Source-reviewed species profile
Blackening waxcap Hygrocybe conica
Pointed yellow-orange to red cap; all parts blacken when handled or with age. This profile covers broad field features, season and habitat for learning.
Where can I find blackening waxcap?
Open grassland, woodland edges and mossy clearings.
In Mycoverse you can select Blackening waxcap and compare candidate search areas using a species-specific assessment of rainfall, estimated soil moisture, temperature, forest type, tree signals, canopy cover, terrain and season. Where source coverage is available, the assessment also uses historical species observations. Historical observations are historical data, not recent finds.
Images, text and app suggestions cannot confirm a species or food safety.
Field features
- Pointed yellow-orange to red cap; all parts blacken when handled or with age.
Habitat and search guidance
Open grassland, woodland edges and mossy clearings.
Months
June–November
Safety status
Not presented as food. Never use the app to decide whether a mushroom is safe to eat. Not presented as a food mushroom. This profile supports learning and safer boundaries; it does not approve a finding.
Sources and review status
- USDA Forest Service – Field Guide to Common Macrofungi in Eastern Forests
- USDA Forest Service – North American Fungi Protochecklist
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Last reviewed: 4 October 2026.