What is the name of the red-capped mushroom and what is its description? (+24 photos)

Mushroom pickers often encounter a variety of red-capped mushrooms in the forest. They are usually very attractive, but without knowing their names, it's best to avoid picking them, as many are inedible or even poisonous. It's best to go on a quiet hunt with an experienced mushroom picker, who will introduce you to a wide variety of mushrooms firsthand. If this isn't possible, carefully study photos and descriptions of edible and inedible mushrooms with this appearance.

Edible types of mushrooms with red caps

To distinguish real mushrooms from false ones, you need to know not only their names, but also carefully study the description and photo of each one.

Edible species with a red cap include the following:

1. The red-eyed butter mushroom has a flat cap with a tubercle in the center. Its distinctive feature is its slimy skin, which is fairly easy to separate from the flesh. The stem is orange with a yellow tint. The flesh turns red when damaged.

   

   

2. The red aspen mushroom is characterized by a spherical and rather fleshy cap, red, brownish-red, or orange in color. The white stem is covered with flaky, dark-colored scales. When cut, the flesh is white, with a bluish tint on the underside of the stem. At the cut, the flesh quickly turns blue and then black.

   

   

3. The red boletus (Boletus ruddenscens) has a rich red cap, sometimes with a brown or crimson tint. Young fruits have a convex, cushion-shaped cap, while in more mature ones, the cap often flattens out and has small cracks on the surface.

   

   

4. The marsh russula is considered an excellent mushroom delicacy, which can be prepared in any way. It thrives in damp and moist areas and often grows in swamps. The cap of the fruit is a rich red, and the stem is white, sometimes with a pink tint.

   

   

5. Vermilion-red chanterelles inhabit oak and deciduous forests. The cap's color ranges from pale red to deep red. The cap is small, up to 4 cm in diameter, and funnel-shaped. The stem reaches 2-5 cm in height.

   

   

Conditionally edible varieties

Conditionally edible mushrooms are those that can only be eaten after preliminary processing. They are boiled, soaked, blanched, or dried. After one of these processes, you can begin preparing the main mushroom dish. Among those with red caps, the following semi-edible species are distinguished:

1. The red milk cap is characterized by a reddish-brown cap, which reaches 20 cm in diameter. Most often, the surface of the mushroom is light brown, but deep orange and red milk caps are also found. The flesh is quite brittle, white or with a reddish tint. The cut surface smells like cooked crab or fish.

   

   

2. The yellow-red rowan is characterized by a matte, fleshy cap of a yellow-orange or yellow-red color. The cap can reach 15 cm in diameter. Small burgundy-colored scales are located on the surface. The flesh is yellow, has a bland taste and a sour aroma.

   

   

3. The brick-red honey fungus is considered a false honey fungus and is considered a conditionally edible mushroom. The fleshy cap ranges from 4 to 12 cm in diameter, and its color can be reddish-brown, brick-red, or brownish-yellow. The flesh is white with a yellow tint and has a slightly bitter taste. The stem grows up to 10 cm and has a fairly dense consistency. Honey fungus can be found in summer and autumn on dead wood and the stumps of deciduous trees.

   

   

Inedible and poisonous mushrooms with red caps

Inedible mushrooms are often avoided for cooking due to their poor taste. These varieties can have a bitter or pungent taste and a very unpleasant odor. It's not recommended to even touch poisonous species, as their spores also contain poison. When hunting, extreme caution is advised, as some edible mushrooms have false lookalikes. It's worth familiarizing yourself with dangerous forest dwellers:

1. The red russula can be found in coniferous forests in early autumn. The cap is small, reaching a maximum diameter of 6 cm. The cap is flat-convex and dark red in color. When damaged, it emits a pleasant aroma, and the raw flesh has a pungent taste.

   

   

2. The Russula Kelei forms a small cap up to 8 cm in diameter. The mushroom is dark in color: burgundy, purple, or red. The stem of the fruit is red with a violet tint. When cut, the fruit has a pleasant aroma and a rather pungent flavor.

   

   

3. The pungent russula is often found in damp coniferous forests. Its red or pinkish-red cap can reach 10 cm in diameter. Young mushrooms have flat-convex caps that become spreading as they mature. The taste and aroma of this mushroom are quite unpleasant. This variety is considered one of the most dangerous mushrooms, as its flesh contains the toxin muscarine, which even in small quantities can cause severe poisoning.

   

   

4. The red fly agaric mushroom is covered in bright red skin, densely covered with white flakes, resembling tiny warts. The flesh has a subtle scent. Its flesh is white, but beneath the skin it can be light yellow or orange. The cylindrical stem reaches a height of 20 cm and a diameter of up to 2.5 cm.

   

   

Rules, gathering places and precautions

The first thing to consider when hunting for edible mushrooms is the gathering location. Forests or mountains are excellent options for harvesting. The key is to stay away from dusty roads and industrial areas.

If children are present during the hunt, they should be strictly prohibited from touching or tasting berries and mushrooms. A wicker basket or knapsack is considered a suitable container for forest bounty, allowing the fruit to "breathe" fresh air.

It's best to pick mushrooms early in the morning. It's recommended not to pull the fruiting bodies out of the soil; it's better to cut or gently twist them to minimize damage to the mycelium. If severely damaged, the mycelium dies, meaning no new mushrooms will grow in that spot. Before placing the fruiting bodies in the basket, carefully inspect them for worms.

At home, the harvest should be carefully inspected again, washed, peeled, and properly processed. After boiling the fruit, discard the water, as it contains harmful or even toxic substances.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Among those with red caps, you can find both edible and toxic mushrooms. Before hunting, it's important to familiarize yourself with both the edible and poisonous varieties. After all, if you know your enemy, you can safely avoid them.