Overview

• Recent rains have triggered an early start in some regions, but local experts in the Lausitz report uneven yields and caution against expecting a broad surge yet.
• The green death cap remains the leading cause of fatal poisonings in Germany, with even small amounts potentially causing acute liver failure and symptoms often appearing many hours after a meal.
• Medical and mycology bodies urge collectors to pick only species they can reliably identify, avoid smartphone identification apps, and have baskets checked by trained pilzsachverständige or municipal advisory centers.
• Conservation rules under the Bundesartenschutzverordnung limit personal harvests to small daily quantities and prohibit collecting in protected areas, with fines for violations enforced by local authorities.
• Safe practice includes twisting mushrooms out to preserve key ID features, transporting in breathable baskets, cleaning without soaking, refrigerating briefly, and cooking thoroughly, noting that heat does not neutralize deadly toxins.