# Button Mushroom (*Agaricus*)

The Button Mushroom is a small, white mushroom that is very popular in cooking. It has a mild flavor and is often used in salads!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Cultivated fields
- **Also known as:** Champignon, White Mushroom

![Button Mushroom](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426394/objects/5087.jpg)

## Appearance

The Button Mushroom has a smooth, rounded cap that is typically white to cream, often remaining tightly closed in its 'button' stage. Its stem is sturdy and white, connecting to pale pinkish gills that darken to chocolate brown as it matures, making it easily recognizable.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Agaricales
- **Family:** Agaricaceae
- **Genus:** Agaricus

## Interesting facts

- Before it opens, its cap hides thousands of dark brown gills inside, ready to spread spores!
- Cultivation of this mushroom first began over 300 years ago in underground caves in France!
- It's the world's most popular edible mushroom, found in pizza, salads, and more!
- The Button Mushroom turns pink or brown when bruised, a natural protective reaction!

## Special abilities

- **Nutrient Recycler:** Button Mushroom can break down dead organic matter because of special enzymes, helping to return vital nutrients to the soil.
- **Spore Sprinkler:** Button Mushroom has dark brown gills under its cap that produce and release millions of tiny spores to reproduce and spread.
- **Umami Creator:** Button Mushroom has natural compounds that give it a rich 'umami' flavor, making it a delicious addition to many meals.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 3-10 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 2-10 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** other
- **Season:** Year-round
- **Spore Color:** Dark brown

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — A very popular and delicious food source worldwide.
- **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs and snails often graze on mushroom caps.
- **Eaten by:** [Fruit Fly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fruit-fly) (*Drosophila melanogaster*) — Larvae develop inside mushrooms, eating the flesh.

## 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.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Edible Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible-mushroom): This trait refers to fungal species that are safe for human consumption when properly identified and prepared.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## 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 Button Mushroom?

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 Button Mushroom?

3-10 cm

### Is Button Mushroom edible?

edible

### How big is Button Mushroom?

2-10 cm

### Where is Button Mushroom usually found?

Cultivated fields

### What does Button Mushroom grow on?

other

### When is Button Mushroom in season?

Year-round

### What color are Button Mushroom spores?

Dark brown

## Where to spot

- [E.C. Manning Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/e-c-manning-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park
- [Charbonneau Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charbonneau-park) — Washington, US · Park
- [Denny Blaine Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/denny-blaine-park) — Washington, US · Park

[View all places to see Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/button-mushroom)

## More Fungi

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

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Source: [Button Mushroom: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom)