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Plant & Mushroom Poisoning

Plant and mushroom poisoning: why a photo or phone app cannot tell you a wild mushroom or plant is safe, what a 2023 study of three apps found, and what to do after a possible exposure.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

If someone has eaten a wild mushroom or plant and has collapsed, a seizure, trouble breathing or cannot be woken, call your emergency number now. Otherwise call poison help: Poison help by country. [1]

Do not rely on a photo or an app

  • A 2023 study tested three mushroom-identification apps on photographs of 78 specimens sent to a poisons centre; the best app correctly identified 49% (95% CI 0 to 100) of specimens and the others 35%. Correct identification of poisonous specimens ranged from 30% to 44%, and the deadly Amanita phalloides was misidentified by two of the apps in some tests. [2]
  • The authors observed an increase in poisonings after poisonous species were wrongly identified as edible using apps, and concluded the apps are not reliable enough to exclude exposure to poisonous mushrooms when used alone. [2]

We do not identify mushrooms or plants from photos, and this site never will. If you are not certain, do not eat it.

After a possible exposure

  • Do not wait for symptoms; symptoms can take hours or days to start. [3]
  • Do not make the person vomit. [1]
  • Keep a sample of the mushroom or plant, and any vomit, for the professionals. [3]

Mushrooms sold as supplements, foods or "functional" products

See Mushroom safety. Wild foraging is a different risk from commercial products. [4]

Plants

Many garden and wild plants are poisonous. For human exposure call poison help; for pets see Pet and animal poisoning. The ASPCA plant list is for animals. [5]

Frequently asked questions

Can an app tell me if a mushroom is safe?

Not reliably. In a 2023 study of three apps, the best identified 49% of specimens correctly. [2]

References

  1. Poison Control (America's Poison Centers). First aid: Act fast! and Need immediate assistance?. Read 2026-10-22. Help line 1-800-222-1222.
  2. Hodgson SE et al. A comparison of the accuracy of mushroom identification applications using digital photographs. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2023. PMID 36794335.
  3. NHS (United Kingdom). Poisoning. Read 2026-10-22.
  4. Moss MJ, Hendrickson RG. Toxicity of muscimol and ibotenic acid containing mushrooms reported to a regional poison control center from 2002-2016. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2019. PubMed 30073844.
  5. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants. Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.