Fauna
Fungus

Almond Mushroom

Agaricus subrufescens

Also known as Almond Agaric, Himematsutake, Royal Sun Agaric, Fiery Mushroom

Almond mushrooms emerge during warm seasons from rich leaf litter and composted soil, distinguished by a silky white to brown-speckled cap and a strong fragrance reminiscent of crushed almonds. As the umbrella-shaped cap expands, the underside gills shift from pale greyish pink to a rich chocolate brown as spores mature. This saprotrophic species plays a vital role in forest and garden ecosystems by breaking down decaying plant matter.

FungusAromaticSaprotrophic
Almond Mushroom reference1 / 7
(c) Denis Zabin, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Denis Zabin · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyDecaying Leaf Litter, Woody Debris, Soil Microbes
Predators
  • Fungus Gnats
  • Slugs
  • Rodents
ThreatsHabitat disruption, soil contamination
HabitatsForest litter, rich soils, compost, disturbed woodland edges
Life spanFruiting body lasts 4–10 days; mycelium persists indefinitely
Classification
  1. FamilyAgaricaceae
  2. SpeciesAgaricus subrufescens
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never harvest or ingest wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Scent Check: Gently rub the cap or stem base to check for the distinctive aroma of sweet almonds.
  • Inspect Gills: Observe how the gills change color from pale pink to dark chocolate brown as the cap matures.
  • Habitat Scouting: Look around compost heaps and rich leaf litter following warm summer rains.
Related species
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