Amanita Muscaria vs. Death Cap: What's the Difference?

• Amanita muscaria and death cap are both Amanitas, but they’re entirely different species.
• Amanita muscaria always has a vibrant white-spotted red cap, while death cap comes in a variety of plain colors.
• Amanita muscaria is a mushroom eaten for its potent psychedelic properties, but death cap is just a toxic mushroom that is only eaten accidentally.
• While both are legal to own, you might be liable if you accidentally gave someone death cap mushrooms to eat.

There are two species of mushrooms that are well-established in pop culture: fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) and death cap (Amanita phalloides). These famous mushroom species are found in books, films, shows, and more.

However, even though (or maybe because) they’re both famous mushrooms, they’re often conflated with one another. At best, this leads to the spread of mycological misinformation. At worst, someone could eat the wrong mushroom.

As Amanita experts, we knew we needed to step in. Here’s our breakdown of Amanita muscaria vs. death cap mushrooms to help you tell them apart.

Visual Differences Between Amanita Muscaria and Death Cap

When we compare Amanita muscaria vs. death cap, the first major difference is in how they look. While this isn’t a detailed guide to identifying them in the wild, here’s a brief overview of the most notable attributes of each.

Amanita muscaria’s appearance

Amanita muscaria is known for its iconic red cap spotted with white warts. Those warts are actually the remnants of its universal veil, the membrane that encloses fruiting bodies when they first emerge from the soil.

The base of the mushroom’s stem (known as a “stipe”) features a bulb with two to four ruffs or wings made of more remnants of the universal veil. Right where the stipe meets the gills hangs a small partial veil.

Death cap’s appearance

When comparing Amanita muscaria vs. death cap, death cap looks deceptively ordinary. Unfortunately, this makes it very hard to tell the death cap apart from edible Amanita species.

The cap is plain and can be a variety of different colors, ranging from yellowish-green to bronze to white. Despite what the name might imply, this variation has led mycologists to not recommend identifying the death cap by its cap.

The stipe is mostly white with some scattered olive-grayish scales. It also has an annulus made of the remains of the partial veil.

At the base of the stipe is the volva. The volva is round, thick, and sac-like. It’s often located underneath surrounding foliage or dirt, so you’d need to brush away debris to see it.

Properties of Amanita Muscaria vs. Death Cap

One of the other big differences between Amanita muscaria and death cap is their effects. Amanita muscaria is well known for its mind-altering properties. Users report a variety of effects:

• Seeing things larger than normal (macropsia) or smaller than normal (micropsia)
• Synesthesia
• Vivid and lucid dreams
• Expansion of consciousness
• Euphoria
• Relaxation and calm

While there can be some adverse side effects when eating raw mushrooms, preparing and consuming Amanita muscaria safely removes or significantly reduces them.

Death cap, on the other hand, is not psychoactive or beneficial in any way. It’s responsible for more poisonings than any other mushroom. Just half a cap is fatally toxic for humans.

Uses of Amanita Muscaria vs. Death Cap

Another difference between Amanita muscaria and death cap is their usage. How were each of these mushrooms utilized across the world?

Amanita muscaria

The effects of Amanita muscaria have made it famous in both ancient history and the modern era.

Historically, it was used in spiritual ceremonies by various Siberian cultures and the Sami people that live in northern Scandinavia. Lithuanians would also mix mushrooms with vodka for wedding feasts.

Today, it’s still used for some of these ceremonies. People also use Amanita muscaria for individual spiritual journeys, self-discovery, and social occasions. Some even microdose Amanita muscaria to experience its effects in a more subtle, manageable way.

Death cap

So if Amanita muscaria is so beloved, what are death caps used for?

Unfortunately, you can’t really compare the usage of Amanita muscaria vs. death cap. Death cap is one of the most toxic mushrooms on the planet, and there’s no way to remove the compounds that make it so dangerous.

However, the death cap is often mistaken for edible mushrooms like Amanita princeps. It ends up accidentally being used to prepare various dishes that call for culinary mushrooms. This is the cause for most death cap poisonings.

Legality of Amanita Muscaria vs. Death Cap

Some mushrooms, like those containing psilocybin, are designated as controlled substances. Does this extend to Amanita muscaria and death cap?

Amanita muscaria isn’t regulated at all in the USA. You can buy Amanita muscaria mushrooms across the country without running into any legal trouble. However, always double-check your local city and county laws before ordering.

Death caps are also not illegal to harvest or own. However, cooking and serving a dish containing death cap mushrooms—even accidentally—is illegal. We would also caution against foraging for death cap (or any Amanita) yourself.

So while there is no difference between Amanita muscaria and death cap in legality, there is a legal difference in how you use them. Stick with Amanita muscaria!

Explore Amanita Muscaria and More at MN Nice Ethnobotanicals

Comparing Amanita muscaria vs. death cap mushrooms is just the tip of the botanical iceberg. At MN Nice Ethnobotanicals, we stock an entire collection of premium ethnobotanicals for sale.

Whether you’re looking for blue lotus products to help you sleep or functional mushrooms to boost cognition, everything we offer is nothing less than top-quality. All of our botanicals have been ethically and sustainably sourced.

Plus, topics like Amanita muscaria vs. death cap are just one of many we explore on our alternative medicine blog. Check out guides, articles, and more on ethnobotanicals that can transform your life.

Have questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us—we’re always happy to help. Embrace natural wellness with MN Nice Ethnobotanicals.