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    Jack-o'-lantern mushroom

    Omphalotus olearius (DC.) Singer · Omphalotaceae

    ☠ Poisonous

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Jack-o'-lantern mushroom
    Photo: Holger Krisp · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The jack-o'-lantern mushroom grows in clusters on deciduous wood and is bright orange. It is poisonous and causes violent vomiting and diarrhoea.

    SeasonSeptember to November
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyOmphalotaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 3 to 12 cm wide, orange to brown-orange, funnel-shaped.
    2. Underside. True, decurrent gills in orange.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is orange, often attached off-centre, with no ring and no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. No striking smell. Never taste it.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is orange and does not change colour.

    Lookalikes

    Bright orange, in clusters on wood; true gills instead of ridges like the chanterelle.

    Side by side

    Jack-o'-lantern mushroomFalse chanterelleGolden chanterelleAmethyst chanterelle
    Caporange, funnel-shapedorangeyellow, funnel-shapedviolet-brown
    Undersideorange gillsforked gillsridgesridges
    Stemorange, clusteredcentralsame colour as capslender
    Fleshfirmsoft, flexiblefirm, fibrous, fruity smellfirm, fibrous
    EdibilityPoisonouspoisonousedibleedible

    Habitat & Season

    Woody substrate. Warm sites, more common in the south.

    Host trees

    In clusters on stumps and roots of deciduous trees.

    Season

    possible good main season

    Autumn, on stumps.

    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 it. If you suspect someone has eaten it, call the emergency number and the poison centre 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, except single specimens for identification.

    Poisoning

    ToxinIlludin derivatives and other toxins.
    SyndromeGastrointestinal syndrome.
    SymptomsNausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea, sometimes dizziness.
    OnsetUsually within a few hours of the meal.
    What to do now: This is an emergency, even if there are no symptoms yet. Go to a hospital immediately or call 999 / 112 and the poison centre (NHS 111, England). Do not wait to see whether symptoms appear, and do not be misled by an apparent improvement. Do not induce vomiting. Keep leftover mushrooms, cleaning scraps and vomit, and tell everyone who shared the meal.

    Frequently asked questions

    Why does it grow in clusters on wood?

    This is typical of Omphalotus; chanterelles grow on the ground, singly or in groups, not on a stump.

    Ridges or gills?

    Omphalotus has sharp, true gills; chanterelles have forked ridges.

    What should I do if it has been eaten?

    Call the emergency number and the poison centre.

    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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