The image, above, shows a range of pictures of Shaggy Parasol(Chlorophyllum rhacodes), showing the mature and closed
cap forms. Als shown is an open cap and two closed cap forms on
their sides showing the drumstick form and the gills and ring..
| Common Name: Shaggy Parasol |
| Scientific Name: Chlorophyllum rhacodes |
| Other Names: Parasol Cennog (CY) |
| Family: Agaricaceae |
| Range: Europe and North America |
Physical Characteristics Edibility Rating: 5 
Chlorophyllum rhacodes is a saprophytic fungus, growing to 20cm by 20cm in size. They can be found singly or in groups in mixed woodland, parks, hedges and on road verges and fruit between September and October.
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| Edible Parts: Caps, Stems |
 Spore Print: White
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  Cap: Umbonate or conves
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 Hymenium: Free
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 Gills: Gills on hymenium
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 Stipe: Has a Ring
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Edibility Rating: 4 
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 Known Hazards: About 1 in 25 people are intolerant to this mushroom and even when thoroughly cooked it will cause vomiting in those susceptible.
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Monthly Availability:
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Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Shaggy Parasol along with all the Shaggy Parasol containing recipes presented on this site, with 37 recipes in total.
These recipes, all contain Shaggy Parasol as a major wild food ingredient.
The Shaggy Parasol, Chlorophyllum rhacodes is a species of agaroicus fungus and is a member of the Agaricaceae family of Basidiomycota (that typically reproduce sexually using wind-borne spores) fungi that have white spore prints. Its ecology is saprophytic and is common in mixed woodlands, gardens, and even roadside verges. It grows in troops or rings but can be found individually. The shaggy parasol is a large and conspicuous agaric, with thick brown scales and protuberances on its fleshy white cap. The gills and spore print are both white in colour. Its stipe is slender, but bulbous at the base, is coloured uniformly and bears no patterns. It is fleshy, and a reddish, or maroon discolouration occurs and a pungent odour is evolved when it is cut. The egg-shaped caps become wider and flatter as they mature.
The cap is large and when fully open can be 10–20cm in diameter. Starting ovate, smooth and pale brown/pink opening to flat with shaggy brown scales on a white background, usually with a smooth umbo. The gills are crowded and free of the stem. White when young they turn turning pale tan/pink as they age and bruise red/orange. The stem is maximally 10-20cm long, 1-1.5cm in diameter. White to pale pink/brown. Smooth and plain with a double edged ring. Bulbous at the bottom. The mushroom has a double edged skirt that can become unattached and moved up and down the stem. Darker on the underside. The base of the stem is bulbous that is not as large and is not marginate like the Brown Parasol. The flesh bruises orange/red when cut.
Possible confusion: When young this mushroom looks similar to some of the deadly Amanitas, due to the fact it has a bulbous base, but there is no sac-like structure (volva), and can have a similar looking cap. The confusion with dapperlings (Lepiota spp.) which are smaller can be ignored if the mushroom cap is over twelve centimetres in diameter, when mature nothing that looks similar is anywhere near as big apart from the Parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera), pictured and the Brown Parasol (Chlorophyllum brunneum). The Parasol has a snakeskin like dark brown pattern on the stem, the Shaggy Parasol has a smooth off white stem. The brown Parasol has a large, bulbous, marginate base, the Shaggy Parasol has a bulbous base but is not as large and is not marginate. The shaggy parasol might also be confused with he prince (Agaricus augustus) which is almost identical but has dark brown or purplish-brown spores compared to the shaggy parasol’s pale cream spores (but the Prince is safe and edible).
Its firm texture makes the Shaggy Parasol excellent for pickling and preserving by drying it also makes an excellent mushroom powder if dried and ground. This mushroom is excellent in soups and stews and also makes a rather good omelette as well as being suitable for stir-fries, making fritters and frying in batter. This is an excellent mushroom overall and is well suited to just slowly being fried in oil or butter. Note that the stems (stipes) are much firmer than the cap. I typically twist them off, dice them and fry them separately. They are great as a stuffing and can be dried. Note that 1 in 25 people have a reaction to shaggy parasols and even though well cooked it will make them ill, so be careful and only test a small piece if eating this mushroom for the first time, in case you are sensitive. I would recommend eating 1/4 of a cap at first and if you're fine eat a whole mushroom the day after, then proceed from there. It is one of the mushrooms that needs to be cooked before it can be safely consumed.
For other edible mushrooms, see the guide to edible mushrooms
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
These recipes, all contain Shaggy Parasol as a major wild food ingredient.
The Shaggy Parasol, Chlorophyllum rhacodes is a species of agaroicus fungus and is a member of the Agaricaceae family of Basidiomycota (that typically reproduce sexually using wind-borne spores) fungi that have white spore prints. Its ecology is saprophytic and is common in mixed woodlands, gardens, and even roadside verges. It grows in troops or rings but can be found individually. The shaggy parasol is a large and conspicuous agaric, with thick brown scales and protuberances on its fleshy white cap. The gills and spore print are both white in colour. Its stipe is slender, but bulbous at the base, is coloured uniformly and bears no patterns. It is fleshy, and a reddish, or maroon discolouration occurs and a pungent odour is evolved when it is cut. The egg-shaped caps become wider and flatter as they mature.
The cap is large and when fully open can be 10–20cm in diameter. Starting ovate, smooth and pale brown/pink opening to flat with shaggy brown scales on a white background, usually with a smooth umbo. The gills are crowded and free of the stem. White when young they turn turning pale tan/pink as they age and bruise red/orange. The stem is maximally 10-20cm long, 1-1.5cm in diameter. White to pale pink/brown. Smooth and plain with a double edged ring. Bulbous at the bottom. The mushroom has a double edged skirt that can become unattached and moved up and down the stem. Darker on the underside. The base of the stem is bulbous that is not as large and is not marginate like the Brown Parasol. The flesh bruises orange/red when cut.
Possible confusion: When young this mushroom looks similar to some of the deadly Amanitas, due to the fact it has a bulbous base, but there is no sac-like structure (volva), and can have a similar looking cap. The confusion with dapperlings (Lepiota spp.) which are smaller can be ignored if the mushroom cap is over twelve centimetres in diameter, when mature nothing that looks similar is anywhere near as big apart from the Parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera), pictured and the Brown Parasol (Chlorophyllum brunneum). The Parasol has a snakeskin like dark brown pattern on the stem, the Shaggy Parasol has a smooth off white stem. The brown Parasol has a large, bulbous, marginate base, the Shaggy Parasol has a bulbous base but is not as large and is not marginate. The shaggy parasol might also be confused with he prince (Agaricus augustus) which is almost identical but has dark brown or purplish-brown spores compared to the shaggy parasol’s pale cream spores (but the Prince is safe and edible).
Its firm texture makes the Shaggy Parasol excellent for pickling and preserving by drying it also makes an excellent mushroom powder if dried and ground. This mushroom is excellent in soups and stews and also makes a rather good omelette as well as being suitable for stir-fries, making fritters and frying in batter. This is an excellent mushroom overall and is well suited to just slowly being fried in oil or butter. Note that the stems (stipes) are much firmer than the cap. I typically twist them off, dice them and fry them separately. They are great as a stuffing and can be dried. Note that 1 in 25 people have a reaction to shaggy parasols and even though well cooked it will make them ill, so be careful and only test a small piece if eating this mushroom for the first time, in case you are sensitive. I would recommend eating 1/4 of a cap at first and if you're fine eat a whole mushroom the day after, then proceed from there. It is one of the mushrooms that needs to be cooked before it can be safely consumed.
For other edible mushrooms, see the guide to edible mushrooms
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
The alphabetical list of all Shaggy Parasol recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 37 recipes in total:
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