Yellow stainer
Agaricus xanthodermus · Agarics (Agaricus)
Poisonous
Recognise it safely – what matters
- Cut the stem base: instantly bright chrome yellow
- Smells of ink/phenol instead of aniseed or mushroom
- Likes parks and gardens
Features
- Cap
- 5–15 cm, white to greyish white, often somewhat angular in outline.
- Underside
- Gills: pink when young, then chocolate brown.
- Stem
- White with a membranous ring; the base turns bright chrome yellow immediately when cut.
- Flesh
- White, instantly bright yellow in the stem base.
- Smell
- Of ink or phenol, especially when heated.
- Spore print
- Chocolate brown
Season
Habitat
Parks, gardens, meadows, path and forest edges, often in groups; likes nutrient-rich soils.
andre træarter
Risk of confusion
Markchampignon Edible species The field mushroom smells pleasantly mushroomy and does not turn yellow in the stem base.
Anis-champignon Edible species The horse mushroom also yellows, but slowly and not brightly in the stem base – and it smells clearly of aniseed.
If someone has eaten it
Violent vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps; in children and older people the loss of fluids can become dangerous. First symptoms: usually 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating.
Act immediately – even without symptoms:
- Emergency number 112 if someone feels unwell.
- Poison centre: Germany – area code of the nearest city with a poison centre + 19240 (e.g. Berlin 030 19240, Munich 089 19240) · Austria +43 1 406 43 43 · Switzerland 145.
- Keep leftovers, trimmings or vomit – it helps with identification.
Never identify mushrooms by pictures or an app alone. When in doubt, ask a mushroom expert – and only pick what you know for sure.