San Francisco’s lush post-rain greenery is hiding an unexpected threat this season.
Over the past couple of weeks, the city has seen an unusual burst of wild mushrooms, and authorities say the surge hasn’t come without consequences.
At least 21 people — some of them children — have fallen ill after eating toxic fungi, and tragically, one person has died.
Health officials are now urging everyone to steer clear of foraging until conditions stabilize.
Why This Rainy Season Sparked Trouble
California’s early rains created the perfect environment for mushroom growth, but not the friendly, edible kind.
The California Department of Public Health has confirmed several cases tied to amatoxin exposure, a chemical found in some of the most poisonous mushrooms on Earth.
These toxins can severely damage the liver, and two of the patients treated so far may need transplants, including a young child.
The Mushroom Mistaken for Dinner
One of the biggest dangers this season comes from the death cap mushroom — a species that resembles harmless, edible varieties people commonly gather.
This look-alike issue is a major reason so many mushroom poisonings happen every year.
Health officials noted that this current cluster of cases is directly linked to people collecting death caps, unaware of how easily they can be confused with safe wild mushrooms.
East Bay Parks Sound the Alarm
It’s not just San Francisco sounding the warning.
The East Bay Regional Park District put out its own advisory, saying death caps are popping up in huge numbers throughout local parks.
Even more concerning, the parks are also seeing a rise in western destroying angel mushrooms, another extremely toxic species.
Officials described them as two of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world — a strong statement, but one they insist is warranted.
How These Poisonings Unfold
Amatoxin poisoning often starts deceptively mild.
People typically experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain within the first six to 24 hours after eating a toxic mushroom.
These symptoms tend to fade after a day, giving the impression that the worst has passed.
But according to public health officials, that brief calm is misleading — fatal liver failure can still develop 48 to 96 hours after ingestion.
A Hidden Risk for Pets Too
Park officials emphasized that these mushrooms are dangerous not only to people but also to dogs and other pets.
Their advice couldn’t be clearer: no one — human or animal — should be eating any wild mushrooms right now.
They also urged regular park visitors to learn how to recognize poisonous species, as many can blend into their surroundings surprisingly well.
Why Cooking Won’t Save You
One of the biggest misconceptions around foraging is the belief that cooking removes toxins.
Health experts warned that amatoxins are stubborn and remain fully active even after boiling, drying, or frying.
On top of that, toxic mushrooms do not taste bitter or strange, which means there’s no reliable sensory clue to tell a deadly variety from an edible one.
Other Species to Avoid in the Bay Area
While death caps and western destroying angels cause most of the serious poisonings in California, they aren’t the only risks.
The park district pointed out that Galerina and Lepiota mushrooms also grow throughout the region and contain toxins just as dangerous.
Residents are being encouraged to assume any unknown mushroom is unsafe unless identified by an expert.
Where These Mushrooms Tend to Grow
Both death caps and western destroying angels are strongly associated with oak trees.
They can sprout anywhere oak roots run underground, which is why they appear in neighborhoods, hiking trails, and forests alike.
Death caps aren’t native to California — they hitchhiked their way into the state long ago on the roots of European cork oaks — but they’ve been quietly spreading up and down the West Coast ever since.
Western destroying angels, however, are native to California and prefer the same oak-rich landscapes.
Health Officials Keep a Close Eye on the Spike
With so many recent cases, the California Department of Public Health says it is actively monitoring hospitalizations and poison reports tied to mushroom exposure.
For now, the message remains simple: this is not a safe time for mushroom foraging.
Until the season settles down, leaving the wild fungi alone may be the only reliable way to avoid a very serious medical emergency.
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