Community find

Mulch Fieldcap

Agrocybe dura

Group

gilled mushroom

Spore print

Dark brown to cinnamon-brown.

Size

Cap diameter: 3-8 cm; Stipe length: 4-10 cm, width: 0.5-1.2 cm.

Season

Spring through autumn, especially after heavy rains in warm weather.

Habitat

Grows on wood chips, bark mulch, rich soil, lawns, gardens, and landscaped areas.

Distribution

Widespread across North America, Europe, and temperate regions globally.

Key characteristics

Creamy yellowish to pale tan-brown convex to flattened cap, smooth surface that may crack in dry weather, pale whitish to brownish attached gills, robust central stem often with a membranous ring.

Fruiting body

The cap is 3-8 cm wide, initial convex expanding to broadly convex or flat, pale buff to yellowish-tan, often cracking in dry conditions (areolate). Hymenophore consists of close to crowded gills, initially pale cream becoming cinnamon-brown as spores mature. Stipe is 4-10 cm tall, 0.5-1.2 cm thick, whitish to pale tan, often bearing a delicate ring near the top.

How to recognise it

Look for pale tan/buff caps growing directly from wood mulch, a fragile ring on the upper stem, and dark cinnamon-brown spore prints.

Look-alikes

Agrocybe praecox (Early Agrocybe) which typically appears earlier in spring, Agrocybe pediades, and various Stropharia species found in mulch.

Ecological role

Saprophytic, breaking down woody debris, mulch, and organic matter in soil.

Notes

Agrocybe species are among the most common mushrooms to appear in suburban landscaping, urban flower beds, and freshly mulched garden beds due to their efficient decomposition of wood chips.