Dangerous mistake
Parasol mushroom or deadly dapperling? How to tell them apart
Parasol mushroom is an edible mushroom, while the deadly dapperling is a deadly poisonous mushroom. Compare the two mushrooms point by point.
Dapperlings are sometimes taken for small parasols. A mature parasol has a cap over approx. 10 cm, a tall stem with a zigzag pattern and a thick, movable ring; the dapperling is several times smaller and has a thin stem.
Small dapperlings (cap 2–6 cm) contain the same amatoxins as the death cap. Do not pick “parasols” with a cap smaller than approx. 10 cm; dapperlings have a slender stem and a faint, quickly vanishing ring.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Parasol mushroom | Deadly dapperling |
|---|---|---|
| Edibility | Edible | Deadly poisonous |
| Cap | Large, 10–30 cm across, egg-shaped when young (a “drumstick”), then parasol-shaped with a central umbo; whitish with large, brown, raised scales, the centre uniformly brown. | Small, 2–6(7) cm, hemispherical, then flat with an indistinct umbo; fine, dark brown to wine-brown scales on a pale pink background, denser in the centre. |
| Under the cap | Gills white or cream, crowded, broad, free – clearly separated from the stem. | Gills pale cream, crowded, free. |
| Stem | Tall (15–40 cm), slender, with a bulb at the base; covered with a brown zigzag (“snakeskin”) pattern; a thick, double ring that can be slid along the stem. No volva. | Short and thin (2–5 cm × 0.3–0.9 cm), whitish above the faint, quickly vanishing ring, pinkish-brown below with broken bands of brown scales; wine-red at the base. |
| Flesh | White, soft in the cap, fibrous in the stem; does not change colour when cut. | White, turning slightly red. |
| Smell and taste | Smell pleasant, sweetish-aromatic, nutty; taste mild. | Smell faint, fruity. Do not taste. |
| Habitat | Saprotrophic; edges of broadleaf and coniferous forests, glades, clearings, meadows, parks, roadsides. Avoids acidic and waterlogged soils, likes calcium-rich clay soils. | Saprotrophic; edges of forests and parks, meadows, roadsides, gardens – on soil rich in humus and organic debris, often in places altered by humans. |
| Season | July, August, September, October | July, August, September, October |
How to recognise it: parasol mushroom
- Cap usually over 10 cm, with brown scales on a pale background and a dark umbo
- Stem with a brown zigzag pattern and a bulb, but no volva
- Ring thick, double, movable – it can be slid along the stem
- Flesh does not turn red when cut
- Spore print white
How to recognise it: deadly dapperling
- Small fruit body – cap usually 2–6 cm
- Wine-brown scales on a pale pink cap
- Stem with bands of brown scales below a faint ring
- Spore print white
Safety rule
Never eat a mushroom identified only from a website, a photo or an app. Show any doubtful specimen to a certified mushroom inspector at the sanepid (state sanitary inspection); in season the advice points are free. Do not give wild-picked mushrooms to children.
The golden rules of foraging →Frequently asked questions
Parasol mushroom or deadly dapperling: how can you tell them apart?
Dapperlings are sometimes taken for small parasols. A mature parasol has a cap over approx. 10 cm, a tall stem with a zigzag pattern and a thick, movable ring; the dapperling is several times smaller and has a thin stem. Small dapperlings (cap 2–6 cm) contain the same amatoxins as the death cap. Do not pick “parasols” with a cap smaller than approx. 10 cm; dapperlings have a slender stem and a faint, quickly vanishing ring.
Deadly dapperling: what to do if you have eaten it?
Call 112 at once or go to A&E (SOR), and take any leftover mushrooms with you. Amatoxins (as in the death cap) – phalloides (cytotoxic) syndrome: gastrointestinal symptoms only after many hours, then an apparent improvement and damage to the liver and kidneys; severe to fatal poisonings.
Sources
- Wikipedia (pl): Czubajka kania
- grzyby.pl (M. Snowarski): Macrolepiota procera
- First Nature: Macrolepiota procera, Parasol
- Wikipedia (pl): Czubajeczka brązowoczerwonawa
- grzyby.pl (M. Snowarski): Lepiota brunneoincarnata
- First Nature: Lepiota brunneoincarnata, Deadly Dapperling
Last checked: 9 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Write to us.