# Blusher (*Amanita rubescens*)

The Blusher is a cute mushroom that has a rosy color. It can be found in forests and is fun to discover on nature walks!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 3
- **Habitat:** Woodlands and forests
- **Also known as:** Red-capped Blusher, Red-capped Mushroom

![Blusher](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426804/objects/5153.jpg)

## Appearance

The Blusher has a reddish-brown cap that often blushes pinkish-red when bruised or cut, giving it its name. It features a skirt-like ring on its stem and gills that are free from attachment. The cap often shows a finely ribbed edge as it matures.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Agaricales
- **Family:** Amanitaceae
- **Genus:** Amanita

## Interesting facts

- Always cook this mushroom thoroughly; eating it raw can make you very sick!
- Its scientific name, \*Amanita rubescens\*, means 'blushing', perfectly describing its color change!
- Its stem often has cool, flaky scales and wears a unique skirt-like ring near the cap!
- Sometimes, a special mold can turn the Blusher completely green, making it look totally different!

## Special abilities

- **Blushing Trick:** Blusher has a special pigment that helps them signal injury, as their flesh turns pinkish-red when bruised.
- **Forest Friend:** Blusher can perform 'Nutrient Nurturing' that helps them exchange vital nutrients with tree roots, supporting forest health.
- **Spore Cloud Shower:** Blusher can 'Drop Spore Clouds' because of their gills, which helps them spread tiny spores for new mushroom growth.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Edible:** poisonous
- **Size:** 5-15 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Summer to fall
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Exchanges vital nutrients with its roots in European forests.
- **Symbiotic with:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — Forms crucial underground connections with its roots.
- **Eats:** Fungus Gnat (*Mycetophila fungorum*) — Its larvae burrow into the cap and stem of the mushroom.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Blusher?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Blusher?

5-20 cm

### Is Blusher edible?

poisonous

### How big is Blusher?

5-15 cm

### Where is Blusher usually found?

Woodlands and forests

### What does Blusher grow on?

soil

### When is Blusher in season?

Summer to fall

### What color are Blusher spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parque-de-la-naturaleza-de-cab-rceno) — Spain, ES · Zoo
- [Zoo de Cerza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-cerza) — Normandy, FR · Zoo
- [Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wales-ape-and-monkey-sanctuary) — Wales, GB · Zoo

[View all places to see Blusher](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blusher)

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Blusher: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blusher)