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Shaggy parasol with coarse scales on a pale cap
Edible with cautionexpert-only

Shaggy Parasol

Chlorophyllum rhacodes

A shaggy-scaled parasol of conifer litter and compost whose cut flesh stains saffron then reddish brown.

Photo: hugorainey, CC BY
Compiled by Mushroom Forage Map field deskExpert review pendingContent checked
Toxicity warning

Causes gastrointestinal upset in some people. The green-spored parasol is similar; take a spore print every time.

Season
Summer to autumn
Habitat
Conifer litter, gardens, compost, and woodland edges
Underside
Free white gills
Spore evidence
White

Where it grows

Tracked records and known growing zone

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Squares: where people recorded it, brighter where more people did
Verified records
2,187
People who recorded it
1,724
Most records (northern hemisphere)
Sep–Nov
Records span
2001–2026

Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.

Observation season

When field records occur

Choose a hemisphere · All recorded years; not a current forecast.

Choose the hemisphere you want to study. Country detection is approximate and some countries span the equator.

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Lookalikes to rule out

The true parasol is taller and has a snakeskin-banded stem.

Brown parasol

caution

Chlorophyllum brunneum is stockier with an abrupt bulb and is also known to cause reactions.

Identification

The cap is covered with coarse, shaggy, upturned scales over a white background, with a smooth brown center. The stem is smooth, without a snakeskin pattern, and ends in a swollen bulb. Cut the flesh and it turns saffron orange, then reddish brown. The ring is thick and movable.

Uses and ecology

Shaggy parasols often fruit in rich, disturbed soil and compost. Many people eat them without trouble, but a significant minority react with gastrointestinal symptoms. It is not a beginner mushroom.

Memorable fact

The red-staining flesh separates this group from the true parasol within seconds of cutting.

Sources

Never eat a mushroom from this page alone

Confirm identity using the whole specimen, multiple reputable sources, and a qualified local expert. Identified edible species still require appropriate preparation. Cooking does not make a poisonous mushroom safe.

Safety and poison response
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