By KHT Staff. Image via Mushrooms in Taiwan: Ultimate Foraging Guide.
KAOHSIUNG — Days of heavy rain have caused mushrooms to sprout across parks and green spaces in Kaohsiung, including a large patch in Fongshan District (鳳山區), Liberty Times reported.
The mushrooms were seen in green areas near the Beimen Borough (北門里) activity center.
While the mushrooms may look harmless, the Public Works Bureau’s Parks Office (工務局公園處) stated that they are likely green-spored parasol mushrooms, a poisonous species that should not be eaten or handled casually.
Beimen Borough Warden Hsieh Hsiu-hsia (謝秀霞) reminded residents that the mushrooms are only for looking at, not for picking or eating.
The Parks Office said the mushrooms can be mistaken for edible white mushrooms because they are pale in color and not brightly marked. Its cap can grow up to about 20 centimeters wide. The gills are white when young, but gradually turn gray-green as the mushroom matures.
Officials said people who eat the mushroom may develop symptoms within one to three hours, including nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, bloody stool, and dehydration.
The office urged residents not to pick or eat wild mushrooms found in parks, road medians, or other public green spaces. People who find them can notify park cleaning staff or call the 1999 city service hotline.
The mushrooms have appeared after repeated rain left grass and soil damp across the city, creating conditions for fungi to grow.
