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    Grey spotted amanita

    Amanita excelsa (Fr.) Bertill. · Amanitaceae

    Also: European false blushing amanita

    Edible with cautionRisk of confusion: high

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Grey spotted amanita
    Photo: Björn S... · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The grey spotted amanita is a stately, grey-brown Amanita with grey, patchy veil remains and a striate ring. It is edible when cooked, but dangerously similar to the panther cap.

    SeasonMay to November
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyAmanitaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 6 to 15 cm wide, grey-brown, with grey, patchy veil remains and a margin that is usually not striate.
    2. Underside. The gills are white and free.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is whitish with a large, high-set ring that is striate on its upper side and a thick bulb without a rim.
    4. Smell and taste. Do not taste it. It smells of radish.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white and does not turn red.

    Lookalikes

    Poisonous raw and easily mistaken for the panther cap; not for beginners.

    Habitat & Season

    Various soils. From the lowlands up into the hills and mountains.

    Host trees

    Spruce, beech, pine, 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: heed 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

    Low culinary value; use only the cap. Cook thoroughly; raw, it may contain haemolysins.

    Not recommended. Collect it only if you can rule out the panther cap with certainty.

    Frequently asked questions

    Grey spotted amanita: is it edible?

    Only with restrictions. Poisonous raw and easily mistaken for the panther cap; not for beginners. Cook thoroughly; raw, it may contain haemolysins.

    Grey spotted amanita: when and where does it grow?

    In central Europe the season runs from May to November. Tree partners and habitat: Spruce, beech, pine, oak. Soil: Various soils. Elevation: From the lowlands up into the hills and mountains.

    Grey spotted amanita: what are the lookalikes?

    The most important distinction is from Death cap (Amanita phalloides, deadly poisonous): It has a smooth, olive-green cap without grey veil remains and a membranous, sac-like volva. Other lookalikes: Panther cap, Blusher.

    Related species

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    Sources

    Photo credits

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

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