Parasol mushroom, a giant worth knowing

In forest clearings, along woodland edges and in meadows you'll come across a true giant among mushrooms: the parasol. Its tall stem and wide cap, like an open umbrella, stand out from far away. This mushroom is considered a delicacy, and its caps are fried like a schnitzel. But because of the tall stem and the ring, beginners sometimes confuse it with amanitas, so knowing the parasol's features matters.

Let's look at what the parasol looks like, where it grows, how it's cooked and how to confidently tell it apart from its dangerous lookalikes.

What the parasol looks like

Parasol mushroom has a very distinctive look that makes it easy to recognize.

• Size. One of our largest mushrooms: the stem is up to 30-40 cm tall, the cap up to 25-30 cm across.
• Cap. Egg-shaped in a young mushroom, then it opens into a wide umbrella with a bump in the middle, gray-brown, covered with large, upturned scales.
• Stem. Tall, slender, hollow inside, with a distinctive pattern that looks like snakeskin.
• Ring. The stem has a wide ring that you can freely slide up and down. This is an important feature.

The combination of large size, a scaly umbrella cap, a tall patterned stem and a movable ring makes the parasol easy to recognize.

Where and when the parasol grows

The parasol loves open, sunny spots rather than deep forest.

Look for it in clearings, along woodland edges and forest roads, in meadows and even in pastures, among the grass. The parasol grows alone or in small groups, from summer to autumn.

Alongside the large parasol you may also find the smaller frayed parasol, which is edible too. All edible parasols share a large scaly cap and a movable ring on the stem.

How not to confuse the parasol with lookalikes

This is the most important part, because it's exactly the tall stem and ring that make people confuse the parasol with dangerous mushrooms.

1. Check the base of the stem. The parasol has no sac at the base. The death cap and amanitas have a sac, the volva. Dig the mushroom up whole.
2. Look at the ring. On the parasol it's wide and slides freely along the stem. In amanitas the ring is attached.
3. Judge the size and scales. A mature parasol is large, with big, upturned scales, something you won't find on the panther cap.
4. Don't pick young ones still in the button stage. Until the cap has opened, the parasol is easiest to confuse with other mushrooms.

The main rule: a movable ring and no sac means a parasol; an attached ring or a sac at the base is a reason to be wary. When in doubt, check our safe foraging rules.

How to cook the parasol

With the parasol, you mostly eat the caps, because the stems are tough and fibrous.

The classic dish is a parasol cap fried in breadcrumbs, like a schnitzel or cutlet. A large cap is dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and pan-fried until golden. The result is a tender dish with a nutty flavor.

Parasols are also stewed, added to scrambled eggs and dried. Only young, clean caps are cooked, and the tough stems are set aside. For more on mushrooms that call for similar caution, read our piece on Agaricus mushrooms and how they differ from the death cap.

Sources

• "Key to the Fungi of Ukraine" (Kyiv, Naukova Dumka publishing house).
• Macrolepiota procera on GBIF, the global biodiversity database.
• Macrolepiota procera on MycoBank, the international fungal nomenclature database.
• Macrolepiota procera on Wikipedia.