Yellow Stainer
Poisonous 
Autumn 
Spring 
Summer 
The chrome yellow staining can clearly be seen where the cap has been damaged.
Poisonous causing alarming symptoms but not effecting everybody. Don’t take a chance!
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | Yellow Stainer |
| Scientific Name | Agaricus xanthodermus |
| Season Start | Jul |
| Season End | Nov |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 16 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 16 |
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Cap
Starting rounded this flattens to a shallow convex. White with very small scales. The cap bruises chrome yellow quite quickly.
Gills
Gills white turning pink becoming grey/brown. Crowded.
Stem
White/off-white with a skirt and slightly bulbous base.
Skirt
Can have a pendulous skirt, this one is stained on the top surface by spores.
Flesh
White bruising chrome yellow when cut especially at the base of the stem.
Habitat
Hedgerows, grassland, open woodland and beside roads and paths usually in large groups or rings.
Spore Print
Purple/brown. Ellipsoid to ovoid.
Frequency
Common.
11 comments for Yellow Stainer
Can field and yellow stainer grow in the same ring
They can be right beside each other, but not from the same organism.
I have what I believe to be yellow strainers growing in my garden.
How can I get rid of these?
I’m not sure how to get rid of them permanently, fungicides can damage the ecosystem of your garden. Place them in a bag and put them in your landfill bin to dispose of them.
About 20 years ago I bought some of these from a local Garden Centre in Somerset believing them to be anything but Yellow Stainers. I started cooking them in a Risotto and the smell was very early on utterly disgusting! Very worrying how a garden centre can buy something wrongly identified by their wholesale provider.
Can I put yellow stainers in with my garden compost?
Yes as the compost should break any toxins down and these will not be transferred to any plants the compost is used on.
Hi I found what look to be yellow stainers due to the stems slightly yellow at the base when cut, however, I can’t say they smell of ‘ink’ if anything they smell of aniseed ?
Is this unusual not to have the smell ?
I note the younger ones gills are white which I understand is another tell tale.
I won’t be sampling them but was hoping to experience the smell which is always stated as an indicator.
If you try cooking any of the toxic Agarics, they turn yellow and the smell becomes very strong. Sometimes it can be hard to pick up the smell when fresh.
Mushrooms growing on old remaining tree trunk stump
They look just like chestnut mushrooms. Are they likely to be edible ?
I could only mention the edibility of mushrooms if I saw them. Chestnut mushrooms do not grow on wood.