rate, you should plant them about 2–3 blocks apart. If you’re trying to grow giant mushrooms, you’ll need at least 7 blocks of vertical space. Just plant a red or brown mushroom on dirt, podzol, or mycelium, use some bone meal on it, and boom – you’ve got yourself a massive mushroom tree.
