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Fat Pholiota, Scalycap
1 public strain
A clustered, wood-inhabiting Pholiota with a yellow to orange, greasy-to-slimy cap bearing concentric brown scales. It grows on living trunks as a weak parasite or on dead hardwood, especially beech, poplar and willow. It belongs to the 'P. adiposa complex' with P. aurivella and P. limonella, which are separated mainly by spore size and substrate, and microscopy is needed for reliable identification.
Edible with caution. Cultivated chestnut mushrooms sold under this name are eaten, especially in Asia, where the species is grown; cook before eating. Edibility of wild collections is disputed (First Nature calls scalycaps inedible). Wild material is hard to separate from other Pholiota, and deadly Galerina marginata (rusty-brown spore print, amatoxins) also grows in clusters on wood.
Fruiting trigger: Once fully colonized, open the top of the bag and move it somewhere cool and very humid; pins usually appear within about 2 weeks. Fresh air: Moderate fresh air. Higher CO₂ gives long stems and small caps, which some growers prefer for this species. Light: Dim, indirect light. Fruits in flushes several weeks apart; the mushrooms mature slowly. Slower to colonize than oysters; give it the full window before deciding it has stalled. The caps are naturally slimy when wet; that is normal for this species. Colonization humidity is ambient RH around sealed bags and is not critical. Review: General ranges compiled from widely published cultivation practice. Pending WeMush staff review; conditions vary by strain and setup.
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Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.
