Mushrooms with the seeds of the Lunaria flower, butterfly and cypress with cones in botanical illustration

I have designed this illustrations that can be used in many ways, printed for the decoration of your room, kitchen or for educational purposes in a space dedicated for learning or just for promoting the love and appreciation of nature, forest and earth. These prints are not limited here, they can be used from foraging events, species identification workshops, mushroom photography tours, creating foraged drinks and products. No matter what you want to do, its all yours.

Coprinus comatus, also known us shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, is an excellent edible mushroom, the young ones, before the gills start to turn black, are a choice edible mushroom, but should be prepared soon after being collected as the black areas quickly turn bitter. It’s shaggy looking scales on the cap suggests to some the wigs that legal professionals wear in court. They get hairier and shaggier as they dry out.

It occurs widely in grasslands and meadows in Europe and North America, from June through to November in the UK. It grows in groups in places which are often unexpected, such as green areas in towns.

You can also make some very good ink from them. To do this mix the inkcap ink with a little water and some cloves and heat it. This process will help fix the ink and stop it from fading or running when you use it.

The Latin name Lunaria means "moon-like" and refers to the plants' decorative seedpods. Early, rosy-purple flowers in spring give rise to papery, translucent, disc-shaped 'moon-like' seedheads, which are frequently seen in flower arrangements.

Bring the forest closer to you!