Green-spored parasol vs shaggy parasol
- Toxic: Green-Spored Parasol
Spore prints differ: the green-spored parasol prints green and its gills age gray-green. The shaggy parasol prints white and keeps white gills.
Parasol mushroom vs shaggy parasol: how to tell them apart
Quick answer
The parasol has a tall, slender stem covered in a brown snakeskin pattern, and its flesh does not redden; the shaggy parasol has a smooth stem with no pattern, rising from an abrupt rimmed bulb, and its flesh turns orange to red when cut. Both have white gills, a white spore print and a movable ring.
Side by side
The tell for each
Edible
The tellTall, slender stem with a brown snakeskin pattern, a broad scaly cap with a dark central bump, and a thick movable ring.
Edible, upsets some people
The tellCoarse, shaggy brown scales on a pale cap, a smooth stem with an abrupt bulb, and flesh that turns orange to red when cut.
How they differ
| Feature | Parasol Mushroom | Shaggy Parasol |
|---|---|---|
| Stem surface | Parasol MushroomBrown bands or scales like snakeskin. | Shaggy ParasolSmooth, whitish to brownish, with no pattern. |
| Cut flesh | Parasol MushroomWhite, not reddening. | Shaggy ParasolTurns orange to red, especially in the stem, then slowly brown. |
| Stem shape | Parasol MushroomTall and slender, 6 to 16 inches (15 to 40 cm), from a bulbous base. | Shaggy Parasol3 to 8 inches (7.5 to 20 cm), from an abrupt, rimmed bulb. |
| Cap scales | Parasol MushroomBrown scales densest at the center, around a dark central bump. | Shaggy ParasolCoarse, shaggy, upturned brown scales on a whitish background. |
| Habitat | Parasol MushroomOpen woods, woodland edges, pastures and grassy roadsides. | Shaggy ParasolGardens, compost, disturbed ground, lawns and conifer or cypress litter. |
| Range | Parasol MushroomEastern North America, east of the Rocky Mountains. | Shaggy ParasolWidespread, more common in the West. |
FAQ
Common questions
Are the parasol and the shaggy parasol the same mushroom?
No. The parasol is Macrolepiota procera and the shaggy parasol is Chlorophyllum rhacodes. The snakeskin stem and the reddening flesh separate them.
What is the most dangerous parasol lookalike?
The green-spored parasol, Chlorophyllum molybdites, which leaves a green spore print and causes severe gastrointestinal poisoning. Its spores can take a while to mature and may first look white.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Macrolepiota procera
MushroomExpert.com
- Chlorophyllum rhacodes
MushroomExpert.com
- Chlorophyllum molybdites, the green spored Lepiota (Fungus of the Month, August 1999)
Tom Volk, University of Wisconsin
Keep checking
Read both pages in full
- More on the parasol mushroom
- More on the shaggy parasol
- Not sure it is either? Narrow it down with the identification key
This page states what field guides record. It is not advice to eat, taste or handle anything, and a photo cannot settle edibility. If someone has eaten a wild mushroom that may be toxic, call poison control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) right away, before symptoms start: the deadliest species act hours later.
More comparisons
Lepiota subincarnata
Photo coming
Deadly dapperling vs parasol mushroom
- Deadly Dapperling
The deadly dapperling is small, under 2 inches, with a cottony ring zone. The parasol is tall, with a snakeskin stem and a thick movable ring.
Lepiota subincarnata
Photo coming
Deadly dapperling vs shaggy parasol
- Deadly Dapperling
The deadly dapperling is under 2 inches with only a cottony ring zone. The shaggy parasol is large, with a thick movable ring and reddening flesh.
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