NZ's Fungus of the Year 2026
17 April 2026 - 17 June 2026
Region(s): Nationwide
Type(s): competitions
Vote for your favourite fungus, or maybe vote for a fungus that is threatened, or culturally important, or edible, or (on the negative side) one that’s causing an important disease.
Fungi are a very large and often overlooked part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. As a Kingdom entirely separate from plants, and more closely related to animals, fungi come in so many shapes, colours and forms. This promotion was run some years ago when the ‘sky blue mushroom’ (as featured on our $50 banknote) gained the most votes, so that has been removed as one of the 12 options for 2026.
Candidates
Beech strawberry – Food for kererū during spring
Cyttaria species (beech strawberry)
The name of this fungus is not known in Māori. The fungus forms on galls on branches often high up in native beech trees.
Te Āwheto / Vegetable caterpillar – Used by Māori as black pigment for ta moko (tattooing)
Discover more about this amazing species here.
Vegetable caterpillar fungi
Dr Peter Buchanan introduces – the vegetable caterpillar fungus. Native to New Zealand, this fungus invades moth caterpillars and turns them into mummies!
Select here to view video transcript and copyright information.
Bird’s nest fungus – With egg-like packets of spores in a tiny ‘nest’, spread by rain droplets!
Myrtle rust – Invasive rust fungus causing damaging plant disease
Find out more about Myrtle rust, this article includes an interactive timeline covering the history of detecting this fungus in New Zelaland.
Myrtle rust disease progression
Myrtle rust is most likely to attack new growth on plants belonging to the Myrtaceae (myrtle) family. These images showing how the disease progresses are from A guide to identifying myrtle rust and can be downloaded from the MPI website.
Facial eczema fungus – Causing a serious disease of sheep and cattle
Te Harore / Lemon honey mushroom – Common in winter and bioluminescent at night
Honey mushroom
The edible Armillaria novae-zelandiae has been recorded as a disease-causing fungus for some introduced crop plants.
Orange coral fungus – This elegant fungus connects with roots of native beech trees and tea tree to help them to grow!
Te Puapuatai / Sea anemone fungus – Beautifully bright red, and a bad smell
Te Hakeke / Wood ear – Aotearoa’s only native mushroom export
Read some more about this fungi here.
Fischer’s egg – One of Aotearoa’s most threatened species
Purple pouch fungus – Helping native beech trees to grow
Blue-green elf cup – Striking blue-green fruitbodies with underlying wood stained a similar colour
For more information and to place your vote: https://interactives.landcareresearch.co.nz/foty/.
Related content
All about fungi looks at what fungi are and where we can find them, it also includes links to our other fungi resources. Learn about different uses of fungi in Māori knowledge and use of fungi.
Discover more by exploring the range of content under our fungi topic.
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