Champignons are tasty edible mushrooms that we also know from shops. Several varieties of this mushroom occur in nature. Among them lurks the dangerous horse mushroom. This poisonous species, often confused with edible varieties, poses a threat to human health.
Horse mushroom is unfortunately deceptively similar to the popular edible champignons that we may encounter in our surroundings. Like them, it has a white cap, while the gills of young specimens are pinkish-white and darken over time.
This mushroom grows from May to October and can be found in a variety of environments—from deciduous and coniferous forests, through roadside thickets, to parks, gardens and meadows—which makes it easily accessible to accidental foragers.
Eating a horse mushroom can lead to severe digestive problems, nausea and vomiting. That is why it is so important to identify this species correctly.
How can you distinguish the poisonous horse mushroom from an edible one?
There are two key features that make it possible to identify the horse mushroom:
- after being damaged, especially at the base of the stem, the horse mushroom clearly turns yellow. A yellow tint may also appear in other damaged parts of the mushroom, for example after a piece of the cap has been torn off. This phenomenon does not occur in edible champignon varieties.
- unpleasant smell: The mushroom gives off a characteristic, unpleasant chemical smell, often compared with carbolic acid or ink. Edible champignons have a pleasant, mushroom-like smell.
We urge particular caution during mushroom-picking trips. If in doubt, you should always refrain from picking and consuming uncertain mushrooms. Health comes first!
