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Caesar’s mushroom (Amanita caesarea)
GLJIVARSKO DRUSTVO NIS from Serbia · CC BY 2.0
Edible species

Caesar’s mushroom

Amanita caesarea · Amanitaceae

Caesar's mushroom is a prized edible Amanita, said to have been a favourite of the Roman emperors, with a smooth orange-red cap, yellow gills and stem, and a white sac at the base.

FamilyAmanitaceae
SeasonJul–Nov
Spore printWhite
Cap width20 cm
Stem length5–15 cm
Records in Turkey48 records
CultivationWild only
StatusEdible species

Caesar's mushroom is a prized edible Amanita, said to have been a favourite of the Roman emperors, with a smooth orange-red cap, yellow gills and stem, and a white sac at the base. But the same genus includes the death cap and the destroying angel, and this species can also be confused with the fly agaric. Never eat it without a certain identification.

Also called: ovolo, royal amanita Turkish: İmparator mantarı, Sezar mantarı, padişah mantarı

Caesar’s mushroom

How to recognise it

Caesar’s mushroom, part by part

Spore print: White Not distinctive.

Cap — Caesar’s mushroom
CapUp to 20 cm; orange to red, smooth with a striated margin; hemispherical then flat.
Gills — Caesar’s mushroom
GillsYellowish, crowded and free.
Stem — Caesar’s mushroom
StemYellow (paler than the cap), 5–15 cm.
Ring — Caesar’s mushroom
RingA loose, hanging, striate yellow ring.
Volva — the cup at the base — Caesar’s mushroom
Volva — the cup at the baseYes: a white, sack-like cup. When young the whole mushroom sits inside this white "egg".

When and where

Jul–Nov

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Julin season
  8. Augin season
  9. Sepin season
  10. Octin season
  11. Novin season
  12. Dec

Caesar's mushroom fruits from early summer to mid-autumn in Europe (August–December according to one British source); in Turkey, GBIF records peak in September–October.

Where do Caesar's mushrooms grow?

Caesar's mushroom grows in the oak and pine woods of southern Europe and North Africa, singly or in groups, in partnership with tree roots (ectomycorrhizal).

In Turkey

In Turkey, records of Caesar's mushroom come mostly from the forests of Istanbul and Thrace.

  • İstanbul26
  • Kırklareli6
  • Osmaniye3
  • Çanakkale2
  • Kocaeli2
  • Tekirdağ2
  • Trabzon1
  • Sinop1

48 observations on our map (GBIF, iNaturalist). Record density also reflects where observers work.

Latest Caesar's mushroom observations

See on the map

In its habitat — Caesar’s mushroom
In its habitat

Look-alikes

What could it be confused with?

Caesar’s mushroom
Caesar’s mushroom
Fly agaric
Fly agaric
Poisonous

Fly agaric Amanita muscaria

White flakes on a red cap (rain can wash them off); gills and stem are WHITE, with a ringed bulb at the base.

Caesar’s mushroom
Caesar’s mushroom
Death cap
Death cap
Deadly

Death cap Amanita phalloides

Greenish cap, white gills and stem. In the closed egg stage both sit inside a white sac.

Caesar’s mushroom
Caesar’s mushroom
Destroying angel
Destroying angel
Deadly

Destroying angel Amanita virosa

All white with white gills. The egg stage looks very similar.

In the kitchen

Cooking with Caesar's mushrooms

Storing Caesar's mushrooms

Fresh · fridge3–7 daysKeep fresh Caesar's mushrooms unwashed in a paper bag in the fridge; delicate species are at the short end. Source
FrozenA few monthsFreeze Caesar's mushrooms cooked, not raw: sauté and cool them first. Source
DriedA few months – 1 yearKeep dried Caesar's mushrooms in an airtight jar in a cool, dry, dark place. Source

How to store mushrooms: the full guide →

Only fully opened specimens with an orange cap and yellow gills should be considered; never pick closed "eggs". One study found cadmium and lead above EU limits, so do not eat it often.

Grow it, buy it

Caesar's mushroom price list

Caesar's mushroom price list
ProductUsMarket (sourced, dated)
Fresh Caesar's mushroomsIn preparation · notify me—
Dried Caesar's mushroomsIn preparation · notify me—

Our prices for Caesar's mushrooms are published when the product is ready; for now we take waiting-list sign-ups. The market column shows prices seen on other sellers' pages on the date given; they are not our prices and may have changed.

Grow kits →

Frequently asked questions

Are Caesar's mushrooms edible?

Yes, the Caesar's mushroom is an edible species. Eat a wild one only after an expert has identified it with certainty: it can be confused with fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), death cap (Amanita phalloides) and destroying angel (Amanita virosa). Only fully opened specimens with an orange cap and yellow gills should be considered; never pick closed "eggs". One study found cadmium and lead above EU limits, so do not eat it often.

When is Caesar's mushroom season in Turkey?

In our calendar, Caesar's mushroom season runs Jul–Nov. Caesar's mushroom fruits from early summer to mid-autumn in Europe (August–December according to one British source); in Turkey, GBIF records peak in September–October.

Where do Caesar's mushrooms grow?

Caesar's mushroom grows in the oak and pine woods of southern Europe and North Africa, singly or in groups, in partnership with tree roots (ectomycorrhizal).

Where are Caesar's mushrooms found in Turkey?

In Turkey, records of Caesar's mushroom come mostly from the forests of Istanbul and Thrace.

What can the Caesar's mushroom be confused with?

The Caesar's mushroom can be confused with fly agaric (Amanita muscaria, poisonous), death cap (Amanita phalloides, deadly) and destroying angel (Amanita virosa, deadly). Look-alikes are compared on this page.

What is the Caesar's mushroom called in Turkish?

In Turkish, the Caesar's mushroom (Amanita caesarea) is called İmparator mantarı; other local names include Sezar mantarı and padişah mantarı.

Related species

All species → · Identify by photo →

Sources (5)
Photo credits (10)