More than half the mushrooms grown in Italy come from the Veneto: the major growing areas are the provinces of Treviso, Belluno, Vicenza and Padua, where mushroom cultivation began in the 1950s. The first variety to be cultivated was the field mushroom, the king of fungi, commonly known by its French name champignon, meaning “of the countryside”. Still the most popular, this mushroom can be recognised by its characteristic white colour; it has very few calories and a high vitamin content, making it excellent in low-calorie diets. Also cultivated in the Veneto is the Pleurotus, otherwise known as the oyster mushroom. Another popular variety is the Pioppini.