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Having remembered the photo and description of the coppice champignon (Agaricus sylvicola), it will be difficult to confuse it with the deadly poisonous toadstool or white fly agaric. Champignon growing in the forest is not inferior to store-bought mushrooms, it is just as tasty and aromatic, and is worthy of the attention of mushroom pickers.
What does coppice champignon look like?
At a young age, the coppice champignon is small in size. Thanks to its graceful silhouette, it is also called thin.The cap of adult specimens reaches 10 cm in diameter. In young fruits, it has the shape of a hemisphere, in which the plates are not visible due to the protective cover. Then it becomes convex-spread and slightly rough due to thin scales on its surface. The hat has a regular round shape, is white with a grayish tint, and turns slightly yellow when touched. Rare tiny scales are visible on it; even in damp weather it seems dry - this is a characteristic feature of the species.
The plates are very frequent, they begin to turn gray at a young age, then become purple and finally almost black. The leg is up to 10 cm in length, slightly hollow, its color is white with a yellowish or grayish tint.
The leg is straight and quite long. It expands slightly downwards, but never grows from the vulva - this is the main difference between the coppice champignon and the toadstool. The pulp is white, acquires a yellowish tint when cut, and has a pleasant smell, similar to anise. The cap is quite thin in specimens growing in the shade of fir trees and other trees; in more open places it is fleshy.
Where does the thin champignon grow?
Copse champignons prefer humus-rich fertile soils. They are found in deciduous forests, spruce forests and even city parks. These mushrooms most often grow in numerous groups, sometimes forming witch circles. They can be collected from June to September inclusive.
Is it possible to eat coppice champignon?
Forest champignons are just as tasty as regular store-bought ones.They belong to the conditionally edible varieties. They can be:
- fry;
- stew;
- bake;
- cook;
- dry;
- freeze;
- marinate;
- salt.
They have a pleasant aroma, typical of champignons.
Mushrooms should not be given to children under six years of age; they are difficult for children to digest. Their use is undesirable for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, food allergies, and liver pathologies.
False doubles
The coppice champignon is confused with the toadstool. The main differences of champignon:
- the rough cap is grayish in color (in the toadstool it is smooth, with a greenish tint).
- the plates are colored (in the toadstool they are white);
- the leg is rough, grows directly from the ground (in the pale grebe it is smooth, sometimes with a moiré pattern, and grows from the vulva);
Pale grebe is deadly poisonous, it contains toxins that destroy the liver, stomach and kidneys. When consumed, death occurs in 90% of cases.
Sometimes inexperienced mushroom pickers confuse coppice champignon with white fly agaric, a deadly poisonous species. You can distinguish these mushrooms by the color of the plates, looking under the cap. In the white fly agaric they are white, but in the champignon they are always colored even at a young age. It produces fly agarics and an unpleasant, repulsive smell of bleach.
Rules for collection and use
Copse champignon is collected all summer and the first month of autumn in the forest, away from industrial zones and roads, in prosperous, ecologically clean regions. The mushrooms are carefully twisted out of the ground, keeping the mycelium intact, then after a few days new ones will begin to grow in place of the plucked specimens.In addition, this method of collection allows you to see the vulva at the base of the stem, characteristic of pale toadstools and fly agarics, and to throw out the inedible mushroom in time.
At home, the bases of the stems, contaminated with soil, are cut off, the skin on the cap is peeled, washed and boiled. Young specimens can be eaten raw and added to vegetable salads. It is better to process mushrooms immediately upon arrival from the forest; long-term storage reduces their nutritional value.
Conclusion
Photos and descriptions of coppice champignon will help distinguish this mushroom from its deadly poisonous counterparts. Mushroom pickers highly value this species for its excellent taste and aroma, and its versatility in culinary use. If you pick mushrooms in the forest correctly, you can come to the same clearing several times and find a rich harvest there.
