Species details
Blushing wood mushroom
Agaricus sylvaticus
Traditionally edible
Photo: Weaver Younghands · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source · License
Description
A woodland Agaricus with a brown-scaled cap and flesh that characteristically reddens after cutting.
Identification features
The cap is whitish to pale brown with dense brown scales. Free gills start grey-pink and become dark brown. White flesh reddens in air, especially in the upper stem.
Identification checklist
Check the brown-scaled cap, free gills, stem ring, and especially the clear reddening of cut flesh. The smell should not be strongly phenolic.
Detailed features
- Cap
- The cap is whitish to pale brown with dense brown scales.
- Hymenophore
- Free gills start grey-pink and become dark brown.
- Stem
- White flesh reddens in air, especially in the upper stem.
- Flesh
- White, reddening quickly when cut, especially in the upper stem.
- Smell
- Slightly sour.
- Spore print
- Blackish-brown.
Size
- Cap diameter
- 8–14 cm
- Stem height
- 6–12 cm
- Stem diameter
- 0,8–1,5 cm
Habitat
Most often in coniferous and mixed woodland, frequently under spruce, from late summer through autumn.
Fruiting period
August, September, October, November
Ecology
- Trophic mode
- Saprotrophic
- Host trees
- Spruce (Picea)
- Substrate
- Forest soil, Needle litter
- Notes
- Most often in coniferous and mixed woodland, frequently under spruce, from late summer through autumn.
How to separate similar species
Poisonous yellow-staining Agaricus usually yellow strongly, especially at the stem base, and smell phenolic. A. sylvaticus mainly reddens, but no single feature is sufficient.
Similar species
Interesting facts
Did you know? Strong reddening of the cut flesh is an important field character.