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Wood Mushroom

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Wood Mushroom

Edible

Edible
Autumn

Autumn
Spring

Spring
Summer

Summer

A tasty find but the mushrooms have a very short shelf life and need to be used soon after finding them.

Mushroom Type
Common Names Wood Mushroom (EN), Madarch y Coed (CY), Pieczarka Bulwiasta (PL), Karcsú Csiperke (HU)
Scientific Name Agaricus sylvicola
Season Start Aug
Season End Nov
Average Mushroom height (CM) 8-14
Average Cap width (CM) 8-12

Cap

8-12 cm. Off-white/cream bruising ochraceous and becoming yellow with age.

Gills

Crowded and free of the stem. Gills pale grey/pink at first turning a dark chocolate brown.

Stem

8-14 cm long, 1-1.5 cm diameter. White/off-white with a pendulous ring and slightly bulbous base.

Skirt

Superior. The underside is covered in triangular scales.

Flesh

White and quite thin.

Habitat

Mixed woodland.

Possible Confusion

The Yellow Stainer (Agaricus xanthodermus) looks very alike but bruises chrome yellow when handled or cut and smells of Indian ink, phenol, hospitals, just an unpleasant chemical smell.

Spore Print

Purple/brown. Ellipsoid.

Taste / Smell

Smells of aniseed, to some slightly almondy. Taste mushroomy. Should be cooked before consumption.

Frequency

Fairly common.

Other Facts

These mushrooms spoil very quickly and should be used the same day as picking them.

Foraging Pocket Guide
Mushroom Guide
Foraging Basket with shoulder strap

COMMENTS

8 responses to “Wood Mushroom”

  1. gaynorbutrimas99 avatar
    gaynorbutrimas99

    I can’t identify definitely the mushroom I have just found in my garden.
    Is there anyone out there who I can send a picture to?

    1. Poppy Ives avatar
      Poppy Ives

      You can send us photos here https://www.wildfooduk.com/contact-us/ or via email to [email protected] and we will take a look for you.

  2. If picked when closed will they open up?

    1. Poppy Ives avatar

      They can open slighty when picked, but the wood mushroom has a very short shelf life so is best eaten soon after picking.

  3. Natalie Ransford avatar
    Natalie Ransford

    I sent a photo of a something to your email..Thanks for your insite!

  4. Ruth Watson avatar
    Ruth Watson

    ‘We have found a clump of white mushrooms growing under our garden hedge. The gills are grey in a small closed one and pink on the larger ones, they have a large ish skirt, slightly bulbous base of stem. There is a slight hint of yellow after scraping the top of the cap. Are they safe to eat? I think that they smell faintly of mushroom, but I can’t entirely rely on my sense of smell after covid! My husband doesn’t think that they smell unpleasant. Are they likely to be safe to eat?
    Thanks for your help!

    1. Eric Biggane avatar
      Eric Biggane

      They sound like Agarics but without seeing them I couldn’t tell you if they are safe or not. If they are Yellow Stainers, the smell and colour are enhanced if you try to cook them.

  5. Peter whiteley avatar
    Peter whiteley

    Hundreds of these, around my local woods today. I think the heavy rain, of the past few days is causing a fungi explosion!

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