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Upcoming Events | Meet the Instructors | Plant Archive | Mushroom Archive
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The Silky Sheath mushroom (Volvariella bombycina) is a rare, edible mushroom that fruits July-November.
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The Silky sheath can be found growing on hardwood logs or in wounds of standing hardwood trees. The mushroom grows out of a whitish to brownish cup at the base of the stem. The cap is silky white, yellowing with age. Gills are whitish at first, becoming pinkish. Spore print is brownish pink.
![](https://eattheplanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/380756547_700258128818176_9057031160234385341_n.jpg)
The Silky sheath has a slightly nutty taste after cooking. It has been found to be high in antioxidants and have anti-tumor properties.
The Silky sheath must be differentiated from the deadly Destroying Angel mushroom (Amanita virosa). Destroying angels are also white and grow from a cup, but they grow from the ground while the Silky sheath grows from wood. The Destroying angel also has a veil, a smooth cap, and a white spore print.
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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.