Safety Disclaimer

When in doubt, throw it out

Never eat a wild mushroom unless you are 100% certain of its identification. Many mushrooms are toxic, and some are deadly.

Suspect poisoning? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (US) or your local emergency services immediately, even before symptoms start. The most dangerous toxins act with a delay.

What this site is, and is not

KnowTheSpore is a reference you read at home. It is not a verdict on the mushroom in your hand.

That line matters more here than on almost any other site because blurring it can lead to a hospital visit.

This site is

  • A place to learn species, features, and risks
  • A guide to the lookalikes that cause poisonings
  • Reviewed by a qualified mycologist

This site is not

  • An identification service for your photos
  • A substitute for in-person expert verification
  • Medical advice or a treatment guide

Educational information only

Everything here is for education. None of it clears a specific mushroom for your plate.

A photo and description cannot reliably show every decisive feature, including spore colour, smell, the stem base, bruising, and microscopic detail.

Real identification is hands-on. Learn it beside a local mycological society or an experienced forager, and treat every page here as a starting point, never the final word on what is safe to eat.

Warning signs that mean act now

Symptoms can start in minutes or wait many hours. A delay is not reassurance: the deadliest toxins are the slowest to show.

Seek emergency care if, after eating any wild mushroom, you notice:

  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea, especially 6 or more hours after eating
  • Stomach cramps that keep returning
  • Sweating, drooling, or blurred vision
  • Confusion, dizziness, or hallucinations
  • Yellowing skin or eyes in the days that follow

If you suspect poisoning

Act first and identify later by following these steps without waiting to feel worse.

  1. Call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or emergency services right away.
  2. Save any uneaten mushroom, and a sample of vomit if possible, for identification.
  3. Note when it was eaten and when symptoms started. The timing guides treatment.
  4. Do not try to treat it yourself or wait it out. Get to an emergency department.

No liability

KnowTheSpore and its contributors accept no liability for any loss, illness, injury, or death arising from use of this site. You are solely responsible for what you pick, handle, or eat.

Not medical advice

Content about medicinal or functional mushrooms is not medical advice. It is no substitute for a qualified clinician.

Do not use any mushroom to treat a condition without speaking to one first.

The one rule that keeps foragers alive: certainty of identification is the only thing that makes a wild mushroom safe to eat. Foraging safety rules keep the whole specimen, habitat, and dangerous alternatives in the decision.