Every year in late summer, mushroom pickers head out into the woods. Then the mushroom season begins. But not every mushroom is edible. We have compiled the characteristics of the most common types of mushrooms.

In a nutshell

  • Fungi fulfill important tasks in the natural cycle
  • they grow in forests, meadows, fields and parks
  • only mushroom varieties that are clearly recognizable as edible mushrooms should be collected
  • almost every mushroom has a poisonous double
  • Mushroom consultants give help

Types from A - E

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Source: Björn S… , Oyster Mushroom - Pleurotus ostreatus (26143987708), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Occurrence: on trunks of deciduous trees
  • Period: October to February
  • Can be confused with other non-poisonous oyster mushrooms
  • Use: edible, young hats with good taste
  • Stem: short, thick, hard white flesh
  • Cap: 5 to 15 centimeters in diameter, initially shell-shaped, later flattened, dark gray to blue-grey, white lamellae

Notice: This species of fungus can affect living trees. It is considered to be the cause of white rot.

Birch fungus (Leccinum scabrum)

Source: 2007-10-13_Leccinum_scabrum_(Bull.)_Gray_12300.jpg.webp: This image was created by user vesna maric (kalipso) at Mushroom Observer, a source for mycological images.
You can contact this user here. German | espanol | french | italiano | macedonian | മലയാളം | portugues | +/− derivative work: Ak ccm (talk), 2007-10-13 Leccinum scabrum (Bull.) Gray 12300 crop, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Occurrence: Common in forests, parks, gardens
  • Period: July to October
  • Can be confused with the edible poplar roughneck
  • Use: tasty when young, poisonous when raw
  • Stem: 8 to 15 centimeters long, tall, slender, covered with black scales
  • Cap: 4 to 15 centimeters in diameter, hemispherical, grey-brown, whitish tubes

Notice: Selling mushrooms collected in the forest is forbidden!

Birch Red Cap (Leccinum versipelle)

Source: Aorg1961, Birch Red Cap, Heather Red Cap - Koźlarz pomarańczowy, koźlarz pomarańczowożółty - Leccinum versipelle, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Occurrence: in coniferous forests interspersed with birches
  • Period: July to September
  • Can be confused with: other edible Red Cap species
  • Use: good edible mushroom, raw poisonous
  • Stem: 8 to 22 centimeters long, white with black scales, turning black-blue when cut
  • Cap: 5 to 20 centimeters in diameter, hemispherical, orange-yellow to light red

Thick-skinned potato puffball (Scleroderma citrinum)

Source: This image was created by user Herbert Baker (Herbert Baker) at Mushroom Observer, a source for mycological images.
You can contact this user here. German | espanol | french | italiano | macedonian | മലയാളം | portugues | +/−, 2009-09-03 Scleroderma citrinum Pers 55647, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Occurrence: Common in deciduous and coniferous forests
  • Period: July to November
  • Can be confused with other poisonous potato puffball species
  • Use: toxic
  • Fruit body: 3 to 12 centimeters in diameter, similar in shape, color and size to a potato, initially white-yellowish, later violet-black fruit mass

Notice: The entire pulp of the potato bovist crumbles into a powder over time.

Types of F - J

Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria)

  • Occurrence: often in deciduous and coniferous forests, prefers acidic soils
  • Period: August to November
  • Can be confused with the poisonous king fly agaric
  • Use: very toxic
  • Stem: 10 to 25 centimeters long, slender, white, thickened at the end, flabby, hanging ring
  • Cap: 8 to 20 centimeters in diameter, hemispherical to slightly convex, bright red with white wipeable warts

Notice: Forty different toadstools are known in Europe. They are among the most poisonous species of mushrooms.

Flake-stemmed witch boletus (Boletus erythropus)

  • Occurrence: Common in deciduous and coniferous forests
  • Period: June to November
  • Possibility of confusion: conspicuous color change prevents confusion with other types of mushrooms
  • Use: Excellent edible mushroom, poisonous when raw, rarely maggot
  • Stem: 4 to 12 centimeters long, bulbous, densely covered with red flakes
  • Cap: 6 to 20 centimeters in diameter, hemispherical, dark brown, velvety tubes with red openings

Notice: Witch mushrooms immediately turn blue-black when cut. This spectacular color change does not affect the value of the mushroom.

Gall Boletus (Tylopilus felleus)

  • Occurrence: Common in coniferous forests
  • Period: June to October
  • Can be confused with young specimens of the porcini mushroom
  • Use: inedible
  • Stem: 8 to 12 centimeters long, strong, light to olive brown, covered by a coarse-meshed net, white flesh
  • Cap: 7 to 12 centimeters in diameter, more convex with age, pale spines on the underside

Honey fungus (Armillaria mellea)

Honey fungus (Armillaria mellea), Source: George Chernilevsky, Armillaria mellea 2014 G1, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Occurrence: in clusters on dead trunks of conifers
  • Period: June to November
  • Can be confused with: with sulphurous heads and squabs
  • Use: good edible mushroom, only usable with hats, raw poisonous
  • Stem: 8 to 14 centimeters long, thin, flaky, light colored with dark scales
  • Cap: 4 to 14 centimeters in diameter, hemispherical to slightly convex, edge rolled up

Notice: Honey fungus is one of the types of fungi that also grow on living trees and can kill them.

Types of K - Q

Bald Krempling (Paxillus involutus)

Source: Karelj, Čechratka podvinutá 1, edited by Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Occurrence: very common in deciduous and coniferous forests, gardens, parks
  • Period: June to November
  • Can be confused with the inedible velvet foot Krempling
  • Use: highly toxic raw, can cause allergic reactions when stewed
  • Stem: 4 to 8 centimeters long, dirty yellow, glabrous, yellowish flesh
  • Cap: 6 to 15 centimeters in diameter, rolled up, olive to tawny, yellow lamellae, greasy spots at bruises

Curled hen (Sparassis crispa)

Curled mother hen, curly hen (Sparassis crispa)
  • Occurrence: mainly under pine trees
  • Period: July to November
  • Can be confused with the equally edible oak mother hen
  • Use: excellent edible mushroom, must be fried or stewed for a long time
  • Fruit body: 20 centimeters high, 30 to 40 centimeters wide, strongly curled, resembles a cauliflower
  • Odour: aromatic, nutty

Notice: This species of fungus infests the roots of living pine trees, causing brown rot.

Chestnut boletus (Imleria badia)

Chestnut stirrup, Imleria badia
  • Occurrence: Often in coniferous forests, less often in deciduous forests
  • Period: June to November
  • Can be confused with the porcini mushroom
  • Use: very good edible mushroom, poisonous when raw
  • Stem: 5 to 12 centimeters long, cylindrical, sometimes bent, firm in young specimens, pale yellow flesh
  • Cap: 5 to 15 centimeters in diameter, dark brown, velvety cap surface, yellow to green-yellow tubes

Panther mushroom (Amanita pantherina)

Source: Σ64, Amanita pantherina 19, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
  • Occurrence: Common in deciduous and coniferous forests
  • Period: July to October
  • Can be confused with the poisonous king fly agaric
  • Use: toxic
  • Stem: 10 to 15 centimeters long, thin, white, flaky, fibrous, stem base bulbous with a distinct annular bulge
  • Cap: 5 to 10 centimeters in diameter, hemispherical, dark brown with white flakes, ridged edge
  • Odour: radish-like

Notice: Consuming this type of mushroom can cause hallucinations and impaired consciousness!

Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)

Source: Heisenberg-pl, Cantharellus cibarius 20090717-02, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Occurrence: in deciduous and coniferous forests
  • Period: June to November
  • Can be confused with the false chanterelle and the highly poisonous olive tree funnel
  • Use: edible, excellent edible mushroom, very popular
  • Stem: 3 to 6 centimeters long, yellow to whitish, white firm flesh
  • Cap: 33 to 10 centimeters in diameter, slightly convex, yolk-yellow lamellae, margin irregular
  • Odour: fruity

Notice: Some people have an innate sensitivity to chanterelles. Even the smallest amounts react with severe stomach and intestinal problems.

Types of R - Z

Giant umbrella (Macrolepiota procera)

Giant Parakeet (Macrolepiota procera)
  • Occurrence: in sparse forests, gardens and parks
  • Period: July to November
  • Can be confused with the edible saffron umbrella
  • Use: good edible mushroom when young, older specimens become woody
  • Stem: 15 to 30 centimeters long, slender, stiff, fibrous-hollow, bulbous stem base, brownish scaled, ring movable
  • Cap: 10 to 30 centimeters in diameter, umbrella-like, white flesh, broad scales

Reddish coral (Ramaria botrytis)

  • Occurrence: in beech forests, on calcareous soil
  • Period: July to November
  • Can be confused with the edible red and yellow stinging
  • Use: edible, young specimens with a good, peppery taste
  • Stem: 3 to 6 centimeters long, lighter than the cap, white, fragile flesh
  • Cap: 6 to 12 centimeters in diameter, more convex with age, pale spines on the underside

Red-footed boletus (Xerocomus chrysenteron)

Source: Xerocomus_chrysenteron_a1.jpg.webp: Jerzy Opioła derivative work: Ak ccm, 2012-07-10 Xerocomellus chrysenteron crop, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Occurrence: Common in deciduous and coniferous forests
  • Period: June to November
  • Can be confused with: the edible goat's lip or the edible blood-red boletus
  • Use: young specimens tasty, older ones inferior
  • Stem: 4 to 8 centimeters long, thin, often bent, yellow to tan, pale yellow flesh
  • Cap: 3 to 12 centimeters in diameter, slightly convex, cap skin tearing open in a feathery manner

Bread stubble (Hydnum repandum)

Source: H. Krisp, Bread stubble Hydnum repandum, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
  • Occurrence: in deciduous and coniferous forests, usually in larger groups
  • Period: July to November
  • Can be confused with the edible red and yellow stinging
  • Use: edible, young specimens with good taste
  • Stem: 3 to 6 centimeters long, lighter than the cap, white, brittle flesh, peppery taste
  • Cap: 6 to 12 centimeters in diameter, more convex with age, pale spines on the underside

Notice: Older specimens of the mushroom species cannot be used due to their bitter taste.

Morel (Morchella esculenta)

Morel (Morchella esculenta)
  • Occurrence: in alluvial forests and gardens
  • Period: April to June
  • Can be confused with the edible high morel and the poisonous spring morel
  • Use: edible, excellent edible mushroom for many types of preparation
  • Stem: 4 to 10 centimeters long, fused with the cap, cream-colored, hollow inside
  • White, fragile flesh
  • Cap: 5 to 12 centimeters high, 4 to 8 centimeters in diameter, ovate, tawny, surface irregular

Porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis)

common porcini mushroom, Boletus edulis
  • Occurrence: under spruces and birches
  • Period: June to October
  • Can be confused with: with the gall boletus
  • Use: edible, excellent edible mushroom for many types of preparation
  • Stem: up to 22 cm long, thicker at the base, white coated with gray netting, firm white flesh
  • Cap: 8 to 22 centimeters in diameter, dark brown, yellow tubes

Notice: Seven different types of porcini mushrooms are known in Germany. Wherever toadstools grow, there are also porcini mushrooms.

Purple blue (Laccaria amethystina)

Purple Laccaria amethystina (Laccaria amethystina)
  • Occurrence: Common in deciduous and coniferous forests
  • Period: August to November
  • Can be confused: with the edible reddish larvae and the poisonous radish helmling
  • Use: edible, not particularly tasty
  • Stem: 4 to 8 centimeters long, thin, often bent, purple to brownish, glabrous, purple flesh
  • Cap: 2 to 6 centimeters across, amethyst blue when wet, dirty gray when dry, thick blue gills

Goat lip (Xerocomus subtomentosus)

  • Occurrence: Common in deciduous and coniferous forests
  • Period: June to October
  • Can be confused with the edible red-footed boletus
  • Use: young specimens tasty, often maggots
  • Stem: 6 to 11 centimeters long, thin, often bent, yellow-brown, spongy in older specimens
  • Cap: 3 to 12 centimeters in diameter, slightly convex, olive-brown, velvety, golden-yellow or lemon-yellow tubes

frequently asked Questions

What are typical signs of poisoning?

The toxins of most types of mushrooms act very quickly. However, symptoms of poisoning can still occur 24 hours after a mushroom meal. Typical features are:
- nausea
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Sweats
- feeling hot
If you experience these symptoms, see a doctor immediately or call an ambulance.

What quantities of mushrooms are allowed to be collected?

In Germany there is no precise quantity limit. Collection for personal use is permitted. It shouldn't be more than a kilogram. Mushrooms are not allowed to be picked in national parks. When picking mushrooms on holiday, note that other European countries have much stricter collection regulations!

What influence does the preparation have on the edibility of mushrooms?

Many types of mushrooms are poisonous when raw. Also, be aware of this danger during preparation. Honey fungus, for example, must not be tasted when cooking or roasting. Discard the cooking water of mushroom species that are poisonous raw.

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Vegetable garden