Parasol - Macrolepiota procera
- The Foraging Course Company
- Jun 2
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 3
Edible mushroom - novice Season - summer to autumn Common names Parasol
Scientific name meaning Macro means big and lepiota originates from the Greek lepis, meaning scale or scaly. The species name is from the Latin procerus, meaning tall, long or stretched out
Habitat  Parasols can be found in grassland, woodland and woodland clearings. |
Overall structure and growth  Parasols are saprobic, feeding off the decaying organic matter in grassland or leaf litter. They can be found as single specimens or in large groups. This is a particularly large and tall mushroom. |
Cap  The large caps can reach between 10 and 25cm. The white cap flesh is covered in dark brown scales, which are concentrated in the centre of the cap giving a nipple like appearance. This similarity is exacerbated by small central bump (umbo). |
Gills and spores  The white to cream gills are crowded and free of the stem. |
Stem  The stem can reach up to 30cm tall, making this mushroom easy to spot, and between 1 to 2cm wide. It is swollen at the base. The surface of the stem is covered in a snakeskin like pattern that is either brown or appear almost black in colour. A substantial double-ring/skirt is present and this can be slid up and down the stem. |
Flesh, taste and smell  The white flesh and doesn't change colour significantly when bruised. Its smell is mild and pleasant and taste is also mild. The spore colour is pale grey to cream. |
Possible lookalikes  Lepiotas or dapperlings, most of which are poisonous, could be confused with parasols. These are much smaller with caps smaller than 12cm in diameter. Shaggy parasols (Chlorophyllum rhacodes), pictured, could also be confused. But, the flesh of these will stain orange-red when damaged. They also lack the snakeskin pattern on the stem. |
Use as food A very tasty mushroom with a sweet taste, it can be added to several mushroom dishes Hazards This mushroom can grow on the roadside 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 Believed to have antimicrobial and antibiotic properties
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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