How to Identify Poisonous Mushrooms

Co-authored by Michael Simpson, PhD

Last Updated: January 25, 2024 References

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Learning how to identify poisonous mushrooms is the most important part of foraging for edible mushrooms. Amanita is a very common genus of mushroom, and some of the most toxic types of mushrooms belong in this group. Check the visual characteristics of the mushrooms and the spore print. There are also many edible species that have toxic look-alikes. Learn how to identify poisonous mushrooms effectively with a field guide and by joining a local mycological group.

Things You Should Know

Look out for dangerous Amanita mushrooms, which can be identified by their white gills and dry, umbrella caps.^{[1]
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Toxic Galerina, jack o'lantern, shaggy parasols, and false morel mushrooms have lookalikes. Learn to distinguish them to stay safe.
Studying up in field guides and with mycological groups can help you become an expert at identifying poisonous mushrooms.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Defining Characteristics of Amanita Mushrooms

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1
Look at the color of the mushroom. The majority of Amanita mushrooms fall into the color range of red, orange, yellow, white, or grey. Some Amanita mushrooms also stain red if they are broken or bruised.
- While many mushrooms that fall within this color range are Amanita mushrooms, you cannot identify an Amanita mushroom based on color alone. Also, check the other characteristics such as cap shape and the presence of scales or warts to help you with the classification.
Amanita mushrooms have a cap that looks like a very wide, upside down letter “U”. This cap shape can also be described as a parasol.^{[2]
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3
See if the cap is dry, or if it looks slimy. All Amanita mushrooms have dry caps, which means that they don’t have a slimy or wet appearance like many other varieties. Feel the cap, and see if it feels dry to touch or if it feels wet or sticky.
- If it has been raining recently and you are unsure about whether the cap is actually slimy, or if it just precipitation, then set the mushroom aside for a day or two, and see if it dries.
4
Look for scales or warts on the mushroom cap. Many Amanita mushrooms have off-colored patches on the cap, which make the mushroom stand out. These could be slightly brown scales on white mushrooms, or white warts on red mushrooms.^{[3]
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- Warts tend to look like rows of tiny, raised dots.
- Patches on a mushroom are the remaining parts of the universal veil that surrounded it when it was young.
5
Dig up the mushroom to look for a bulbous cup around the base. Use a pocket knife to gently remove the mushroom from the ground. The base at the bottom of the stem will be a very rounded, cup shape.^{[4]
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- Not all mushrooms have a bulbous base, which makes this indicator a good way to distinguish Amanita mushrooms.
- This part of the mushroom is also part of the universal veil from when it was young.
- When you are digging the mushroom out, cut deeply around the base to avoid cutting into the base itself. This is because the bulbous cup is usually very delicate and can be easily torn.
6
Look for a ring just below the mushroom cap. Many Amanita mushrooms have a distinct ring around the stem. It is the same color as the stem, and it may not always be possible to spot.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Michael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional Biologist

Expert Interview. 25 June 2021.}^{[6]
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- You will have to either look at the mushroom from the ground-up or dig the mushroom out of the ground to see the ring.
- The ring is called the annulus or the partial veil, and it is the part of the stem that tore away as the mushroom grew taller.
Turn the mushroom upside down, and check the color of the gills. Amanita mushrooms usually have white or very pale gills, which is an easy way to distinguish them as poisonous from other mushrooms.^{[7]
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Take a spore print of the mushroom and check that the print is white. Cut the stem away from the mushroom cap using a pocket knife. Gently push down on the cap to press the gills onto a dark piece of paper. Wait overnight, and check that the spores on the paper are white.^{[8]
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- There are a few Amanita mushrooms that don’t have white or pale gills, however, these types will also produce a white spore print. This can help you to feel more certain in your identification.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Identifying Look-Alike Mushrooms

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1
Distinguish true from false morels by looking at the cap shape and interior. True morels have a cap that is fully attached to the stem, whereas false morels have a cap that freely hangs from the stem. Slice the cap in half lengthwise and examine the cap interior. True morels will be completely hollow inside the cap, from the tip to the bottom of the cap which is attached to the stem. Contrastingly, false morels will have a dimpled appearance in the cap interior, which looks cotton-like and fibrous.^{[9]
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- Furthermore, the cap of a true morel is usually uniform and longer than the stem, whereas the cap of a false morel is often irregular, looks squashed, and is shorter than the stem.
2
Take a spore print to identify green-spored parasols from shaggy parasols. Both of these mushroom species look similar to the white button mushrooms that are found in supermarkets. The green-spored parasol is toxic and can have serious consequences if it's consumed, whereas the shaggy parasol is edible. The spore print of a green-spored parasol mushroom will be either green or grey, whereas a shaggy parasol will produce a cream spore print.^{[10]
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- In North America, the green-spored parasol is the most commonly consumed toxic species of mushroom. It usually grows during summer and fall, particularly after heavy rains.^{[11]
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3
Check the gills to distinguish chanterelles from Jack o'lanterns. Chanterelle mushrooms have false gills which means that they cannot be separated from the cap without the gills breaking. Contrastingly, Jack o'lantern mushrooms have true gills, and these are forked, knife-like, and can be removed without damaging the cap.^{[12]
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- Chanterelle gills also look as though they have melted.
- The distribution of the mushrooms can also indicate the species. Chanterelles only grow near trees and don't grow in large groups. Jack o'lanterns grow in dense clusters and can grow where there are no trees, such as in the middle of a field.
- Chanterelle mushrooms are safe to consume, while Jack o'lantern mushrooms are very toxic.^{[13]
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Identify honey mushrooms from deadly Galerina with a spore print. The safe, edible honey mushrooms produce a white spore print, while deadly Galerina mushrooms give a spore print that's rusty brown. Honey mushrooms also tend to have a larger veil than Galerina mushrooms.^{[14]
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- These mushroom species look very alike and often grow in similar locations, such as along the same tree stump. It's easy to be foraging for honey mushrooms and to accidentally add deadly Galerina into your basket, which is why it's important to check every mushroom individually.^{[15]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Educating Yourself About Mushrooms

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1
Join a mycological group to learn how to identify different types. Use a search engine to find a mycological group that is local to you. Attend meetings and go foraging with experts to learn how to identify edible mushrooms from the poisonous types in your area. It's always best to consult an expert before consuming any wild mushrooms.^{[16]
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Expert Source

Michael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional Biologist

Expert Interview. 25 June 2021.}^{[17]
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- A local group is often the best way to educate yourself about mushrooms because they will be experts on the mushrooms found in your area. Mushrooms differ significantly across regions, so knowing what is safe where you go foraging is invaluable knowledge.^{[18]
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2
Purchase a local field guide to learn about the mushrooms in your area. Field guides can be obtained from local bookstores or online. Choose one that is as specific to your area as possible, as this will be representative of the mushroom varieties that you will see when you are foraging.^{[19]
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- Your local library is another place to look for mushroom reference guides.
- If you have joined a mycological group, they will probably be able to recommend the best field guide for your region.
3
Separate the mushrooms that you find into 2 groups. Have 1 group for positively identified mushrooms only and the other group for mushrooms that you are uncertain about. Bring 2 baskets with you while you are foraging for wild mushrooms, and place the mushrooms that you are certain that are edible in one, and mushrooms that you are unsure about in the other. Take the mushrooms that you are unsure about to an expert to get them identified.^{[20]
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Expert Source

Michael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional Biologist

Expert Interview. 25 June 2021.}^{[21]
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- You can’t get sick just from touching a toxic mushroom. It needs to be cooked or consumed first.
- Some mushroom types are very delicate and can easily break into pieces. This means that separating the safe, edible mushrooms from those that you are unsure about is especially important, as you don’t want small pieces of poisonous mushrooms mixed in with the edible group.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Is distinguishing edible from poisonous mushrooms easy?

Michael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional Biologist
Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.

Michael Simpson, PhD

Registered Professional Biologist

Expert Answer

Not really. There is no single, obvious trait that will tell you whether a mushroom is poisonous before you eat it. There are some defining traits, but they aren't always easy to see and aren't always present.

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When you buy mushrooms in the supermarket how can you be sure toxic ones are not included in the batch?

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Because farmers actually grow the mushrooms for safe consumption. They don’t just sell any random mushrooms they find.

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I have a beautiful white mushroom that looks like a big white rock, very close to the ground with no discernable stem. Is it safe to eat?

Community Answer

Don't eat it unless an expert has personally identified it. It sounds like a giant puffball, caltavia gigantea, which tastes like tofu.

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Due to the massive number of mushroom species, there are no truly clear-cut rules about identifying poisonous mushrooms from edible ones. Following a few strict guidelines about the characteristics to look for to identify the Amanita genus is by no means an exhaustive list of all of the poisonous types, and similarly, some safe, edible types will fall within these guidelines too.^{[22]
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Warnings

Look-alike mushrooms are common. This occurs when poisonous varieties resemble the safe, edible types. This is also why having the correct identification is of the utmost importance.

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Never consume a wild mushroom unless a mycologist (mushroom identification expert) has said that the mushroom is edible. Consuming wild mushrooms without having the correct identification for them is dangerous and can have deadly consequences.

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Seek emergency medical attention if you have consumed an unidentified wild mushroom, or you have symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or difficulty breathing after eating wild mushrooms.^{[23]
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U.S. National Capital Poison Center
Independent poison control center providing resources to prevent poisonings and save lives

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Many types of mushrooms differ in appearance based on the climate and environment where they grow. Therefore, having the correct identification for a mushroom in one location does not mean that you will be able to correctly identify the same mushroom in a different location.^{[24]
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