Horse Mushroom

Agaricus arvensis

Pastures, meadows, farmsteads, fallow land, parks, gardens, rarely forests. Summer, autumn, spring.

Fruiting bodies large, fleshy. Cap 7—15 (20) cm across, finely fibrous, scaly, white, creamy white. Young gills greyish, quickly becoming pink, eventually blackish-brown. Stem 7-15 (20)x 1-3 cm, with a white ring, white, when old yellowish. Flesh fleshy, white, not changing colour when cut or turning slightly yellowish, with an aniseed smell and a pleasant taste. Characteristic features: fruiting bodies white, pleasant in taste, with an aniseed smell; gills pink, later chocolate, when old blackish-brown. Grows singly or in groups, likes humus-rich, fertile soil. A valuable edible mushroom, cultivated artificially. Sometimes grows large - even up to 1.5 kg in weight. Common.