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Amanita ovoidea (Bull.) Link · Amanitaceae
Also: Bearded amanita, European egg amidella
Where is it growing now? Open the map Mushroom alert for this species How the mushroom alert works
The European white egg is a sturdy, pure white Amanita that looks like an egg when young. It likes warmer regions and is considered edible, but is easily mistaken for deadly poisonous destroying angels and the poisonous Amanita proxima.
It is white throughout and sturdy, but has gills, a ring and a volva like the deadly poisonous destroying angels. There is a risk of confusion with them and with the poisonous Amanita proxima. Only for confident experts.
It is slimmer, has a smaller cap and a white, sac-like volva, but no yellowish volva and no flaky veil remnants on the cap margin. The safest approach is to leave every white Amanita with a ring and a volva standing unless you can identify it with certainty. Deadly poisonous.
View on the mapIts volva is orange to ochre-yellow to ochre-brown and stays recognisable at the stem base even with age, and the veil remnants on the cap margin of young fruiting bodies are missing. It has a lasting collar and is slimmer. The species is rare and causes partly severe poisonings with gastrointestinal upset and kidney failure.
Its cap bears coarse, protruding warts as veil remnants, which the European white egg lacks. It is edible with restrictions.
View on the map| European white egg | European destroying angel | Amanita proxima | Warted amanita | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | white to light grey, 10 to 25 cm, egg-shaped, flaky remnants | white, conical to bell-shaped, smooth, 4 to 10 cm | white to cream white, no veil remnants on margin | whitish to greyish with coarse warts |
| Underside | white, crowded gills, end before the stem | white, free gills | white, free gills | white, free gills |
| Stem | white, bulbous, flaky collar, yellowish volva | slender, flaky, hanging ring, bulbous base with volva | slimmer, lasting collar, ochre volva | bulbous, with ring and scaly veil remnants at the base |
| Flesh | firm, solid, tough-fleshed | fleshy, thinner than in the European white egg | fleshy | fleshy |
| Edibility | Edible with caution | deadly poisonous | poisonous | edible with restrictions |
Calcareous soils in sheltered, warm locations. No reliable information.
Various deciduous and coniferous trees, for example sweet chestnut, oak, silver fir and Aleppo pine.
possible good main season
It prefers warmer, more southern areas with a mild climate.
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
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.
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112 · 999
Poison centre:
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.
Poison centre:
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.
Rather rare in Central Europe.
Use only firm fruiting bodies identified with certainty, and fry or stew them in slices. Cook for at least 15 minutes.
No reliable information on drying. Risk of confusion with deadly poisonous destroying angels. Old fruiting bodies smell of carrion and must no longer be used.
It is considered edible. Because it can be mistaken for deadly poisonous destroying angels and the poisonous Amanita proxima, it is only for confident experts.
By the sturdy, pure white fruiting body with flaky veil remnants on the cap margin of young mushrooms, the white free gills and the yellowish to pale orange volva at the stem base.
For the European destroying angel, which is deadly poisonous, for the poisonous Amanita proxima and for the warted amanita. Leave white Amanitas with a ring and a volva standing unless you know them with certainty.
From July to September, preferably in warmer areas with a mild climate under deciduous and coniferous trees.
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.
