Eastern Caesar's Amanita is an edible mushroom in the fungus family (Amanitaceae) found in woodlands from eastern Canada through the United States and into Mexico. It is common to the oak and pine forests and fields of the Piedmont region of North Carolina. These mushrooms grow in partial shade to dappled shade up to 6 inches tall. Forms mycorrhizal associations with forest trees and grows singly but sometimes in scattered loose groups. It is easy to spot with its brilliant red cap that fades from the outer edge to the center with age. The stem of the mushroom is yellow with orange fibrils. The cap of the mushroom can grow to 4 inches across and is initially oval then becoming convex with a central bump. The gills are crowded, orange-yellow, and free from the stem. The short gills are subtruncate to truncate (appearing cut off). Use in a woodland or edible garden or naturalized areas. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
No true leaves. The cap is up to 4 inches across and flat to convex. It is red when young and fades to yellow at the margins. The gills are orange-yellow to yellow-orange to yellow and free from the stem. There is a large, white, sacklike volva at the top of the stem.
Flower detail
No flowers
Fruit detail
Produces white spores that are smooth, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid.
Stem color
Gold/Yellow; Orange
Stem detail
Stems are 3 to 6 inches tall slightly tapering to apex. The yellow stems have orange to yellow fibers in patches. There is a yellow or orange skirt-like ring at the base of the stem.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Quebec Canada to Mexico
Distribution
East of the rocky mountains.
Food & Medicine
Edibility
This mushroom is edible; however, caution should be used because it is similar in appearance to other, poisonous, mushrooms.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Woodland
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Design feature
Small groups
Garden tags
#yellow stems #mushrooms #edible garden #orange cap #woodland garden #edible