What is the appearance and description of saffron milk cap mushrooms and where do they grow (+23 photos)?

Saffron milk caps are among the most common mushrooms in our country. They are popular not only for their exquisite taste but also for their health benefits. Photos of saffron milk caps resemble other well-known mushrooms, such as chanterelles, but in reality, they are much larger. They are harvested from mid-June to late September. They consist of a cap and a central stem, tightly connected, and separation occurs through a tissue rupture.

Characteristic features of Ryzhiks

It's worth remembering that the Ryzhik mushroom can be either edible or poisonous (false), so it's important to carefully study its photo and description before picking. Furthermore, the flesh secretes a milky sap that initially turns red and then green when exposed to air.

Sometimes you can encounter such a phenomenon as a “two-story” specimen.

Appearance and photo

You can see what the mushroom looks like in the photo, where it's shown close-up. The appearance depends on the mushroom variety. Common features across all species include:

• a smooth cap that takes on a funnel shape as the mushroom grows;
• hollow stem;
• brittle pulp of the fruiting body, changing color when broken;
• milky reddish juice that turns green when oxidized.

The most famous species are:

1. Real.
2. Red.
3. Japanese.

Morphology (species differences)

Saffron milk caps belong to the Russulaceae family and the Lactarius genus. The cap's skin is a distinctive reddish color. It is noticeably fleshy, with a diameter of 3–15 cm. When young, the cap is flat, but as it matures, it becomes funnel-shaped. The cap's skin is reddish or light orange. When wet, it becomes sticky.

Under the cap there are narrow orange-yellow plates attached to it, which turn green when pressed.

The mushroom flesh is orange, turning red when broken. A reddish milky juice oozes from the break. It has a tangy-sweet taste and a pine-like aroma. When oxidized in air, the juice turns green. The hollow orange stem is cylindrical. It is 3–6 cm high and 1–2 cm thick. The surface is covered with a white coating.

Distribution area of ​​saffron milk caps

A significant portion of Russia is covered by coniferous forests, where true saffron milk caps grow. These mushrooms grow in the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, Kazakhstan, Crimea, central Russia, and Moldova. The Japanese variety prefers lowland coniferous-deciduous forests in the south of Primorsky Krai and in Japan.

The taste and aroma of these gifts of nature depend on the forests in which they grow. Those collected in the mountains near pine and spruce trees have a pine-like aroma. Japanese varieties are more bland, without a distinct scent.

Consumption

Saffron milk caps are edible mushrooms. There are no inedible varieties. In fact, they are so tasty and beneficial that they are eaten raw for medicinal purposes.

The only inedible species of milkcap with which it can be confused is the amber milkcap. It can be distinguished by its chicory-like scent, yellow flesh, and milky, colorless juice.

Varieties of saffron milk caps and their descriptions with photos

Red mushrooms are quite colorful and easy to find in the forest. The most common variety is the true, or delicacy, mushroom. Connoisseurs of mushroom flavor call it "royal." The true saffron milk cap has many names: pine, spruce, pine forest, and delicacy. Its cap features distinctive dark concentric rings.

There are two forms of this species: pine and spruce. They differ primarily in size and habitat.

The pine, or pine forest, variety has a more vibrant appearance than the spruce variety. Its stem is slightly shorter, and its color is richer and darker. When cut, its flesh retains an orange hue for a long time.

The spruce variety is significantly smaller than the pine variety. Its cap can be either orange or brownish-green. The coloration depends on the light in the area where it grows: in the shade of spruce branches, the cap is bright orange, while in direct sunlight it turns brown.

The red saffron milk cap is distinguished by the absence of a concentric circular pattern on the cap, and the milky juice is blood-red.

The Japanese saffron milk cap has an ochre-colored cap. Beneath it are bright orange-pink gills. The stem has a white line along the top. The flesh does not turn green when broken, and the juice is scarlet.

Collection rules

The red pine mushroom grows near young pine trees, in young spruce forests, in mixed forests, in dense, short grass, and among mosses. These mushrooms prefer dimly lit clearings with sandy soil. The spruce variety grows more often in coniferous forests, while the pine variety can grow near a solitary tree or even in a city park.

You can determine when to collect these mushrooms using folk signs:

1. If the wild raspberries have ripened and the "second wave" of porcini mushrooms have appeared, then you can begin harvesting them in 20 days.
2. They appear in the fall in the place where the butter mushrooms grew in the summer.
3. The heather is blooming - the time for saffron milk caps has begun.

This delicious mushroom is a favorite among mushroom worms, so it should be picked in the morning. Glistening with dew, it's most visible among the grass and pine needles. To avoid losing a significant portion of the harvest, mushroom pickers often process this delicate mushroom immediately after picking, sprinkling it with salt in containers brought to the forest.

Main characteristics of false saffron milk caps

There are virtually no false varieties of saffron milk caps. There are two types of inedible mushrooms that can be confused with the saffron milk cap: the amber milk cap (gray-pink milk cap) and the pale milk cap (false russula).

It's essential to check the mushrooms for color change: when broken, the flesh of a true saffron milk cap takes on a blue-green hue where it's exposed to air. The color change occurs when the plate under the cap is pressed.

The yellow flesh of the amber milkcap does not change color when exposed to air. This species is considered conditionally edible because it contains few toxic substances. It can be identified by its light pink gills and strong spicy aroma. Inedible milkcaps have a noticeable bump in the center of their cap.

The red variety is sometimes called the false variety. It's distinguished by its white flesh and blood-red juice, which turns green over time. However, it's not poisonous and is also used as food.

The red pine mushroom has such a striking and distinctive appearance that it's quite difficult to confuse it with other mushrooms. Moreover, it has no dangerous "look-alikes." Its characteristic color change helps to correctly identify the species.

Benefits and cooking rules

The benefits and harms of these mushrooms are currently being actively studied by scientists. Not only are they nutritious and a storehouse of beneficial microelements, but they also have medicinal properties.

Medicinal properties

A substance found in them helps fight tuberculosis and cancer. Saffron milk caps are easily digested, nourishing and satisfying the body's need for vitamins and microelements. They are classified as Category I edible.

The maximum benefit comes from eating peeled and washed raw fruiting bodies. They are eaten sprinkled with salt. This is the recommended method for consuming these mushrooms as a treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. Saffron milk caps help fight cancer: 100 grams of them should be eaten raw daily.

Restrictions on use

They are contraindicated for those who suffer from pancreatitis or cholecystitis.

They are not recommended for consumption by people with intestinal obstruction or low stomach acidity.

Popular recipes

These mushrooms can be cooked in any way, but they are not suitable for drying. Here are some interesting recipes:

1. Saffron milk caps are often pickled directly in the forest. For this purpose, people bring pickling containers with them, into which they carefully dry the mushrooms and sprinkle them with coarse salt. This is done to prevent the delicate mushrooms from spoiling during transportation. Adding chopped onion and pepper to the pickle improves the flavor, but it also dulls the color.

   

2. Small mushrooms are marinated whole. An interesting option is bottle marinating: boil the small mushrooms for five minutes, place them in a bottle, and pour the previously prepared marinade over them (2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 5 peppercorns, 5 cloves). They're ready to eat after two days.
3. To make the fricassee, coarsely chop the saffron milk caps and place them in a frying pan with hot butter. Fry only the caps, after parboiling them in salted water and draining them. Salt and fry until golden brown. Then add sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Heat the fricassee through, stirring constantly, and do not bring to a boil. Serve hot.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Saffron milk cap mushrooms are quite delicate – they spoil quickly and require immediate handling, so many people have questions about storing them and eating them safely. Below are answers to the most common questions:

Saffron milk caps are beautiful, tasty, and healthy mushrooms. They are ideal for pickling, marinating, stewing, and frying. They are comparable in flavor to boletus, although they have a number of distinctive cooking characteristics. In folk medicine, they are used to treat lung diseases and cancer.