Shaggy ink cap
Coprinus comatus
An elegant white silhouette that springs from rich lawns and ends up dissolving into 'ink'.
Partial shade
Role in permaculture
A recycler of rich, disturbed soils: it readily colonises composts and fertilised lawns, taking part in the breakdown of organic matter.
Growing this mushroom
- Method
- Rich soils, lawns, and composts, in open ground
- Substrate
- Soils rich in nitrogen and organic matter: compost, composted horse manure, enriched potting soil. Also develops spontaneously on rich lawns, meadows, and paths.
- Where to place it
- In an enriched lawn, a border amended with composted manure, or at the edge of a cultivated area, in partial shade and on cool, nitrogen-rich soil, where it also grows naturally.
- Period
- Inoculation in spring or summer; fruiting mainly in autumn (sometimes spring), after rain, on cool soil.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Choose a spot of lawn, meadow, or bed with rich soil, in partial shade.
- Incorporate compost or composted manure and mix the spawn well into the substrate, or bury it shallowly.
- Keep humid; fruiting is possible from the first favourable season.
- Harvest very young, when the cap is still white and closed: the shaggy ink cap dissolves quickly into 'ink' within a few hours and does not keep.
An appreciated edible when young. Culinary interest.
Precautions
Two safety points at harvest: pick only the young, white, firm specimens (once self-digestion has started, when the cap blackens and runs, do not eat); and clearly distinguish the shaggy ink cap from the common ink cap (Coprinopsis atramentaria), which contains coprine and causes an alcohol intolerance (an antabuse-type effect).
Sources: Mycelia.be, fiche professionnelle M8102 Coprinus comatus · cultiver-les-champignons.com, le coprin chevelu ; aujardin.info, fiche Coprinus comatus · Michelot, D. (1992). Poisoning by Coprinus atramentarius. Natural Toxins, 1(2), 73-80. · Tottmar, O. & Lindberg, P. (1977). Effects on rat liver acetaldehyde dehydrogenases in vitro and in vivo by coprine, the disulfiram-like constituent of Coprinus atramentarius. Acta Pharmacologica et Toxicologica, 40(4), 476-481.
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
To be eaten cooked (ANSES: never raw). The shaggy ink cap contains no coprine, but as a precaution several authors advise against alcohol at the same meal.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers partial shade exposure.