EDIBLE: Popular edible mushroom but requires proper preparation. CRITICAL: Must be thoroughly cooked - NEVER eat raw or undercooked. Some people have allergic reactions even when cooked. Try small amounts first. Verify PINK SPORE PRINT (not rusty brown). The purple color, attached gills, pink spores, and sweet smell distinguish it from Cortinarius. Popular in Europe and increasingly cultivated. Best sautéed or in stews. Discard fibrous stems.
This is the same species as Lepista nuda (Wood Blewit) - the name Clitocybe nuda is a synonym. Cap 5-15 cm across, convex becoming flat, lilac to purple-blue when young, fading to tan with purple tones. The surface is smooth and slightly greasy. The gills are adnate to sinuate, lilac-purple fading to tan. The stem is 4-10 cm tall, stout, purple to lilac with bulbous base. The flesh is pale purple to white with sweet floral fragrance. Pink spore print.
| Family | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Genus | Clitocybe |
| Edibility | Edible* |
| Toxicity | unknown |
| Season | Sep-Dec |
| Habitat | Found in deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, hedgerows, parks, gardens, and compost piles. Grows as a leaf litter decomposer in rich organic soil. Fruits scattered to gregarious in large troops or fairy rings. Prefers nitrogen-rich environments. |
| Region | Europe (very common), Eastern North America (common), Pacific Northwest (common), California (occasional), Temperate regions worldwide, Widely cultivated |
Habitat: Found in deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, hedgerows, parks, gardens, and compost piles. Grows as a leaf litter decomposer in rich organic soil. Fruits scattered to gregarious in large troops or fairy rings. Prefers nitrogen-rich environments.
Region: Europe (very common), Eastern North America (common), Pacific Northwest (common), California (occasional), Temperate regions worldwide, Widely cultivated
Late summer through early winter (September-December). One of the classic late-season mushrooms fruiting after frosts. Peak in late fall (October-November). In mild climates may fruit into January.
Typical months: Sep-Dec
Always verify identification to avoid these similar species. The differentiator is the point — learn the one or two tells that separate them:
rusty brown spores and cobwebby veil
smaller, truly purple, thinner
smaller, fragile, radish odor
cobwebby veil, rusty spores
Pin the patch before you leave it. Coordinates, photos, and field notes stay on your device — and the offline lookalike guide travels with you into the deep woods.
Download Mushroom TrackerDisclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes only. Never consume a wild mushroom unless you are 100% certain of its identification.