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    False death cap

    Amanita citrina Pers. · Amanitaceae

    Also: Citron amanita

    ☠ Poisonous

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    Identification in 5 steps

    False death cap
    Photo: Andreas Gminder (Mushroom Observer) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The false death cap is a pale lemon-yellow Amanita with flaky veil remains on the cap and a spherical bulb with a sharp rim. It smells of raw potatoes.

    SeasonAugust to November
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyAmanitaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 4 to 10 cm wide, pale lemon yellow to greenish yellow, rarely white, often with flat, ochre-ish veil remains.
    2. Underside. The gills are white to pale yellow and free.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is whitish yellow with a hanging ring and a large, spherical bulb with a sharply defined rim; there is no lobed, sac-like volva.
    4. Smell and taste. Never taste it! It smells clearly of raw potatoes or potato sprouts.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white.

    Lookalikes

    Poisonous raw and easily mistaken for the deadly death cap; do not eat.

    Habitat & Season

    Acidic, sandy soils. From the lowlands up into the hills and mountains.

    Host trees

    Pine, spruce, beech, oak.

    Season

    possible good main season

    In places as early as June.

    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.

    All mushroom regions →

    Safety

    Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Poisonous mushroom: do not eat. If you suspect anyone has eaten it, call the poison emergency service immediately.

    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.

    Salzburg: collecting poisonous mushrooms is banned.

    Red List Germany: Least concern

    Poisoning

    ToxinBufotenin, active when raw; heating destroys it.
    SyndromeNo distinct syndrome described.
    SymptomsWhen raw, circulatory and consciousness disturbances are possible.
    What to do now: Call the poison centre immediately (NHS 111, England) and, in case of severe symptoms, the emergency number 999 / 112. Do not induce vomiting and do not give milk or salt water. Keep leftover mushrooms, trimmings and vomit for identification, and inform everyone who ate with you, because they should also be examined.

    Frequently asked questions

    False death cap: is it edible?

    No, it is poisonous. Poisonous raw and easily mistaken for the deadly death cap; do not eat. If you suspect poisoning, call the poison centre immediately (numbers for your country below).

    False death cap: when and where does it grow?

    In central Europe the season runs from August to November. In places as early as June. Tree partners and habitat: Pine, spruce, beech, oak. Soil: Acidic, sandy soils. Elevation: From the lowlands up into the hills and mountains.

    False death cap: what are the lookalikes?

    The most important distinction is from Death cap (Amanita phalloides, deadly poisonous): It has a radially fibrous, olive-green cap without veil remains and a lobed, sac-like volva that stands away from the stem; it smells sweetish, not of potatoes. Other lookalikes: Aniseed toadstool.

    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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