Written by Dr. Shiva Devkota
Agaricus bisporus is the cultivated button mushroom. White button, chestnut and portobello are the same species at different stages.
In short
White button, chestnut and portobello mushrooms are all Agaricus bisporus, harvested at different maturity.
What it is
Agaricus bisporus is the cultivated button mushroom. The white button, chestnut (cremini) and portobello sold in shops are all the same species, harvested at different stages of maturity and from different cultivated strains.
Where it grows
It is grown commercially on composted substrate rather than gathered, and is the most widely cultivated mushroom species in the world. Wild populations occur in grassland and disturbed ground across Europe and North America.
Why it matters commercially
Because it is cultivated rather than foraged, supply is predictable year-round - which is why it dominates retail volume even though many wild species are more prized in cooking.
Sources
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy - Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) Imbach
- FAO, production statistics for cultivated mushrooms
Never eat a wild mushroom based on a web page or an app. This profile describes a cultivated species; wild Agaricus look-alikes include species that cause serious illness.
The science
Agaricus bisporus (J.E.Lange) Imbach
A species in the family Agaricaceae, order Agaricales. Recorded under 25 common names across 14 languages.
A page is not an identification. Many mushrooms have close lookalikes, and the difference can matter enormously. Never eat a wild mushroom on the strength of anything you read; confirm it in person with a local expert.
- Kingdom
- Fungi
- Phylum
- Basidiomycota
- Class
- Agaricomycetes
- Order
- Agaricales
- Family
- Agaricaceae
- Genus
- Agaricus
- English
- Cultivated Mushroom, Field Mushroom
- Swedish
- brun trädgårdschampinjon, crimini, crème de Paris
- Norwegian
- dyrka sjampinjong, dyrket sjampinjong
- Finnish
- viljelyherkkusieni
- German
- Zweisporiger Champignon
- French
- Champignon de Paris
- Basque
- franzes perretxico
- Catalan
- camperol cultivat, xampinyó
- Chinese
- 双孢蘑菇
- Czech
- žampión hnědý
- Dutch
- Gekweekte champignon
- Slovenian
- dvotrosni kukmak
- Spanish
- champiñón cultivado, seta de París
- Welsh
- Madarch Meithrin
Older literature may use these names. They all refer to the same species.
- Agaricus campestris subsp. hortensis (Cooke) Konrad & Maubl.
- Agaricus campestris var. bisporus Anon.
- Agaricus cookeanus Bon
- Agaricus hortensis (Cooke) Pilat
- Agaricus subfloccosus var. bisporus (J.E.Lange) Hlaváček
- Psalliota arvensis var. hortensis (Cooke) W.G.Sm.
- Psalliota bispora (J.E.Lange) F.H.Møller & Jul.Schäff.
- Psalliota campestris subsp. hortensis (Cooke) Lloyd, 1899
- Psalliota hortensis (Cooke) J.E.Lange
- Psalliota hortensis f. albida J.E.Lange
- Psalliota hortensis f. bispora J.E.Lange
Others in Agaricus
Classification and names from the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (CC-BY 4.0).
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