Wild Mushrooms
Wild Mushrooms
How do you tell the difference between an edible mushroom and a poisonous one? In most cases, you can’t. Many wild mushrooms may look like edible mushrooms found in grocery stores and can be difficult to identify correctly—even for experienced foragers.
Mushroom features that help identify an edible mushroom in one region of the United States (or another country) are not reliable for identifying edible mushrooms in another area.
- Mushrooms are especially abundant after rainfall
- Mushrooms are particularly attractive to young children
Wild Mushroom Safety Tips
- Never pick and eat a wild mushroom unless it has been identified by a trained mushroom expert
- The only safe mushrooms are those purchased from a grocery store
- Supervise children while playing outdoors to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion
- Teach children to ask before eating anything they find outside
- Remove mushrooms from your yard and dispose of them after rainfall
- Cooking a poisonous mushroom does not make it safe to eat
Symptoms of Mushroom Poisoning
Symptoms from eating a poisonous mushroom may not appear for several hours or even days.
Possible symptoms include:
- Stomach cramps
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Confusion
- Seizures
Some poisonous mushrooms can cause organ failure or death, even in small amounts.
If you suspect someone has eaten a wild mushroom, call Poison Help immediately at 1-800-222-1222. Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
Poison specialists can work with mushroom identification experts (mycologists) to help determine if a mushroom is poisonous.