What champignons look like in nature. Common champignon description and photo. What novice mushroom pickers should know

(Yandex.Photos)

Champignon- this mushroom is not a curiosity, it can be grown very well in large quantities in special greenhouses, there are even different Champignon varieties, differing in taste, fertility and cap color: brown, cream and white.

But Champignon also has wild counterparts that grow in the wild and have a much brighter taste and aroma: wild champignon It grows in open clearings, meadows, and can often be found in pastures where cows graze and the soil is richly fertilized with manure. Slightly less commonly, Champignon can be found in sparsely planted mixed forests, where the sun's rays can reach the forest floor.

Champignon name

Russian name of mushroom Champignon derived from French words champignon, meaning simply "mushroom".

Champignon is also popularly called blagushka or cap.

Where does Champignon grow?

Wild Champignon It grows in open clearings, meadows, and can often be found in pastures where cows graze and the soil is richly fertilized with manure. Slightly less commonly, Champignon can be found in sparsely planted mixed forests, where the sun's rays can reach the forest floor. Sometimes, Champignon can be seen in the garden or even in the city.

A characteristic feature of the Champignon is the pink bottom of the cap (plate), covered with a thin white skirt. As the mushroom grows and matures, the cap opens and pink color the records begin to darken. in old champignons it becomes charcoal black, and in very young ones it turns pale pink - using this sign you can accurately choose mushrooms in the store.

Champignon - when does it grow?

Champignons can be found from late May to mid-October

How to distinguish Champignons?

Young wild mushrooms must be distinguished from Pale grebe(very poisonous mushroom). How distinguish Champignon from Pale Toadstool?

1. The color of the plates differs: in champignons - from pink in young ones to brown in old ones, in the pale toadstool - always white.

2. The base of the leg of the Pale Toadstool is framed with a film, like a fence.

What are the benefits of Champignon?

Calorie content of Champignons 27 kcal per 100 grams.

Champignon contains valuable squirrels, carbohydrates, organic acids, minerals and vitamins: PP (nicotinic acid), E, ​​D, B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, beneficial for the body's immune system. In terms of phosphorus content, champignons can compete with fish products.

How to store Champignons?

Champignon is a universal mushroom - you can eat it in any form, it is great for drying for the winter and for wrapping in jars and for preparing first and second courses.

How to cook Champignons?

Before as cook champignons, they should be cleaned thoroughly. You can remove soil and dirt from the mushrooms with a knife, then quickly rinse them under running water. cold water, but do not soak - The champignons will absorb water and become tasteless and watery.

Fried champignons no more than 20 minutes (total time) until golden brown.

Champignons - interesting facts

Fungi reproduce by spores. Champignon throws out up to 40 million spores.

Everyone knows about such a mushroom as champignon. It is very popular, and besides, it is also tasty and healthy.

It can be bought in almost any supermarket. However, some people prefer to pick mushrooms in natural environment, engaged in “silent hunting”.

Therefore, it is very important to know how to distinguish false champignons from edible ones.

Botanical description

Champignons resemble small white balls in appearance. They have a dense cap structure that is slightly scaly. As the mushroom grows, it becomes flatter and straightens. Sometimes it reaches ten centimeters in diameter.

Their flesh is also dense, white, with a reddish or yellowish tint. Has a pronounced mushroom aroma. The surface of the leg is smooth and there is a single-layer or two-layer ring on it.

These mushrooms can be found in nature almost anywhere in Europe, Asia, North America etc. They usually prefer mountainous areas and low-lying forests, but they can also settle on the lawn near the house. Very often they are found in landfills and manure heaps, because they love well-fertilized soil.

Varieties of champignons

When going to the forest to pick mushrooms, you need to know the types of champignons, in what places they grow and at what time. In addition, it is advisable to know what false champignons look like. This will help distinguish them from the real ones.

IN natural conditions There are about a dozen species of this mushroom. For example, large-spored or common champignons, also known as meadow champignons, are usually found in meadows and steppes.

A two-spored and a two-ringed species can grow in the garden. Near the trees you can find field champignon. They grow from May to October.

In addition, there are also varieties that grow in forest areas. They grow around mid-July and can be found until mid-October. They are found in deciduous or mixed forests. These include:

• dark red champignon;
• coppice;
• August.

Another species is a forest one, growing in coniferous forests, next to spruce trees.

Benefits and harms of use

Snow-white mushrooms are very useful product. They contain a large number of folic acid, which is necessary for the body to produce red blood cells, proper metabolism, cardiovascular, nervous and digestive systems. Folic acid is very important for proper operation female reproductive system, it is involved in the formation of the placenta and is necessary for proper development fetus These mushrooms also contain vitamins and amino acids, which are very useful for women expecting the birth of a baby.

Champignon has few calories, but high energy value. They are great for dietary nutrition. They also contain a lot of protein and antioxidants and can be eaten even by sick people. diabetes mellitus. The product contains even more B vitamins than fresh vegetables. High content plant fibers make dishes from these mushrooms more satisfying and improve metabolism in the body. Because of these properties, nutritionists highly recommend including them in the diet of those who want to lose weight and also strengthen muscle mass.

Edible

Common champignon also called meadow champignon and pecheritsa. Prefers to grow in open spaces (meadows, pastures, vegetable gardens). A warm summer rain has passed and after a short time snow-white balls break through the ground. It doesn’t matter to champignons whether there has been severe drought or long frosts before, the mycelium survives in any weather conditions. Champignons can be found in the same place for ten years and you can harvest three or four in a year.

The mushroom cap is from 2 to 15 centimeters in diameter. At first hemispherical with strongly curved edges, later prostrate, often with a convex center, white or whitish-gray. At the places of cut or breakage, it may turn slightly pink (or does not change its color. The surface is silky to the touch, finely scaly in maturity. The plates are quite frequent and change their color as the fungus grows. First, whitish-pinkish, then pinkish-dirty, then brown and old individuals are dark brown with purple tint. The leg, from 4 to 140 centimeters in length, has a cylindrical, even shape and has a white thin ring almost in the middle. In adult champignons, the ring may disappear completely. The flesh of the mushroom is dense, white, has a pleasant mushroom aroma, and may turn slightly pink when cut.

Widely cultivated in agriculture. Culinarily, the mushroom is tasty and healthy. In terms of the amount of useful substances it is not inferior porcini mushroom. Used in first and second courses, baking and pickling. Helps mushroom lovers in winter, as in winter time Mostly only champignons are found fresh on store shelves.

Champignon can be confused with toadstool, especially if there are a lot of mushrooms and they are cut under the cap. It is very easy to distinguish them: the pale toadstool has a volva (a club-shaped thickening on the stalk) and the color of the plates is white (the champignon has pink-brown). The common champignon can also be confused with the field champignon, which appears yellow spots when pressed or cut. But they have the same practical and culinary value, so the differences are not important in this case.

Photos of common champignon (meadow)

Description of the common champignon in pictures

What can be prepared from champignons (food recipes)

Hot mushroom appetizer from champignons

Cucumbers stuffed with champignons

Champignons are mushrooms that belong to the class Agaricomycetes, order Agariaceae, family Champignonaceae, genus Champignon ( Agaricus).

Champignon - description and characteristics

Champignon caps have a massive appearance. U small mushroom the cap is round, but as it grows it straightens and becomes flatter, reaching a diameter of 10 cm. Depending on the species, the color of the cap can be either white or brown, sometimes even brown. Its surface can be not only smooth, but also with hard scales. The spore plates change color over time from white to almost black.

Champignon mushrooms have white flesh with a yellowish or reddish tint and a distinct “mushroom” or anise aroma. Smooth, dense champignon legs with remnants of a private blanket have two-layer or single-layer rings.

Types of champignons, names and photos

There are about 200 different types of champignons, which can be edible, semi-edible, inedible or even poisonous. Below is a description of several varieties.

Edible champignons

• Common champignon (real champignon, meadow champignon, pecheritsa) ( Agaricus campestris)

edible mushroom that grows in the countries of Central, Western and of Eastern Europe, as well as in the Asian part of the Eurasian continent in countries with a temperate continental climate. Under natural conditions it can grow in park areas, near human habitats, in gardens and orchards. Can form communities in the form of circles, sometimes quite big size. The common champignon is a mushroom whose height rarely exceeds 10 cm. The cap is colored White color, sometimes with a brown tint, can reach 8-15 cm in diameter. In a young mushroom it has a semi spherical shape with strongly curved edges. As the mushroom ages, the champignon cap straightens and becomes flat with a silky or finely scaly surface and a convex central part. The flesh of the mushroom is white, slightly pink when cut or broken (although according to some encyclopedias, the color does not change when cut). The plates of the hymenophore are painted white, but as they age they become pink and then dark brown or purple. The leg is usually smooth, up to 2 cm in diameter, has a slight thickening near the base and a wide ring located closer to the middle. It is no different in color from the cap. The common champignon bears fruit from late spring (May) to mid-autumn (October).

• Forest champignon ( Agaricus silvaticus)

is an inhabitant of mixed and coniferous forests Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France and other countries with temperate climate. IN deciduous forests occurs in isolated cases. Popularly it has other names: blahushka or cap. It often grows near anthills and forms large clusters. Young mushrooms of this species are characterized by a cap that has an ovoid-bell-shaped shape. As it ripens, the cap opens and becomes flat-spread with a maximum diameter of 7-10 cm. Its surface is painted in brown-brown tones with a rusty tint and covered with dark-colored scales. White cap flesh forest champignon from contact with air (cut or break) it acquires a reddish tint. The hymenophore plates located on its lower part change color from white to dark brown as the fungus grows. The height of the cylindrical stem with a slight thickening at the base does not exceed 6 cm with a diameter of up to 1.5 cm. The forest champignon bears fruit from mid-summer (July) until the first frost (October). Widely used for culinary purposes.

• Field champignon (sidewalk champignon) ( Agaricus arvensis)

grows in open spaces, on soils abundantly covered with herbaceous vegetation. Found on forest clearings, forest clearings, in park areas. Near deciduous trees practically does not grow, but can form mycorrhiza with spruce. This type of champignon is widespread in Russia and in European countries with a temperate climate. It can grow both on plains and in mountainous areas. The fleshy cap of young champignons has the shape of a bell with the edges turned inward and a blanket that covers the hymenophore plates. Over time, it straightens and becomes almost flat, although a small bump may remain in the center. Its surface can be smooth, silky or covered with fibrous scales of yellow or brownish color. The champignon cap, whose diameter ranges from 8 to 20 cm, is painted in white or cream tones, but as the mushroom ages, it acquires ocher shades. The dense pulp of the fruiting body is white, but turns yellow when broken or cut. As the mushroom ripens, it becomes softer. Characteristic feature This type of champignon has a pleasant anise or almond aroma. The hymenophore plates located on the lower part of the cap change their color from gray or white to mustard, chocolate or brown-violet as the mushroom grows. The leg of field champignons does not exceed 10 cm in height with a diameter of no more than 1.5 cm. There is a slight thickening at the base. The color of the stem does not differ from the color of the cap. Active fruiting begins at the end of May and ends in mid-November. Field champignons should be collected carefully, as they have an external resemblance to poisonous mushrooms, toadstool and yellow-skinned champignon.

• Champignon coppice (thin champignon) ( Agaricus silvicola)

edible mushroom, naturally distributed in coniferous and deciduous forests of Europe and Russia, including the territories of Eastern and Western Siberia, and Far East and Primorsky Krai. Most often it forms mycorrhizae with spruce and beech. Found in both small and large groups. In young champignons, the cap has an ovoid shape, which, as the mushroom matures, straightens and takes on the appearance of a flat disk, the diameter of which can reach 10 cm. Its smooth silky surface, painted in white or cream tones, gradually acquires a grayish or light brown color. When touched, the cap becomes covered with lemon-yellow spots. This type of champignon is characterized by a change in the color of the flesh when cut from white to ocher-yellow and the presence of a pronounced anise aroma. The plates located on the lower part of the cap are quite wide and often spaced. As the fungus grows, their color changes from pure white or grayish to pink or brown (sometimes with a white border). In some mushrooms, the plates can even take on the color of dark chocolate. The slender leg of the champignon, 8 to 12 cm high, with a slight thickening at the base, has dense fibrous flesh in young mushrooms; with age, the leg becomes hollow. The period of mass fruiting of copse champignons begins in mid-June and ends at the end of September.

• Dark red champignon ( Agaricus haemorrhoidarius)

refers to a rather rare species, forming small clusters in light deciduous forests, and growing under fallen leaves. The caps of young mushrooms have a convex or conical shape with a blunt apex. As the champignons reach maturity, they become flat, and the smooth skin covering them and colored brown Brown color, cracks and acquires a fibrous-scaly texture. The maximum diameter of the cap of a dark red champignon does not exceed 12 cm. Its white flesh, which has a slightly sour smell, acquires a rich red color when broken or cut. The often located pinkish plates of the hymenophore do not grow together with the stalk and can turn red when touched. The cylindrical leg, slightly thickened at the base, has a height of 8 to 10 cm and is painted in light gray tones. Below the ring left after the veil is torn, its surface is covered with scales. The dark red champignon bears fruit in summer and early autumn. Used in cooking for preparing first and second courses.

• Champignon bisporus, or garden ( aka royal champignon, brown champignon) ( Agaricus bisporus)

distributed both in natural conditions and as an artificially cultivated species. Two of the three varieties of Agaricus bisporus occur naturally, growing in temperate European countries on soils devoid of grass. They can be found in gardens, on compost heaps, in vegetable gardens, and occasionally in forests. Garden champignons are grown artificially in France, the Netherlands, Poland, the United States of America, England and the countries of the Asian region, where the leaders are Taiwan, China and South Korea. The round, dense cap of young champignons has curved edges, on which the remains of a blanket covering the hymenophore plates are often visible. Its smooth or slightly scaly surface is colored brown or white (found in both natural and cultivated forms), as well as cream colors (artificially propagated). The diameter of the caps of adult mushrooms can reach 8 cm. The flesh of the dense fruiting body is white, has a pleasant, pronounced mushroom aroma, changing color to pink or pale red when broken or cut. As the bisporous champignon ages, the hymenophore plates change color from pink to dark brown, sometimes with a purple tint. A rather thick cylindrical leg, no more than 10 cm high, with a smooth surface, may taper slightly towards the base. Its color does not differ from the color of the cap, but it may have brownish spots. Under natural conditions, garden champignons bear fruit from late spring to early October, while artificially cultivated species produce crops all year round.

• August champignon ( Agaricus augustus)

edible mushroom of the third category, belongs to quite rare species and is found in European countries with a temperate climate. Is an inhabitant of conifers or deciduous forests, as well as city parks. Forms numerous groups that often grow near anthills. Like all champignons, the mushroom caps of this species at the beginning of development have a spherical shape, which changes to flattened as it matures. However, a characteristic feature of the August champignon is the presence of numerous orange-brown scales on the brown surface of the cap. The size of the cap of an adult mushroom does not exceed 15 cm in diameter. The dense white pulp has a pleasant almond aroma. When cut when exposed to air, its color changes to yellow or brownish. The hymenophore plates are free and do not run down the stem. Their color gradually changes with age from light pink to brown-black. The height of the dense, strong, hollow inside leg does not exceed 10 cm. Its surface is covered with small yellow-brown scales, changing to yellow below the ring left after the rupture of the general integument. August mushrooms grow from mid-August to mid-October.

• Crooked champignon ( Agaricus abruptibulbus)

is a typical inhabitant of coniferous forests, where it forms stable mycorrhiza with pine trees, although symbiosis with spruce trees occurs. It has a second name - distinctly nodule. During the aging process, the appearance of the cap undergoes successive transformations from ovoid through wide-conical to flat. When pressure is applied to the surface of the white or cream-colored fibrous skin, yellow spots with a lemon tint appear. The maximum diameter of the cap of an adult mushroom does not exceed 12 cm. The dense pulp is white in color and has a persistent aroma of almonds or anise. As the mushroom ages, the whitish plates of the hymenophore become black-brown with red spots. Long, quite thin leg hollow inside, slightly thickens closer to the surface of the soil. Above the place of thickening it is almost always curved. Remains of bedspreads forming a ring, with inside may be covered with small scales. The crooked champignon bears fruit throughout the summer and ends the season in late autumn.

Poisonous champignons

• Red-skinned champignon (yellow-skinned champignon, yellowing) ( Agaricus xanthodermus)

This is a poisonous mushroom that grows almost all over the world, from the United States of America to Australia. It is found in deciduous or mixed forests, city parks, protective forest plantations, private and agro-industrial gardens, wet meadows and grassy fields. The cap of a poisonous champignon, resembling a bell in appearance with the edges slightly bent inward, can reach 15 cm in diameter. Its smooth, dry surface, painted light brown or white, acquires a pronounced yellow tint when pressed. As it ages, its edges may crack. The pulp of the fruiting body has different colors. The flesh of the cap is light brown, acquiring a yellow color at the point of fusion with the stem, which turns into orange or yellow-orange at the base of the stem. A characteristic feature of the red champignon is a specific phenolic odor, which intensifies many times during the heat treatment of the mushroom. As they mature, the hymenophore plates change color and turn from white to brown. Poisonous yellow-skinned champignons begin to bear fruit in early July and end in early October.

• Möller's champignon, or variegated champignon ( Agaricus moelleri)

sometimes also called flat-hat. This is a rare poisonous mushroom, common in countries of the northern hemisphere with a temperate climate. Grows on fertilized fertile soils, rich in humus. Found in groups or rings in urban plantations and forests of any type. The flat or slightly convex white cap, the size of which ranges from 5 to 14 cm, is covered with small scales, the color of which varies from gray to brown tint to sooty black. The white flesh of the variegated champignon has a sharp, unpleasant odor and quickly turns brown when broken. The pinkish plates of the hymenophore become brown with age, resembling the color of milk chocolate. The swollen base of the leg turns yellow. Variegated champignons begin to appear on the surface of the soil at the end of summer and bear fruit until late autumn, up to frost.

• California champignon (Agaricus californicus )

a poisonous mushroom that is a typical endemic of the state of California in the USA, where it grows freely in all gardens, on city and home lawns and in numerous forests. The small thin cap of an adult mushroom is painted in whitish or light brown tones, with a clear metallic sheen. Its surface can be either smooth or covered with scales. A characteristic feature of poisonous Californian champignons is the preservation of the color of the flesh when cut and a pungent aroma reminiscent of the smell of phenolic compounds. The hymenophore with a lamellar structure changes its color as the champignon ages from white to chocolate brown. The surface of the curved leg does not differ in color from the color of the cap, but unlike it, it does not have scales.

Where do champignons grow?

These mushrooms can be found almost throughout the entire territory. globe, excluding areas of the far north and desert. Champignons grow in the forest on the bark of rotting trees, in meadows and fields, near human habitation. Here they often form large ring-shaped colonies called "witch circles". Representatives of this family can be found even in the vastness of Australia and hot Africa.

Growing champignons in the country or at home: step-by-step instructions

Thanks to taste qualities champignon is a welcome guest in the human diet, so growing champignons at home, in the country or in the basement has become widespread. There are not many conditions and methods for growing champignons. These mushrooms love moisture and coolness, so they can be grown in open ground, and in greenhouses or greenhouses. However, it is most profitable to grow champignons in darkened and damp basements, in which special climatic conditions, allowing you to obtain crops all year round.

Substrate for growing champignons

A nutrient substrate consisting of straw and manure is used as soil. After several harvests, the waste material can be used as fertilizer for agricultural areas. By the way, preparing the substrate is the most important and difficult stage in the technology of growing champignons. After all, the result depends on the nutrient medium.

Substrate is a substance containing nutrients soil mixture, the main component of which is compost.

To prepare compost for growing champignons, you will need:

• 20-25% fresh, well-dried straw without signs of mold (preferably wheat or obtained from winter rye)
• 75-80% horse (ideally) or cow manure.

Compost for growing champignons: preparation steps

1. For 1 sq. m. area, which is allocated for a mushroom plantation, requires 30 kg of pre-moistened straw and 15 kg of manure.
2. Each component is laid in several layers (3-4 layers) and a substrate is formed. The straw is moistened and fertilized with a manure “layer”.
3. After a week, 6-7 kg of gypsum (or alabaster) is added to the substrate, and all layers are thoroughly mixed.
4. Re-mixing must be done after 4 days and, if necessary, re-wet the mixture. Then 2 kg of superphosphate and 5 kg of crushed chalk are added. With a time interval of 4 days, two more mixings of the components occur.
5. After 3-4 weeks from the moment of formation, the compost for growing champignons is considered ready.

Technology of growing champignons

For sowing, laboratory mycelium of champignons is required. There are two types of mycelium: grain and compost. You can buy champignon mycelium at any specialty store or at specialized mushroom farms.

Methods for sowing mycelium depend on the location chosen for planting champignons. The sowing process itself is not at all complicated. The mycelium is deepened into the substrate by 4-7 cm in a checkerboard pattern. There should be gaps of about 20 cm between the sowing areas.

It is very important to maintain an optimal level of humidity in the room during the ripening period. After about a week, the soil must be covered with a covering mixture made from chalk and peat (1:9).

After 5 days, the temperature in the room should be lowered to 13-17°C.

Regular watering of the soil is definitely required, and the room needs daily ventilation.

How to harvest champignons?

Champignons ripen unevenly over a period of 3 months. You need to collect them by carefully twisting them with your fingers so as not to damage the “relatives” growing nearby. When the entire champignon crop has been harvested, it is important to thoroughly treat the room with a disinfectant.

Useful properties of champignons

The champignon mushroom is a real storehouse of microelements potassium, calcium and phosphorus, as well as B vitamins. As a dietary product, it has no equal, allowing you to get the necessary nutrients without overloading the body with calories. In cooking this delicious mushroom used for preparing all kinds of dishes different ways: champignons are fried, stewed, pickled, dried.

In cosmetology, champignon mushrooms are used as face masks because they have a beneficial effect on the skin.

Champignon is also widely used in medicine. Its use is beneficial for diabetic patients. The special substances contained in the mushroom help destroy cholesterol plaques, prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis and heart attack, and lecithin, which is also present in the mushroom, improves the condition of the nervous system.

Champignon mushrooms begin to be collected at the beginning of summer and end at the end of October. It is better to use only young mushrooms, as old ones do not bring any benefit. Collected champignons must be processed within the next few hours after collection.

• Champignons can be eaten even raw;
• Raw white mushrooms have a nut-like taste;
• Italy is the birthplace of cultural cultivation of these mushrooms.
• Already from the 17th century, champignon mushrooms were grown in basements for the monarchs of Europe.

They call it "false" poisonous mushrooms, which are very similar in appearance to their edible counterparts. Dangerous “doubles” are sometimes difficult to distinguish even for experienced mushroom pickers.

The common champignon has many types, and most of them are eaten. It is very difficult to remember the features of each, so lovers of “silent hunting” often focus on general signs. This can provoke poisoning: among the Agaricaceae (Champignonaceae) family there are species harmful to human health.

Industrial cultivation allows you to enjoy the taste of the product without harm to health, but the number of poisonings from false champignons, which “disguise” as edible specimens, is not decreasing. People are attracted to " silent hunt"and the opportunity to save on purchasing mushrooms. In addition, each individual type has its own flavor: you will not find it in a standard product from store shelves.

Most often, the following representatives of the Agaricaceae family are mistaken for edible specimens:

• Agaricus xanthodermus.
• Agaricus meleagris.
• Agaricus californicus.

Typical examples of false champignons are shown in the photo.

A number of features will help distinguish such specimens from edible ones. On the cap of the poisonous double there is a brown spot, which is located in the center. If you press on it, light yellow spots will appear. But this method does not provide a guarantee, so it is better to use it in tandem with other signs.

When broken, the flesh of false forest and field champignons begins to turn yellow and smells unpleasantly of carbolic acid, and during cooking, the water and the mushrooms themselves turn bright yellow for a short time, but this color quickly disappears. Prolonged heat treatment will not rid the product of toxins.

Look at the photo and read the description appearance false forest champignons.

The color of the cap and its shape may change under the influence of environment Therefore, special attention is paid to the pulp, its smell, shade and changes during cooking.

Another mushroom that masquerades as edible is the toadstool. Outwardly, it resembles a champignon, but has no smell by which it could be recognized. There are volvas (root sacs) at the base of the toadstool, but people don't always notice them. If you have the slightest doubt about the suitability of the mushroom, you should break the pulp and see if it turns yellow, and then monitor the change in color of the water during cooking. This is one of the most accurate and proven ways to distinguish real edible champignons from false ones.

Only a “young” pale grebe can be confused: over time, bulges will appear on its cap, it will become smooth, and the fringe will become saggy. The grebe appears from the first half of June, its growth peak occurs in August. The height of the toadstool can reach 20-25 cm, and the diameter of the cap does not exceed 15 cm.

Inexperienced mushroom pickers may mistake good mushrooms one of the light fly agarics. In this case, the unpleasant odor that the pulp has will protect you from poisoning.

If you don't know what poisonous false champignons look like, look at the photo: these are common mushrooms that are often mistaken for edible ones.

Real champignons: places of distribution and distinctive features

To understand how to distinguish edible champignon from false champignon, you need to know them distinctive features, places where they are common and the time of their growth.

“Correct” mushrooms can be found in shady flower beds, along roadsides, and in garden beds. Two-spore (Agaricus bisporus) and two-ring (Agaricus bitorquis) champignons usually grow there. Garden varieties are characterized by light shades - from white to grayish and light cream. The cap of the two-ringed mushroom opens in the top layer of soil, so the color can be affected by the leaves or humus covering it.

The common (Agaricus campestris) and large-spored (Agaricus macrosporus) species of mushroom can be found in the steppe, fields and meadows. Poisonous representatives of the Agariaceae family are rarely found here.

The field species (Agaricus arvensis) grows in plantings near trees and is harvested from mid-May to the end of September.

Compare the photo of a real one and the image of a false champignon: the difference is not always visible.

Forest moisture and shade are excellent conditions for the development of species such as coppice, dark red, forest and August champignons. They appear in early July and grow until October. Their peculiarity is that after cutting, young mushrooms appear in the same place after 10-15 days.

But it is the forest false champignons that are most often found in the forest - look at the photo to see what they look like.

But poisonous specimens can be found even in habitats uncharacteristic for this species, so you need to be extremely careful.

Food poisoning with false champignon

Even proven mushrooms can cause poisoning if they are collected in the wrong place. These are the sides of large roads, areas around industrial facilities, landfills. Mushrooms, like a sponge, absorb toxic substances, including carcinogens.

After studying the description of the places where the false forest champignon grows, look at the photo of this specimen in natural conditions.