{"id":90653,"date":"2024-07-04T13:11:44","date_gmt":"2024-07-04T12:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/?p=90653"},"modified":"2025-11-18T13:45:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:45:12","slug":"almond-mushroom-identification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2024\/07\/04\/almond-mushroom-identification\/","title":{"rendered":"Almond Mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens) Identification"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><b>Almond Mushroom \/ Summer \/ Autumn \/ Edible<\/b><\/h1>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-90653 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2024\/07\/04\/almond-mushroom-identification\/olympus-digital-camera-49\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group-300x188.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-90654\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-90654'>\n\t\t\t\tAlan Rockefeller, CC BY-SA 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2024\/07\/04\/almond-mushroom-identification\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"248\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring-300x248.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-90655\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring-150x124.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-90655'>\n\t\t\t\tWynand Uys, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2024\/07\/04\/almond-mushroom-identification\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-mature-gills\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-mature-gills-300x215.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-90656\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-mature-gills-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-mature-gills-150x108.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-mature-gills.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-90656'>\n\t\t\t\tWynand Uys, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2024\/07\/04\/almond-mushroom-identification\/olympus-digital-camera-50\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-90657\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-90657'>\n\t\t\t\talmond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/12\/01\/field-blewits-lepista-saeva-identification\/free-gills-attachment-mushroom-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-29468\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom.png 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-29468'>\n\t\t\t\tFree Gills\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>In the world of mushroom foraging, the Almond Mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens) is a fascinating species with its distinctive scent and bountiful growth. Whether you&#8217;re an aspiring mycologist or a nature enthusiast, learning to identify this delightful mushroom can be an exciting journey.<\/p>\n<p>From its unique appearance to the unmistakable aroma reminiscent of marzipan, the Almond Mushroom offers a captivating introduction to the diverse world of fungi.<\/p>\n<p>Join me as we delve into the key features and essential tips for recognising this intriguing species in its natural habitat. Let&#8217;s embark on a captivating exploration of the enchanting world of the Almond Mushroom.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Scientific Name<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agaricus subrufescens\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Common Names<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Almond Mushroom, Almond agaricus, Mushroom of the Sun, God&#8217;s mushroom, Mushroom of life, Royal Sun agaricus<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Family<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agaricaceae<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Habitat<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are saprotrophic and can be found in dense leaf litter or in woodchip.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Description<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This species is native to North America and was regarded as a choice edible and cultivated. It generally occurs in large groups and as the name suggests they smell of almonds.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Identifying Features of the Almond Mushroom:<\/b><\/h2>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Cap:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cap is hemispherical when young, later becoming more convex, with a diameter of 5-18 cm. The cap surface is covered with silk-like fibers, and as it ages it develops small scales. The colour of the cap is white to grayish with hints of red. They often split at the edge when they are older.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_90654\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-90654\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-90654\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-small-group.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-90654\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alan Rockefeller, CC BY-SA 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Stem:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The stem is 6-15 cm tall, thick, and bulbous at the base. They often become hollow with age. There is a ring on the stem, that&#8217;s quite thick and its covering in cottony scales.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_90655\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-90655\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-90655\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring-300x248.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring-150x124.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushroom-close-up-of-the-ring.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-90655\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wynand Uys, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Gills:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The free, narrow, and crowded gills start out whitish in colour, then later pinkish, and finally chocolate brown as the spores mature.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_90657\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-90657\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-90657\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-90657\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">almond-mushrooms-one-with-pink-gils-one-with-veil.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_29468\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29468\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-29468\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom.png 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Free-Gills-Attachment-Mushroom-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-29468\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Free Gills<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Smell:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pleasant almondy smell.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Spores:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Uses:<\/b><\/h2>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>In food:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The almond smell doesn\u2019t transfer to taste unfortunately but they are still deliciously sweet and nutty. They&#8217;re like a more exciting version of the common shop bought Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)and work as a great replacement in any recipe called for them. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The younger specimens have a much nicer texture and are less likely to be infected with bugs.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Known hazards:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No known hazards.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Potential lookalikes:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with all the <a href=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2023\/11\/02\/agaricus-mushrooms\/\">Agaricus<\/a> family the main risks are the toxic <a href=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2018\/12\/19\/yellow-stainer-mushroom-foraging\/\">Yellow Stainer<\/a> and the Inky mushroom. The almond smell of the Almond mushroom will rule out both of these chemically smelling species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2023\/11\/02\/agaricus-mushrooms\/\">An Introduction to Wild Agaricus Mushrooms<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><b>Extra Notes from the foragers<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mushroom is used in Traditional Chinese medicine for its supposed anti-cancer properties and recent studies have been performed to confirm the mushroom&#8217;s therapeutic properties (Firenzuoli et al., 2008). Identification of novel immunomodulating bioactive compounds from the mushroom may also help in new treatments for patients suffering from cancer and immunodeficiency (Ohno et al., 2001).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Almond Mushrooms are known for yielding mushrooms in abundance, especially during the warm months of summer. Their prolific growth makes them an attractive option for both amateur and commercial mushroom cultivators.\u00a0 Unlike some of its cousins, such as the white button mushroom and Portabella, the Almond Mushroom is much easier to grow and does not require pasteurisation, caves, or grow houses. This makes it accessible to gardeners and mushroom enthusiasts of varying skill levels. \u00a0When grown alongside certain plants, the Almond Mushroom benefits from the CO2\/O2 gas exchange and the humidity harnessed by the companion plants, creating a mutually beneficial environment for both the fungus and the plants.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>References:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/2019\/07\/the-abcs-of-almond-agaricus-mushrooms\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/smallfarms.cornell.edu\/2019\/07\/the-abcs-of-almond-agaricus-mushrooms\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fungially.com\/blogs\/growing-mushrooms\/the-incredible-edible-almond-agaricus-mushroom-agaricus-subrufescens\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.fungially.com\/blogs\/growing-mushrooms\/the-incredible-edible-almond-agaricus-mushroom-agaricus-subrufescens<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2249742\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2249742\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Almond Mushroom \/ Summer \/ Autumn \/ Edible In the world of mushroom foraging, the Almond Mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens) is a fascinating species with its distinctive scent and bountiful growth. Whether you&#8217;re an aspiring mycologist or a nature enthusiast, learning to identify this delightful mushroom can be an exciting journey.&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":90657,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1778,1780,114,88,1777],"tags":[681,1884,1886,1885,239,152,2034,389,1888,1889,1887,1890,238],"class_list":["post-90653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-autumn","category-edible","category-mushroom-identification","category-mushrooms","category-summer","tag-agaricaceae","tag-agaricus-subrufescens","tag-almond-agaricus","tag-almond-mushroom","tag-autumn","tag-edible","tag-edible-mushrooms","tag-fungi","tag-gods-mushroom","tag-mushroom-of-life","tag-mushroom-of-the-sun","tag-royal-sun-agaricus","tag-summer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90653"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":137773,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90653\/revisions\/137773"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}