(6 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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The Blusher
Edible 
Autumn 
Spring 
Summer 
Common and available before many other species are out, this is a good eating mushroom but must be cooked before consumption. Great care should be taken identifying this fungi.
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | The Blusher |
| Scientific Name | Amanita rubescens |
| Season Start | May |
| Season End | Nov |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 15 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 15 |
Cap
Flesh coloured to light brown to a darker red/brown sometimes with a yellow flush and covered in off-white to grey scales. Spherical to convex to flat.
Gills
Gills white, free of the stem, quite crowded. Can develop red spots where damaged.
Stem
Scaly and off white to grey/red/brown below the skirt, generally smoother and whiter above.
Skirt
The skirt is an important identification tool as the top has fine grooves or striations running from the stem out.
Volva
Young Blushers have an obvious volva but as the mushroom matures the bottom of the stem is bulbous rather than volva like.
Flesh
White but ‘blushing’ red when bruised or exposed to air.
Habitat
Mixed woodland.
Possible Confusion
Can be confused with the deadly Panther Cap, Amanita pantherina, pictured. The main difference is that the Blusher has lines or striations on its skirt running from the stem out, the Panther Cap skirt is smooth. Other differences are the Blusher has a lighter cap, the scales on the cap are off-white to grey rather than white, the Blusher stem is bulbous at the bottom the panther cap growing from a volvic sack and has a rim or ‘gutter’ at the top of the volva and finally, the Blusher ‘blushes’ red when damaged or exposed to air.
The Grey Spotted Amanita, Amanita excelsa, but this is an edible mushroom.
Care should be taken when identifying Amanitas.
Spore Print
White. Ovoid.
Taste / Smell
Faint then becoming slightly acrid. Must be well cooked before eating as it contains a toxin that is destroyed when heated.
Frequency
Very common.
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