I live in Maple Ridge, B.C. A few days ago in one of my gardens below my kitchen window, on the west side of the house I found a patch of mushrooms growing. Recalling my sister had last summer in one of her old horse poop piles, the most beautiful and large mushrooms, about the size of a dinner plate growing, and most certainly most delicious. I was wondering if the same species is now growing at my place. Within this garden their could be turkey manure from last year with which the gardens were fertilized with. These mushrooms were about the size of 4 inches across, no bigger. I took a spore print, it was brown. What mushrooms grow in the summer in our PNW, not up in the mountains, but in the lower lands? I live on acreage that is pretty much cleared. Upon our property we have had turkey, horse, chicken, duck, rabbit manures used, each in different spots, but probably spread around by kids, birds, and dogs. So if this mushroom is devoted to any specific kind of manure, there is no specific manure here, it is everywhere and all over the place. I would love to know if this is an edible mushroom. All my mushroom identification books are packed away temporarily while we are doing some house renovations, so I can't even get to them to help me. Have a wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi
Cindi, That looks like a member of the Agrocybe praecox cluster to me. http://www.mushroomexpert.com/agrocybe_praecox.html Given your location and the setting, it might be "Species II" on the page linked above. You should not eat it! Best wishes, Michael
Michael, thanks for the link, I believe that you are probably correct and it will definitely not go on my dinner table. Too bad, they are growing quite nicely, now I have to try to keep them rid of my garden, eek. Have a wonderful and great day, Cindi
Agrocybe praecox has been bustin' out all over greater vancouver recently! Massive fruitings in gardens and wild places.
