Why Shaggy Parasol Mushrooms Are Still Fruiting in the PNW — Even Late in the Year

Young Shaggy Parasol in a Seattle

If you’ve been out foraging lately in the Pacific Northwest after all this rain and unusually warm weather, you might be noticing something exciting: Shaggy Parasol mushrooms are still popping up well past their usual peak. Normally these mushrooms start fading as the season cools, but this year’s mild, moist conditions have kept these tasty fungi going strong.

In this post we’ll cover the key characteristics, where you’re likely to find them (companions), an identification checklist, and similar mushrooms to watch out for.

What are Shaggy Parasols?

The conifer loving mushrooms commonly called Shaggy Parasols actually refer to three very similar species that are tricky to tell apart: Chlorophyllum brunneum, Chlorophyllum rhacodes, and Chlorophyllum olivieri.

There are poisonous mushrooms that are easily confused with Shaggy Parasols and for this reason we recommend leaving this mushroom until you become skilled at identification.

Looking for beginner friendly mushrooms? Check out my recommendations.

Identifying Shaggy Parasols:

When identifying any mushroom for consumption it's critical that your mushroom matches every aspect, never skip a single characteristic and always follow the safe eating for foraged mushrooms process.

Shaggy Parasols will have all of the following characteristics:

1. A white spore print. Learn how to make a spore print.

2. A pronounced, double-edged rink on the stem.

3. A whitish cap with shaggy or hairy brownish scales, never pointy like pyramids.

4. A stem that is smooth aside from the ring, never scaley or shaggy.

5. Flesh that stains pinkish-red (like saffron) when cut, never yellow.

6. Gills that are white to tan, never pink or brown.

Check out my easy to follow, identification check list with high quality photos of every characteristic at https://www.pnwfungiforager.com/shaggy-parasol!

Shaggy Parasol with improvised spore print on a picnic table

Similar Looking Mushrooms:

I found 28 mushrooms that grow in the Pacific Northwest with whitish caps and brownish scales that a beginner might confuse for a Shaggy Parasol. The most dangerous of them are:

• The rare but almost identical Chlorophyllum molybdites can be distinguished by its green spore print

• The potentially deadly Amanita Smithiana can be distinguished by its shaggy stem that grows into a root underground

• The poisonous Leucocoprinus brebissonii can be distinguished by the radial grooves on the cap

• There are several poisonous Agaricus mushrooms that can be distinguished by their brown spore print

• The poisonous Echinoderma asperum can be distinguished by its pointy, pyramid shaped scales on the cap

• The deadly and poisonous Lepiotas can be distinguished by their stems which have scales, fibers, or yellow coloring

You can see high quality photos and descriptions of these and less dangerous look a-likes right next to photos of all three Shaggy Parasols at https://www.pnwfungiforager.com/shaggy-parasol, making identification and comparison easier than ever before.

Forager Tips

Shaggies can be found along logging roads, in fields and meadows, lawns, and pastures; often near conifers like Fir. They sometimes grow in ring-shaped groups called Fairy Rings.

Learn how to identify native PNW conifers and what delicious mushrooms might be growing nearby with our new Companions tool.

Not sure what to look for? Try our Forager's Widget, the only foraging tool that starts with what you can see and tells you exactly what to look for!

Final Thoughts

Like all mushrooms, Shaggy Parasols can concentrate heavy metals and toxins in the air or soil where they grow. Never collect from busy roadsides, parks or lawns that might use pesticides or herbicides, or areas contaminated with pollution or trash.

While Shaggy Parasol is considered a choice edible, some experience gastrointestinal distress when eating. Always follow the Safe Eating for Foraged Mushrooms process, especially when eating a wild mushroom for the first time.

Don't take risks when identifying Shaggy Parasol, mistakes in identification can have deadly consequences! Be sure to match your collection on every aspect of the Identification Checklist and connect with the wide community of experts in the PNW to confirm or correct your identifications before you dig in!

If you have a passion for making mushroom hunting in the PNW approachable for beginners and want to collaborate, please reach out to me!