Mushrooms in Czechia — where do they grow?
Foraging index (0–10) for dozens of places across Czechia — cities and forest regions. Computed from soil moisture, temperature and rainfall timing.
Places ranked
91 places- 1LiberecLiberecký kraj · Excellent7.5
- 2Krušné horyKarlovarský kraj · Excellent7.5
- 3Jablonec nad NisouLiberecký kraj · Good7.3
- 4KraslickoKarlovarský kraj · Good7.1
- 5České ŠvýcarskoÚstecký kraj · Good6.7
- 6Český rájLiberecký kraj · Good6.7
- 7Jizerské horyLiberecký kraj · Good6.6
- 8FrýdlantskoLiberecký kraj · Good6.6
- 9BroumovskoKrálovéhradecký kraj · Good6.6
- 10Lužické horyLiberecký kraj · Good6.5
- 11Železné horyPardubický kraj · Good6.3
- 12KarvináMoravskoslezský kraj · Good6.2
- 13Šluknovský výběžekÚstecký kraj · Good6.2
- 14KokořínskoStředočeský kraj · Good6.2
- 15DěčínÚstecký kraj · Good6.1
- 16Český lesPlzeňský kraj · Good6.1
- 17OstravaMoravskoslezský kraj · Good6.0
- 18KladnoStředočeský kraj · Good6.0
- 19OpavaMoravskoslezský kraj · Good6.0
- 20RalskoLiberecký kraj · Good6.0
How is the index calculated?
The foraging index combines the factors that drive fruiting, weighted toward moisture:
- Soil moisture (0–7 cm, ~30% weight) — the key variable. Mycelium needs water to fruit.
- Trigger — rain 1–2 weeks ago (~22% weight) — fruiting bodies appear ~7–14 days after heavy rain, so we sum precipitation over the −14 to −4 day window.
- Soil temperature (~18% weight) — optimum around 12–18 °C; frozen soil (below ~2 °C) stops growth.
- Recent rain (last 3 days) (~10% weight) — a freshness top-up.
- Air temperature & humidity (~20% weight) — optimum 12–22 °C and ≥ 75%.
We also dampen the index by season (peak Aug–Oct, but never to zero — spring morels, winter oysters) and tune species by forest type (conifer vs broadleaf). Data: ICON-EU and ECMWF via Open-Meteo. This is an estimate from weather and a soil model, not from real sightings.