# Waxcaps (*hygrocybe*)

Waxcaps are colorful mushrooms that look like little umbrellas in the forest! They come in many bright colors and can be found in grassy places after it rains.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Waxcaps grow in grassy areas, especially in forests and meadows.
- **Also known as:** Colorful Mushrooms, Rainbow Caps, Wax Cap Mushrooms

![Waxcaps](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2007-06-16_Hygrocybe_conica.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Andreas Kunze, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2007-06-16_Hygrocybe_conica.jpg)

## Appearance

The Waxcaps are a group of fungi known for their vibrant, often jewel-toned caps that have a distinctly waxy or slimy feel. Their colours can range from fiery red and brilliant yellow to deep purple, making them stand out in their grassy habitats. Many species have smooth caps and stems, without gills or pores visible on the cap's underside.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Many Waxcaps thrive only in ancient, unfertilized meadows, making them rare finds.
- One tiny Waxcap can release billions of microscopic spores to find new homes!
- Some Waxcaps look like tiny, colourful jewels scattered across grassy fields!
- Their scientific name, Hygrocybe, means 'watery head' because of their often moist caps.

## Special abilities

- **Moisture Shield:** Waxcaps have a waxy or slimy coating that helps them retain moisture, especially in dry, open grassland environments.
- **Color Beacon:** Waxcaps possess incredibly bright colours that might attract attention, aiding in the dispersal of their microscopic spores.
- **Grassland Guardian:** Waxcaps specialize in decomposing nutrients from undisturbed grasslands, playing a crucial role in maintaining healthy soil ecosystems.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2-12 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 0.5-10 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Autumn
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Common slugs often graze on their fleshy caps.
- **Depends on:** Mat-grass (*Nardus stricta*) — They grow in unfertilized grasslands where this grass thrives.
- **Depends on:** Red Fescue (*Festuca rubra*) — Thrives in the same nutrient-poor, undisturbed grassland habitats.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [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.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not touch or eat mushrooms unless a grown-up says it's safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Waxcaps?

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 Waxcaps?

2-12 cm

### Is Waxcaps edible?

inedible

### How big is Waxcaps?

0.5-10 cm

### Where is Waxcaps usually found?

Waxcaps grow in grassy areas, especially in forests and meadows.

### What does Waxcaps grow on?

soil

### When is Waxcaps in season?

Autumn

### What color are Waxcaps spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Potomac Hills Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/potomac-hills-park) — Virginia, US · Park
- [Craig Lake State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/craig-lake-state-park) — Michigan, US · State Park
- [Gamble Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gamble-park) — British Columbia, CA · Park

[View all places to see Waxcaps](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/waxcaps)

## 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: [Waxcaps: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/waxcaps)