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    Amethyst deceiver

    Laccaria amethystina Cooke · Hydnangiaceae

    Also: Amethyst laccaria

    Edible with cautionRisk of confusion: medium

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Amethyst deceiver
    Photo: Achim Lammerts (Syntaxys) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The amethyst deceiver is a small mushroom, violet throughout, with thick, widely spaced gills. It is edible, but can accumulate arsenic.

    SeasonJuly to November
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyHydnangiaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 1 to 5 cm wide, a strong amethyst violet when moist, fading when dry, with a central navel.
    2. Underside. The gills are thick, widely spaced and violet.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is violet, fibrous and tough. There is no ring and no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. It has no distinctive smell.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is violet and thin.

    Lookalikes

    It accumulates arsenic (high values on contaminated soils); eat it only occasionally. Do not confuse it with the lilac bonnet.

    Habitat & Season

    Acidic soils. From lowland to mountain regions.

    Host trees

    Beech, spruce, oak.

    Season

    possible good main season

    Mushroom regions with a daily forecast

    There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.

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    Chance near you

    How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.

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    Safety

    Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. For experienced foragers only: follow the restrictions, and if in doubt, do not eat it.

    Advice for your country

    United Kingdom

    Poison centre:

    NHS 111 (England)111

    Emergency: 999 · 112

    Ireland

    Poison centre:

    National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166

    Emergency: 112 · 999

    Germany

    Poison centre:

    Giftnotruf Berlin030 19240Giftinformationszentrum München089 19240GIZ-Nord Göttingen0551 19240

    Emergency: 112

    Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).

    Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.

    Austria

    Poison centre:

    Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43

    Emergency: 112 · 144

    Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.

    Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.

    Conservation and collecting rules

    Not specially protected.

    No species-specific rule known.

    Red List Germany: Least concern

    In the kitchen

    In mixed dishes or as decoration. Cook thoroughly.

    Possible. It accumulates arsenic; eat it only occasionally and not from contaminated sites. In the past it accumulated large amounts of caesium-137; according to German Wikipedia, the contamination is now much lower.

    Frequently asked questions

    Amethyst deceiver: is it edible?

    Only with restrictions. It accumulates arsenic (high values on contaminated soils); eat it only occasionally. Do not confuse it with the lilac bonnet. Cook thoroughly.

    Amethyst deceiver: when and where does it grow?

    The season in central Europe runs from July to November. Tree partner and habitat: Beech, spruce, oak. Soil: Acidic soils. Altitude: From lowland to mountain regions.

    Amethyst deceiver: what are the lookalikes?

    The most important distinction is from Lilac bonnet (Mycena pura, poisonous): It smells of radish, has crowded, pale gills and contains muscarine. Other lookalikes: violet webcaps.

    Related species

    Mushroom trainer: test yourself

    Sources

    Photo credits

    No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.

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