Types of forest champignons
Unlike chanterelles and russula, champignons grow mainly in dense mixed forests with spruce. At this time, they are rarely harvested due to ignorance of the species and because of their similarity with the deadly poisonous fly agaric and pale grebes. There is one common property of champignons - they first have pinkish or tan, and later brown and dark plates. There is always a ring on the leg. However, the youngest mushrooms have almost white plates and at this time they can be confused with deadly poisonous fly agarics. Therefore, it is not recommended to collect forest species of champignons for novice mushroom pickers.
You will learn about how popular varieties of champignon mushrooms growing in the forest look like on this page.
Champignon coppice
Habitat of the champignon coppice (Agaricus sylvicola): deciduous and coniferous forests, on the soil, grow in groups or singly.
Season: June-September.
The hat has a diameter of 4-10 cm, first spherical or ovoid, smooth, silky, then prostrate-convex. The color of the hat is white or whitish gray. When pressed, the hat acquires a yellowish-orange color.
The leg has a height of 5-9 cm, it is thin, 0.81.5 cm thick, hollow, cylindrical, slightly expanded at the base.
Look at the photo - this type of champignon has a white ring with a yellowish coating on its leg that can hang low, almost to the ground:
The color of the leg is heterogeneous, from above it is reddish, then white.
The pulp is thin, dense, white or cream, has an anise smell and taste of hazelnut.
The plates are frequent, thin, free, when ripe, they change color from light pink to light purple and later to dark brown.
Poisonous similar species. According to the description, this type of forest mushroom resembles a deadly poisonous toadstool (Amanita phalloides), in which the plates are white and it never changes color, and the mushrooms darken; and they have a thickening at the base and Volvo, they do not change color at the fracture, and in champignons the flesh will change color.
Edible, 2nd category.
Cooking Methods: they cook soups, fry, pickle, make sauces, salt, and freeze.
Yellow champignon
Habitats of yellow-skinned champignon (Agaricus xanthodermus): among grass, on humus-rich soil, in gardens, parks, on pastures, near housing.
Season: May-October.
The cap is 6-15 cm in diameter, first spherical with inwardly curved edges, later flat-rounded and then prostrate, often with a convex center, silky or small-scaled. The color of the hat is first white, later yellowish with brownish or tan spots. The edges often have the remains of a private bedspread.
The leg of this species of champignon mushrooms is 5–9 cm high, 0.7–2 cm thick, smooth, straight, even or slightly widened at the base, of the same color with a hat. In the middle of the leg is a wide double white ring. The lower part of the ring has scales.
Pulp. A distinctive feature of this forest species is the white flesh intensely yellowing in the section and the smell of carbolic acid or ink, especially when cooking. This smell is often called "pharmacy" or "hospital."
The plates are first whitish or pink-gray, then the colors of coffee with milk, frequent, free. When fully ripe, the plates become dark brown with a purple tint.
Similar views. This species is poisonous, therefore it is so important to distinguish it from edible similar species. These champignons look like edible common champignons (Agaricus campester), which, for all other similar signs, is distinguished by the absence of a “pharmacy” smell or the smell of carbolic acid in the color of the hat, the shape of the legs and plates. In addition, in the common champignon, the pulp on the incision slowly turns red, while in the yellow one, it intensively turns yellow.
These photos show how yellow-skinned champignons look:
Champignon reddish
Reddish champignon habitats (Agaricus semotus, f. Concinna): mixed forests, in parks, in meadows.
Season: July-September.
The cap is 4-10 cm in diameter, first spherical, later convex and open. A distinctive feature of the species is a whitish hat with a red or brown middle.
Leg 5-10 cm tall, 7-15 mm thick, whitish, covered with light flakes, thickened at the base, creamy pink or reddish at the base, a white ring on the leg. Pulp. A distinctive feature of the species is a white, dense pulp with the smell of almonds, gradually turns red at the cut.
As can be seen in the photo, this variety of champignons has lamellae that are frequent, their color changes from pale pink to brown with a purple tint as they grow:
Similar views. Reddish champignon is similar to an edible mushroom-umbrella, white, or meadow (Macrolepiota excoriate), which also has a reddish-brown spot in the center of the cap, but it is located on a tubercle and there is no reddening of the leg.
Similar poisonous species. You must be especially careful when collecting this edible species of champignon, as you can confuse them with deadly poisonous fly agarics bright yellow (Amanita gemmata), which also have a white ring on the leg, but the plates are pure white and there is a swelling at the base of the leg (volva )
Edible, 4th category.
Cooking Methods: fried, pickled.
Champignon pink plate
Habitats of pink-plate mushrooms (Agaricus rusiophyllus): mixed forests, in parks, in meadows, in vegetable gardens, near housing.
Season: July-October.
The cap is 4-8 cm in diameter, first spherical with curved inward edges, later bell-shaped, silky or small-scaled. A distinctive feature of the species is first a white hat, and later a whitish-brown hat with a purple hue and pink plates. The edges often have the remains of a private bedspread.
Leg 2-7 cm tall, 4-9 mm thick, smooth, hollow, with a white ring. The flesh is first white, later yellowish. Records are frequent first. The second distinctive feature of the species is first pink, later reddish plates, even later with a purple tint.
Similar views. The elegant forest champignon is similar to the edible common champignon (Agaricus campester), in which the pulp on the cut slowly turns red and there are no pink plates in young specimens.
Similar poisonous species. It is necessary to be especially careful when collecting elegant champignons, since they can be confused with a deadly poisonous toadstool (Amanita phalloides), in which the plates are pure white, and in mature mushrooms they turn yellowish, there is a swelling at the base of the peduncle (Volvo).
Edible, 4th category.
These photos show the types of champignons described above:
