Shaggy Parasol
Shaggy parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes) is a wild food mushroom that is eaten cooked, upsets the stomach of a minority of people, and has a poisonous look-alike, the green-spored lepiota, so it should only be eaten after in-person expert confirmation.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Documented analytical data
Each group below is one study's measurement of the stated specimen or preparation. It is not a typical value for the species or product, varies between specimens, and says nothing about effects or safety. 2 values from 2 sources.
Akata I, Baba H, Kabaktepe S, Sevindik M. Evaluation of antioxidant potential, anticholinesterase activity and elemen... (1 value)
Source: Akata I, Baba H, Kabaktepe S, Sevindik M. Evaluation of antioxidant potential, anticholinesterase activity and element content of Chlorophyllum rhacodes species. Prospects in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2026;55(3):1-7. https://avesis.ankara.edu.tr/yayin/a2044da7-c1be-4bac-8d25-685232d4c354/evaluation... Laboratory: Akata et al. 2026. Method: enzyme inhibition assay (abstract). Date: 2026.
| Specimen or preparation | Analyte | Value | What it is | Sample size and scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyllum rhacodes | Acetylcholinesterase inhibition IC50 | 94.3 ug per mL (extract, test tube (IC50)) | IC50 (reported) | not read. one study |
Akata I, Baba H, Kabaktepe S, Sevindik M. Evaluation of antioxidant potential, anticholinesterase activity and elemen... (1 value)
Source: Akata I, Baba H, Kabaktepe S, Sevindik M. Evaluation of antioxidant potential, anticholinesterase activity and element content of Chlorophyllum rhacodes species. Prospects in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2026;55(3):1-7. https://avesis.ankara.edu.tr/yayin/a2044da7-c1be-4bac-8d25-685232d4c354/evaluation... Laboratory: Akata et al. 2026. Method: enzyme inhibition assay (abstract). Date: 2026.
| Specimen or preparation | Analyte | Value | What it is | Sample size and scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyllum rhacodes | Butyrylcholinesterase inhibition IC50 | 128.4 ug per mL (extract, test tube (IC50)) | IC50 (reported) | not read. one study |
What is Shaggy parasol good for?
What the body uses it for, and how strong the evidence is. A normal job in the body is not proof that extra supplements add benefit; each card says which.
As a food (nutrition)
Not enough evidenceA wild culinary mushroom eaten cooked. No open source we read gave nutrient values for it, and USDA has no entry.
Supplements: No supplement product was assessed.
Antioxidant and enzyme tests (laboratory)
Lab or animal research onlyA 2026 laboratory study reported significant antioxidant activity and limited cholinesterase inhibition (IC50 about 94.3 and 128.4 micrograms per millilitre).
Supplements: No human evidence.
Medicinal or supplement use
Not enough evidenceNo human health-outcome trial and no established supplement were found.
Supplements: Proper evidence not found.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Functional actions (1)
- AntioxidantLab or animal research only
Antioxidant activity was seen in test-tube assays only; no human data.
Root causes (1)
- Heavy Metal ExposureDocumented risk
A 2026 laboratory study reported cadmium and copper above literature limits in this wild mushroom (abstract only).
Conditions & symptoms (1)
- Food PoisoningDocumented risk
Some people get a stomach upset from cooked shaggy parasol, and a poisonous look-alike causes severe gut illness.
Documented risks and interactions (3)
- Safety: stomach upset in some people. The Woodland Trust says shaggy parasol is edible only when cooked and that about 1 in 25 people may get a stomach upset from it even then.
- Safety: poisonous look-alike. The green-spored lepiota (Chlorophyllum molybdites) is described as highly poisonous and commonly confused with parasol-type mushrooms; a Sicilian series of 10 poisonings had severe gut symptoms, sometimes with shock in children or vulnerable people.
- Safety: metal accumulation. The 2026 study reported cadmium and copper above upper limits quoted in the literature and said the species tends to accumulate some heavy metals.
Safety first. The shaggy parasol is eaten in Europe and North America, but it is a "cook it and try a little" mushroom, not a risk-free one. The Woodland Trust (UK) says it is edible only when cooked and that about 1 in 25 people may get a stomach upset from it, even after cooking. [1] A poisonous mushroom of the same group, the green-spored lepiota (Chlorophyllum molybdites), is the species most often mixed up with parasol-type mushrooms, and it causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea. [2][3] Do not identify wild mushrooms from text, photos or apps: only an experienced local expert, in person, can confirm a find. If someone may have eaten a wild mushroom and feels ill, call poison help at once (United States: 1-800-222-1222; elsewhere your local poison centre or emergency number). See mushroom poisoning symptoms and urgent help.
The short version. Shaggy parasol is a large wild mushroom with a long food tradition. It is a food, not a proven medicine. The only health-type research we found is a laboratory study of antioxidant tests and metal content; we found no trial in people. [4]
Two separate questions. Eating the mushroom as food is one question (cooking, a sensitive stomach, look-alikes, metals). Taking it as a supplement is another, and for shaggy parasol there is no established supplement and no human evidence.
What it is
Chlorophyllum rhacodes is a large wild mushroom of woods, shrubs and hedges, found across Europe and North America and seen from June to October in the UK. [1] The same fungus is often listed under older names such as Macrolepiota rhacodes and Lepiota rhacodes; Wikidata records the species as Q757119 and the project's search of the open natural-products data found no compounds listed for it. [4][5] Its close relative the parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) has its own page.The poisonous look-alikes
- Green-spored lepiota. Chlorophyllum molybdites is described as highly poisonous and is commonly confused with parasol-type mushrooms, including the shaggy parasol species group. [2][3] Read more on the green-spored parasol page. Small Lepiota species such as the deadly parasol carry the same amatoxins as the death cap and can also be mistaken for parasol-type mushrooms.
- What the poisoning looks like. In a case series from Sicily, 10 poisonings by C. molybdites were handled by the Pavia Poison Centre, with severe gut symptoms that in children or vulnerable people can go on to shock needing intensive care; the authors warn that confusion with amatoxin-containing mushrooms can complicate treatment. [3] A French case report describes a family who ate an omelette of wild mushrooms they took to be parasols, probably a different Chlorophyllum species (C. brunneum); they had abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea 2 to 3 hours later and recovered with oral rehydration. [6] That report did not involve C. rhacodes.
- Other look-alikes. The Woodland Trust names a different edible mushroom, the prince (Agaricus augustus), as nearly identical in appearance. [1] Other dangerous species exist; we did not read a source that lists them all, and we do not teach identification here.
Eating it safely
- The Woodland Trust says it is edible only when cooked. [1]
- Because stomach upset occurs in some people even after cooking, the usual advice for any new wild mushroom is to try a very small portion once and keep a photo and a piece of what you ate. [6] See cooking edible mushrooms safely.
- We did not find a source giving a cooking time or method specific to this species.
Food and nutrition
USDA FoodData Central has no shaggy parasol entry. No open source we read gave protein, fibre, vitamin D or ergothioneine values for this species. Nothing here shows a nutrient role for people eating a normal portion.What research shows
- Antioxidant and enzyme tests. A 2026 laboratory study of C. rhacodes reported significant antioxidant activity in test-tube assays and only limited blocking of two nerve-chemical enzymes (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, half-maximal concentrations about 94.3 and 128.4 micrograms per millilitre). [4] These are test-tube results, not effects in people.
- Comparison. Another laboratory comparison is reported to have found the parasol (M. procera) stronger than C. rhacodes in antioxidant tests; we only saw a repository record of it. [7]
- People. We found no randomised or other human trial of shaggy parasol for any health purpose. Proper evidence not found.
Lab data and chemistry
A. What the laboratory literature reports in this mushroom. Wikidata (CC0, which imports the LOTUS natural-products data) lists no compounds for Chlorophyllum rhacodes (Q757119). [5] The only chemistry we found is from the 2026 study, which measured antioxidant status, DPPH and FRAP scavenging and element content without naming compounds in the abstract. [4]| Compound or group | Class | Where / form | Identity | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No individual compounds listed | Wikidata Q757119 (species) | [5] | ||
| Antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, total antioxidant status) | Test-tube activity, not a compound | Fruiting body extract | not applicable | [4] |
| Cadmium, copper | Trace elements | Fruiting body | not applicable | [4] |
B. Measured values. USDA FoodData Central has no entry for this mushroom. The only numbers we read are two enzyme half-maximal values from an abstract.
| Measure | Value | Basis | Sample | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acetylcholinesterase inhibition, IC50 | about 94.3 micrograms per millilitre | extract, test tube | C. rhacodes, collection details not read | [4] |
| Butyrylcholinesterase inhibition, IC50 | about 128.4 micrograms per millilitre | extract, test tube | same | [4] |
| Cadmium, copper | reported above literature limits; numbers not read | not read | same | [4] |
| Protein, fibre, vitamin D, ergothioneine, beta-glucan, triterpenes | no open measured value found |
C. What the numbers do and do not mean.
- A test-tube enzyme or antioxidant result does not show a health effect in people.
- Metal levels depend on where the mushroom grew; a single study's collection is one place.
- This is a wild food: no mycelium-on-grain or extract product exists to compare.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
Is shaggy parasol safe to eat?
It is eaten cooked in many places, but about 1 in 25 people may get a stomach upset, and a poisonous look-alike exists. [1][3] Only an expert in person can confirm a find.
Can I eat it raw?
No. The Woodland Trust says it is edible only when cooked. [1]
What if I think I ate the wrong mushroom?
Call poison help straight away, even if you feel fine at first. In the United States: 1-800-222-1222.
Does it have health benefits?
Not shown. Laboratory reports exist but we found no human trial. [4]
Does it contain heavy metals?
A 2026 study reported cadmium and copper above literature limits (abstract only). [4]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety and limits of the evidence
- Stomach upset. About 1 in 25 people, per the Woodland Trust; this is a rough figure from a conservation charity, not a clinical study. [1]
- Metals. The 2026 study reported cadmium and copper above upper limits quoted in the literature and concluded the species tends to accumulate some heavy metals (abstract only; the numbers were not read). [4] See mushroom heavy metals and contamination.
- Medicines, pregnancy, allergy beyond the stomach upset. We found no species-specific data. Proper evidence not found.
- Conservation. We did not read a source on over-harvesting.
References
- Woodland Trust. Shaggy parasol. Read 2026-10-23 (full page).
- Search summary of regional foraging guides (Minnesota Seasons, Brickfields Park), used only to confirm that C. molybdites is described as the poisonous parasol look-alike: Minnesota Seasons, Shaggy Parasol. Seen in search results 2026-10-23; the page itself was not opened.
- Case series of Chlorophyllum molybdites intoxication in Sicily: an "alien" mushroom species in Europe. Ann Ist Super Sanita 2022;58(3):213-217. Read 2026-10-23 (abstract only).
- Akata I, Baba H, Kabaktepe S, Sevindik M. Evaluation of antioxidant potential, anticholinesterase activity and element content of Chlorophyllum rhacodes species. Prospects in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2026;55(3):1-7. Record. Read 2026-10-23 (abstract only; the PDF could not be read).
- Wikidata (CC0), Chlorophyllum rhacodes, Q757119; site research file
lotus-shaggy-parasol.json, retrieved 2026-10-23 (no compounds listed). - Bruneau et al. Wild mushroom poisoning in a family (case review). BMJ Case Rep 2024, PMC10910438. Read 2026-10-23 (full text summary; concerns C. brunneum, not C. rhacodes).
- Serbian repository record of an acetone-extract comparison of Macrolepiota procera and Chlorophyllum rhacodes: scidar.kg.ac.rs. Seen in search results only; not opened.