Meadow waxcap - Cuphophyllus pratensis
- The Foraging Course Company
- May 31
- 2 min read
Edible mushroom - novice Season - autumn to winter Common names Meadow waxcap, salmon waxcap, salmon waxycap, meadow waxycap, butter meadowcap
Scientific name meaning: The genus name comes from the Greek words Kyphos and Phyllon, meaning curved leaves. Pratensis is Latin and means growing in a meadow
Habitat  The meadow waxcap is a grassland mushroom and particularly likes cut or grazed grass that has not been treated with lots of fertiliser. It is often found in areas where lots of springy turf moss (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus) is present. |
Overall structure and growth  Thought to be saprobic for a long time, it is now thought this mushroom has a mycorrhizal relationship with mosses. It can be found as individual specimens or in large numbers. Can get to decent sizes if enough rain has fallen. |
Cap  Convex to bell-shaped at first, then flattening and turning up at the edge with age. It often has a broad umbo (bump). The colour is buff to orange-red and pales with age. It is 2 to 7cm in diameter and smooth to the touch when dry. When wet, the cap feels waxy. |
Gills and spores  The gills start off almost white, turning buff to peach with age. They are slightly decurrent (run down the stem), widely spaced (distant), thick and broad. They are interspersed with smaller gills from the cap edge and cross-connected. The spore colour is white. |
Stem  Solid and stout, becoming hollow with age. It starts off white but turns to a buff-peach with age. It is around 1 to 1.5cm wide and up to 5cm tall. It has no ring or skirt. |
Flesh, taste and smell  The flesh is white to buff to peach. The stem is often hollow with age. The smell and taste are mild. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be confused with seriously toxic deadly funnel (Clitocybe dealbata) or fool's funnel (Clitocybe rivulosa), pictured, which both grow in rings in grassland. However, these both have more crowded gills and pale buff to white caps. |
Use as food The meadow waxcap is a good tasting mushroom that holds its texture well upon cooking. It usually has a high water content so can be cooked without an oil or fat Hazards This mushroom can grow on roadside grass verges where it can accumulate traffic-related toxins. It is advisable to avoid harvesting from the sides of busy roads
Use in herbal medicine and medicine None known
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner Other uses None known Importance to other species Provides food for a the larvae of a number of invertebrates
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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