No matching species found.
Agaricus spec. L. · Agaricaceae
Where is it growing now? Open the map Mushroom alert for this species How the mushroom alert works
Agaricus mushrooms are gilled mushrooms with a white to brownish, dry cap, a ring on the stem and gills that are pink when young and chocolate brown later. The white species, such as the field mushroom, are popular edible mushrooms. Because they can be mistaken for deadly poisonous destroying angels and the poisonous yellow-stainer, safe identification is essential.
Group profile: the genus includes popular edible mushrooms, but also poisonous species. White Agaricus mushrooms are easily mistaken for the deadly poisonous white destroying angels. Remember: Agaricus mushrooms never have white gills and no volva at the stem base.
It always has white gills, even when old, and a sac-like volva at the stem base. The most reliable feature: Agaricus gills are pink when young and brown later, never white. Deadly poisonous.
View on the map
It also has white gills and a volva at the stem base. Remember: white gills in an older mushroom rule out any Agaricus. Deadly poisonous.
View on the map
It has bright chrome-yellow flesh in the stem base and smells unpleasantly of carbolic acid, that is, of phenol. Poisonous, causes gastrointestinal upset.
View on the map| Agaricus | European destroying angel | Fool's mushroom | Yellow-stainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | white to brownish, dry, never slimy, margin not grooved | white, conical to bell-shaped, smooth | white, smooth, hemispherical to flat | whitish to greyish brown, smooth to slightly scaly |
| Underside | free gills, pink when young, later chocolate brown | white, free gills, stay white | white, free gills | free gills, pink to dark brown |
| Stem | central, ring, no volva | ring and sac-like volva at the base | ring and sac-like volva at the base | with ring, base chrome yellow when cut |
| Flesh | fleshy, stem partly tough and fibrous | fleshy | fleshy | fleshy |
| Edibility | Edible | deadly poisonous | deadly poisonous | poisonous |
Meadows, pastures, gardens, parks, woods, also fertilised soil or compost. No reliable information.
No tree partner; Agaricus mushrooms are litter and soil decomposers.
possible good main season
Varies by species. The field mushroom starts from July after heavy rain.
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112 · 999
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112
Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).
Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112 · 144
Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.
Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.
Not specially protected.
Fried, steamed or in sauces. Use only young, firm mushrooms with pale pink to brown gills, and cut every mushroom open lengthways before cooking. Cook for at least 15 minutes.
No reliable information on drying. Risk of confusion with deadly poisonous white destroying angels. Species that turn yellow in particular accumulate heavy metals in high amounts. Mushrooms that smell of phenol or turn chrome yellow at the stem base are poisonous.
Many species of the genus are edible, others are poisonous. White Agaricus mushrooms may only be eaten if they are identified with certainty and cooked thoroughly.
By the free gills that are pink when young and chocolate brown later, the ring on the stem and the lack of a volva at the stem base.
It smells of carbolic acid, that is, of phenol, and the flesh in the stem base is bright chrome yellow.
For the deadly poisonous white destroying angels, which always have white gills and a volva at the stem base, and for the poisonous yellow-stainer.
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.
