Its common names can cause some confusion, as many other mushrooms grow in fairy rings, such as the edible Agaricus campestris and the poisonous Chlorophyllum molybdites.

[2] This mushroom can be mistaken for the toxic Clitocybe dealbata or C. rivulosa, which have closely spaced decurrent gills.

Some species of the Collybia, Marasmiellus, Micromphale, and Strobilurus genera are also similar, sometimes requiring microscopic analysis to differentiate.

[3] Marasmius oreades grows extensively throughout North America, especially the east where they are also more diverse,[3] and Europe in the summer and autumn (May–November in the UK),[5] or year-round in warmer climates.

A possible reason why this mushroom is so sweet-tasting is due to the presence of trehalose, a type of sugar that allows M. oreades to resist death by desiccation.