Meadow Waxcap

Hygrocybe pratensis

The Meadow Waxcap is a colorful little mushroom that loves to grow in grassy fields. It has a bright yellow cap and can often be found after it rains!

Habitat: Meadows and grassy areas

Appearance

The Meadow Waxcap has a cheerful orange-brown cap that is often dry and feels slightly waxy to the touch, starting cone-shaped and flattening with age. Its thick, widely-spaced gills are paler than the cap, sometimes creamy or yellowish, helping it stand out against green grass.

KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderAgaricalesFamilyHygrophoraceaeGenusCuphophyllus

Meadow Waxcap

Interesting facts

They are one of the most common waxcap mushrooms, often appearing in large groups after autumn rains!

Unlike many fungi, Meadow Waxcaps don't have a strong smell, but they are still sometimes eaten by hungry slugs!

Waxcaps get their name because their caps often feel smooth and waxy, like they've been polished!

You can often find these bright orange mushrooms growing in ancient pastures and even old churchyards!

Special abilities

Meadow Waxcap can decompose dead plant matter that helps return vital nutrients to the soil for other living things.

Meadow Waxcap has a preference for undisturbed grasslands that helps signal where the soil ecosystem is healthy.

Meadow Waxcap can release millions of tiny spores that helps them spread and grow in new locations far away.

Measurements & details

Height: 3-12 cm
Edibility: edible
Cap Diameter: 3-10 cm
Growth Substrate: soil
Season: Fall to early winter
Spore Color: White

Ecological connections

eaten by

Black Slug

Arion ater

Grazes on fungal fruiting bodies

eaten by

Burgundy Snail

Helix pomatia

Feeds on various fungi

eaten by

Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Deer sometimes forage on mushrooms

Traits

Cluster Flower

Discover how these flowers grow together in beautiful groups, creating a big splash of color that catches your eye. It's like a tiny bouquet, all natural!

Spore Producing

Discover how some plants and fungi create tiny little "seeds" called spores to help them grow new life! These tiny particles drift in the air, spreading new generations far and wide.