parasol (Macrolepiota procera)
Macrolepiota procera is a very large parasol mushroom with scaled cap, displaceable double ring and natter-like patterned stem. The caps are prepared in Austria like breaded as Schnitzel.
Scientific name: Macrolepiota procera
Features
The cap is 10 to 30 cm wide, young spherical to tympanic, later flat with dark hump and coarse brown scales on a light background. The gills are white, free and dense and protrude from a cartilage ring (collar) around the stem tip. The stem is up to 40 cm long, slender, hollow, with brown viper and a bulbous, unrimed base. It wears a thick, double, displaceable ring; a volva is missing. It smells pleasant nutty. The flesh is white, soft in the cap, fibrous in the stem tough, and does not discolour or only slightly. White
Habitat
Light beech, oak and spruce forests, forest edges, meadows and pastures.. Clay, fresh, nutrient-rich soils.. From the lowlands to the mountains.
Season
July to November Occasionally sooner or later.
Weather and fruiting
Warm-loving: after thunderstorms it can appear quickly in the open. Collect only with a sure ring and snakeskin stem — lookalikes include toxic dapperlings.
Lookalike risk
Chlorophyllum venenatum: Its stem is smooth and non-natured, the bulb sharply edged and the flesh reddens when cut. Deadly dapperling: It remains small, with cap usually under 5 cm, and has a pink-brown belted stem with ring zone. Lepiota aspera: It smells unpleasantly of light gas and has a hanging, non-displaceable ring.
More regions
parasol · Scottish Highlands
Cool, wet Atlantic climate; season later and longer than in southern England.
parasol · Cairngorms
Upland granite and pine woods; elevation delays fruiting compared with the coast.
parasol · New Forest
Lowland mixed woods and heath; earlier season after mild, wet summers.
parasol · Lake District
High rainfall on western fells; valleys fruit earlier than high tarns.
parasol · Galloway
Mild, wet south-west Scotland with Sitka and mixed woodland.
More species
Lookalike risk: parasol / death cap
FAQ
What does the map show?
Weather-based foraging chances, not a guarantee that fruit bodies stand at the pin.
Can I eat this mushroom?
No page replaces identification. If unsure, leave it or ask an expert.
Parasol mushroom: is it edible?
Yes, it is an edible mushroom. Collect only large specimens with tarred stem and slidable ring; small lepiota species under 10 cm can be fatally poisonous.
Parasol mushroom: when and where does it grow?
In central Europe the season runs July to November. Occasionally sooner or later. Habitat: Light beech, oak and spruce forests, forest edges, meadows and pastures.
Parasol mushroom: what are the lookalikes?
The most important distinction is from Deadly dapperling (Lepiota brunneoincarnata, deadly poisonous): It remains small, with cap usually under 5 cm, and has a pink-brown belted stem with ring zone. Other lookalikes: Chlorophyllum venenatum, Lepiota aspera.
When is a trip worth it?
Warm-loving: after thunderstorms it can appear quickly in the open. Collect only with a sure ring and snakeskin stem — lookalikes include toxic dapperlings.