The Schwarzkopf milk cap is the “Mushroom of the Year” for 2027

The black-headed milk cap has been named the “Mushroom of the Year” for 2027. The German Society for Mycology selected this relatively unknown but highly prized edible mushroom as the winner. The milk cap, with its characteristic brownish-black cap, is among the species most affected by global warming, the society reported. Its population is declining, although the extent varies by region. 

The “Mushroom of the Year” for 2027 grows from August through October, primarily in coniferous forests in the mountains. It thrives particularly well in natural spruce forests. In contrast, it is not found in the North German Lowlands. In many federal states, the black-capped milk cap is on the Red List and should therefore be protected.

According to the German Society for Mycology, the mushroom has a remarkable number of folk names referring to its dark color—including “Essenkehrer,” “Rauchfangkehrer,” “Rußkopf,” and “Schornsteinfeger.” In the Ore Mountains, it is also called “Pasterle”—“presumably due to its resemblance to a pastor’s robe with a dark velvet skirt and snow-white collar.”