Honey Fungus - Armillaria mellea

Alternative names
Bootlace Fungus
Description

The caps are variable in colour from honey-coloured to brownish-yellow, sometimes with a greenish tint, through red-brown to a darker brown.  The caps have small scattered darker squamules, especially in the centre.  The gills are creamy or yellowish, sometimes with rusty spots.  There is a persistent yellowish ring.

A serious parasite of many species of trees and shrubs, often responsible for the death of specimen trees, fruit trees, hedgrow shrubs etc. in parks and gardens. Long black 'bootlaces' or rhizomorphs can be found under the bark of dead and dying trees.

Similar Species

other Armillaria species: Dark Honey fungus Armillaria ostoyae and Bulbous Honey fungus  Armillaria gallica.  (In the past these have been considered to be varieties of A mellea, but are now treated as separate species)

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Photograph from top down, in side view and from underneath to show gills and full length of stipe.  Note habitat and substrate.

Habitat

On or up against broad-leaf and conifer trees; also occurring on stumps and roots, and occasionally on fallen branches.

When to see it

July to November

UK Status

Common and widespread in Britain.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Honey Fungus
Species group:
fungus
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Agaricales
Family:
Physalacriaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
102
First record:
23/10/2004 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
26/10/2025 (Charity, Kenneth)

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% of records within its species group

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