# 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!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Meadows and grassy areas
- **Also known as:** Grass Waxcap

![Meadow Waxcap](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426320/objects/5136.jpg)

## 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.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Agaricales
- **Family:** Hygrophoraceae
- **Genus:** Cuphophyllus

## 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

- **Nutrient Cycler:** Meadow Waxcap can decompose dead plant matter that helps return vital nutrients to the soil for other living things.
- **Soil Health Indicator:** Meadow Waxcap has a preference for undisturbed grasslands that helps signal where the soil ecosystem is healthy.
- **Spore Sprayer:** 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
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 3-10 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Fall to early winter
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Grazes on fungal fruiting bodies
- **Eaten by:** Burgundy Snail (*Helix pomatia*) — Feeds on various fungi
- **Eaten by:** [Roe Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — Deer sometimes forage on mushrooms

## Traits

- [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Meadow Waxcap?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Meadow Waxcap?

3-12 cm

### Is Meadow Waxcap edible?

edible

### How big is Meadow Waxcap?

3-10 cm

### Where is Meadow Waxcap usually found?

Meadows and grassy areas

### What does Meadow Waxcap grow on?

soil

### When is Meadow Waxcap in season?

Fall to early winter

### What color are Meadow Waxcap spores?

White

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Meadow Waxcap: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/meadow-waxcap)