Macrolepiota procera

The common giant parasol, also known as parasol or giant parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera), is a species of mushroom in the family Agaricaceae. The common giant parasol has a distribution from Australia to boreal regions. It has been recorded in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. In the Americas, its range extends from Canada to Chile. In Africa, it is found in Kenya, Madagascar, and North Africa. In Asia, the species is distributed from Siberia and Eastern Russia to Japan and India. In Europe, apart from the Arctic regions, it can be found everywhere.

Scientific research on Macrolepiota procera focuses on various aspects such as its ecological role, genetic diversity, and potential medical applications. Studies have shown that the mushroom exhibits a variety of bioactivities that could have interesting pharmacological properties. These include antimicrobial, antioxidative, and potentially anticancer properties, which are being further investigated.

• Growing Medium

Grain Brood Preparation:

Begin with sterilized grain (such as rye or wheat) inoculated with Macrolepiota procera mycelium.

Incubate the grain jars or bags at around 24°C (75°F) until fully colonized by the mycelium.

Substrate Preparation:

Mix a substrate consisting of oak leaves, straw, peat, and either cattle or horse manure. Ensure that the substrate is well-composted and pasteurized to eliminate competing organisms.

• Fruiting Conditions

Fruiting Bed:

Outdoors: Choose a well-draining area to create a fruiting bed. Bury the fully colonized grain spawn in the substrate mix.

Indoors: You can use containers such as tubs or pouches filled with the substrate mix, ensuring they have proper drainage.

Cover Soil:

The fruiting substrate must be covered with soil containing specific bacteria necessary for fruiting. Common cover soils like coco coir, vermiculite, or treated garden soil may not be effective.

Outdoor: Cover the inoculated substrate with fresh sod or well-draining garden soil. The presence of natural soil bacteria can enhance fruiting.

Indoor Experimental: Try covering with fresh sod or a similar organic material that can simulate outdoor conditions.

Maintenance:

Watering: Keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged. Macrolepiota procera prefers a humid environment with good air exchange.

Temperature: Maintain a temperature range of 16-24°C (60-75°F) for optimal growth and fruiting.

• Fruiting Phase

Inducing Fruiting:

After the substrate is fully colonized and covered with soil, maintain consistent moisture and proper temperature.

Fruiting typically occurs in the late summer to fall outdoors. For indoor cultures, simulate these conditions by adjusting the environmental parameters.

Harvesting:

Monitor the fruiting bed or containers for the appearance of mushrooms. Parasol mushrooms are ready to harvest when the caps are fully expanded but before the gills start to darken.

Harvest by gently twisting and pulling the mushrooms from the substrate.

• Tips for Success

Soil Microbes: The presence of beneficial soil microbes is crucial. Outdoor beds naturally have these, but for indoor cultures, adding compost or soil from a healthy garden may help.

Drainage: Ensure excellent drainage to prevent waterlogging, which can be detrimental to Macrolepiota procera.

Organic Material: Incorporating decomposed organic material like fermented lawn clippings and hardwood leaves can provide additional nutrients and support mycelial growth.

1. Dissolve the malt extract and agar in distilled water.
2.  Sterilize the solution by autoclaving at 121°C for 15-20 minutes.
3. Pour the sterilized media into petri dishes or other containers under sterile conditions.
4. The Yeast is optional, but you can add it to any recipe for nutritions, same for Peptone.

Oak Leaves
Rich in lignin and cellulose, which support the mushroom's growth.

Straw
Commonly used for its structure and availability, providing a good balance of nutrients and aeration.

Peat
Helps retain moisture and provides a slightly acidic environment, beneficial for fungal growth.

Cattle or Horse Manure
Adds essential nutrients and beneficial microbes to the substrate.

Compost
Enriched compost, especially those with organic matter, can enhance growth.

Wood Chips
Preferably hardwood chips, which decompose slowly and provide a steady nutrient release.

Paper and Pulp Waste
Useful for recycling organic material while supporting fungal growth.

Calcium Carbonate (Lime)
Adjusts pH levels and provides calcium, promoting mycelial growth.

Gypsum
Adds calcium and sulfur, which are beneficial for mushroom development.

Soybean Meal
Provides additional nitrogen and proteins, boosting growth.

Bran (Wheat, Rice)
Enriches the substrate with additional nutrients.

Alfalfa Meal
High in nitrogen and other nutrients, promoting vigorous growth.

Urea
A nitrogen source that accelerates decomposition and nutrient availability.

Molasses
Adds sugars and minerals, feeding beneficial microbes in the substrate.

Fish Emulsion
A rich source of nutrients that supports robust mycelial development.

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Secondary decomposers, single, no large clusters

Macrolepiota procera can be found in almost all mesophilous forest communities as well as in open grassland on loamy, fresh soils. It prefers sparse beech, oak and oak-hornbeam forests on nutrient-rich subsoil as well as corresponding spruce forests, meadows and pastures, parks, roadsides and forest edges. The ecological requirements are very similar to those of the wood anemone. On acid or sandy substrates the fungus occurs only sporadically and then with nutrient richness. In humid areas it is hardly found. The Parasol mushroom is found mainly in middle-aged and older forests. It can be found from planar to subalpine altitudes.

The Parasol lives saprobiontic. The fruiting bodies appear from July to November, occasionally earlier or delayed. In Mediterranean Europe they can be found already from May. They occur solitary to gregarious, sometimes in witch rings.

Mixed forests, forest edges, forest roads and heaths, early summer to late autumn.

Look for a tall, slender stipe (stem) that can reach up to 30 cm in height, adorned with a snakeskin-like pattern of brown scales. The cap, which can be up to 25 cm in diameter, starts off egg-shaped and opens to a broad, umbrella-like form, with a distinctive central knob and covered in brown scales. The gills are free, white, and densely packed. The spores are white, and the mushroom features a movable ring on the stipe. This species is often found in grassy areas and woodland clearings, and its distinctive size, pattern, and structure make it relatively easy to identify.

Macrolepiota procera's nutty aroma and sheer size of the cap make it attractive to collectors. Only the cap is used, it is suitable for burgers or for breading. Unfortunately, the mushroom often grows along field edges and is then considered inedible by many, as it is often contaminated with glyphosate. On markets as a wild mushroom often of Polish origin offered, but as a cultivated mushroom (yet) not available.