Foraging for mushrooms in the wild is a fun and satisfying way to “hunt” for your dinner. But it’s important to be careful when searching for delicious fungi.
Many mushrooms are edible and even medicinal, but there are also many mushrooms that are poisonous. Some poisonous fungi even mimic the appearance of their edible cousins. For example, you may come across poisonous mushrooms that look like morels but you must be cautious and knowledgeable about how to identify these impostors.
Here’s a guide to 4 common poisonous mushrooms you may encounter in the wild.
1. False Morels
Those who love mushrooms usually love morels. This springtime delicacy is tender and bursting with a woodsy flavor but beware because lurking are poisonous mushrooms that look like morels.
Morels can be found near dead trees in colder climates. Unfortunately, the same can be said of false morels, a category that encompasses several species of poisonous morel-like mushrooms.
Eating a false morel isn’t always fatal. In fact, some people forage and cook these mushrooms just like a traditional morel. The problem is that some mushrooms have a higher concentration of poison than others. And some people are more sensitive to the poison than others. If a person with a high sensitivity to the poison eats a mushroom that has a high concentration of poison, symptoms could occur, which include diarrhea, vomiting, and eventually death.
There are a few different species that resemble a true morel, or the Morchella genus of fungi, including the Gabled False Morel or Big Red False Morel. In some parts of Europe, the Gyromitra esculenta has a controversial toxic status, listed in some parts as edible while there are also contradictory reports of poisoning.
The Verpa bohemica also has an unclear toxic status, with some reports of poisonings, or issues that cause gastrointestinal disorders. Other varieties of poisonous mushrooms resemble morels, and once dried, are particularly difficult to identify. Since the morel genus itself has many varieties, it can be easy to confuse the morel for another mushroom.
How to Identify a False Morel
Morels have a conical shaped cap, like a thimble, that is covered with pits and ridges that make them look like a pinecone or a sponge. If you’re foraging for morels, they are most often differentiated by color, such as yellow morels (Morchella esculenta), white morels (Morchella rufobrunnea and Morchella anatolica) and black morels (Morchella elata being one).
When you cut open a true morel, it’s hollow inside from the tip of the cap through the stem. A false morel – which can be poisonous – has a dense, not hollow stalk. The inside of the stalk will be filled with chunks of tissue or fibers.
2. Death Cap
Death Cap mushrooms are aptly named, since a few bites are all it takes to kill you. It’s also devious because it’s supposedly tasty, symptoms don’t appear for a day or two after ingestion, and death can take up to a week to occur.
The other reason this species is particularly deadly is because it has a tendency to thrive in urban environments. In Canada, the Vancouver area had a widespread outbreak of Death Cap mushrooms, resulting in the death of a child.
Death Caps look innocent and don’t have the characteristic bitter taste of most poisonous plants. Then, once symptoms begin to appear, the damage has already begun.
How to Identify a Death Cap
Death Caps are sometimes mistaken for the non-poisonous Paddy Straw mushroom. Death Cap mushrooms have a round white or silverish cap on top and a pure white stem. Sometimes the cap develops a green or yellow tint. Caps are about 3-6 inches across, and grow close to the ground, under bushes and shrubs. Death Caps also have white spores, and give off an unpleasant smell like a cleaning solution of ammonia.
Death Cap mushrooms have white gills, where other mushrooms like the Paddy Straw have pink to pinkish brown gills. Young Death Caps are very rounded and then flatten out as they mature. The edible Puffball mushroom sometimes looks similar to an immature Death Cap, but the Puffball does not have gills.
With this one, if there’s any doubt, it’s best to err on the side of caution and avoid picking or eating it.
3. Destroying Angel
Destroying Angel mushrooms are related to Death Caps, and are nearly as deadly. Destroying Angel mushrooms account for most of the poisonous mushroom-related deaths because treatment is difficult. By the time symptoms occur, around five hours after ingestion, irreversible damage has already been done to the victim’s liver and kidneys.
Death Caps and Destroying Angels both contain amatoxins, a toxic compound that is lethal even in small doses, as little as half a mushroom. The toxins are not destroyed by heat either, so cooking the mushrooms does not diminish their lethal effects.
How to Identify a Destroying Angel
Destroying Angel mushrooms have a white, bulbous cap and a thick stem, so they closely resemble Puffball mushrooms. To tell the difference between the two, watch for the Destroying Angel’s white stem and gills, with gills that are not attached to the stem.
The Destroying Angel also has what’s called a “universal veil,” which is a membrane that encapsulates the entire mushroom when it’s young, kind of like an egg. As the mushroom grows and expands, the membrane breaks apart, leaving parts of it at the base of the stem, and patches on the cap surface. Watch for this broken membrane at the base of the stem as a hallmark of the Destroying Angel.
4. Jack O’Lantern
Jack O’Lantern mushrooms got their name from their characteristic orange color. These poisonous mushrooms grow in clusters and have gills, which helps to differentiate them from the similar looking Chanterelles.
Deaths from Jack O’Lanterns are fairly rare, but it’s still worth watching out for them. These mushrooms contain a toxin that leads to severe cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Because they closely resemble Chanterelles, one of the most prized edible mushrooms on the planet, it’s important to know the difference.
How to Identify a Jack O’Lantern
The Jack O’Lantern mushroom is orange but also has bioluminescence, or a blue-green color in its gills. In low light conditions, therefore, the gills appear to glow, similar to a firefly.
Jack O’Lanterns also have true, sharp, non-forking gills, one of the easiest ways to distinguish them from a Chanterelle. When the Jack O’Lantern’s stem is peeled, the inside is orange. The Chanterelle doesn’t glow in the dark, doesn’t have gills, and when peeled, the inside of the stem is paler than the orange Jack O’Lantern.
The Effects of Mushroom Poisoning
Now you know about four of the most common poisonous mushrooms, and that may lead you to wonder about the effects of ingesting one of these mushrooms.
Inedible mushrooms each contain different toxins, which means the effects and the toxicity can be different depending on the type of mushroom.
Muscimol, for instance, is a toxin that can be potentially deadly, but can also cause depression of the central nervous system and hallucinations. Orellanine can cause kidney failure within three weeks of ingesting it. Phallotoxin causes extreme gastrointestinal upset.
Different symptoms are caused by different toxins, and serious effects don’t always occur right after earring the mushrooms. The most common side effect from a poisonous mushroom is gastrointestinal issues, and there usually aren’t any long-term effects. But there are those mushrooms with toxins that cause deadly side effects, so it’s worth being cautious.
General Treatment And First Aid For Poisonous Mushrooms
The first step in avoiding issues is to be certain of the variety before ingesting any type of mushroom. If you’re foraging for mushrooms, use a local field guide, consult local experts, and be certain you know what poisonous mushrooms to avoid in your area.
When it comes to eating mushrooms, ingest only those that you can be certain are non-poisonous, be sure to cook them, and then eat only small amounts. Don’t eat spoiled or rotten mushrooms. If you can’t verify what the mushroom type is, don’t eat it. It’s better to err on the side of caution if there’s any doubt as to the type of mushroom.
And if you’re still wondering: how to tell if a mushroom is poisonous? Buy them from the store and forage for enjoyment only. After all, you don’t usually hear the question: Are button mushrooms poisonous? They are one of the most common grocery store varieties and are safe, healthy and delicious to eat. The only way to really know if a mushroom is poisonous is with the help of a mycologist or other local mushroom expert.
If there’s even a chance that a poisonous mushroom has been ingested, it’s best to seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms may take hours or days to appear, at which time it may be too late for treatment, such as in cases where the toxins attack organs. Take a sample of the mushroom with you if possible, to help with diagnosis and treatment.
Protecting Children And Pets From Mushroom Poisoning
Children also need to be protected from poisonous mushrooms, so it’s important to keep a close eye on them if hiking in the woods where there are lots of mushrooms. Teach your children to never pick and eat anything growing in the wild, even in your yard. there’s any chance that your child ate a mushroom, seek immediate medical attention.
If you’re wondering: Are mushrooms poisonous to dogs? The answer is yes. It’s equally important to be cautious with your pets. If you’re walking your dog where mushrooms grow, for instance, don’t let it wander. Pets can get as sick as humans, and can’t tell you what they ate to cause the issues. Once again, seek medical attention if you suspect your pet ate a mushroom.
A side note, alternatively, there are medicinal mushrooms that are beneficial for dogs so they can reap the benefits as well.
Another question often asked is: Are lawn mushrooms poisonous? Not all are, but since there’s a chance they could be, it’s best to keep your lawn and garden free of mushrooms, for the sake of your children and your pets.
Wrap Up
If you forage for mushrooms, understanding the difference between an edible one and a poisonous one could be a matter of life and death. When hunting for mushrooms in the wild, make sure you’re confident you’re picking an edible mushroom.
If you have any doubt, leave it in the wild. If you want to take an extra step, take this recommended book with you for that extra diligence The North American Guide to Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms.
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