Russula: photo and description of what it looks like, where it grows, types, benefits and harms

A photo of a russula must be carefully studied by each mushroom picker. You can very often meet this mushroom in the forests of the middle zone. But it is important not to confuse it with inedible or downright poisonous mushrooms.

Description of russula

Russula is a name for mushrooms, very widespread on the territory of Russia, with a cap and on an even high leg without rings and thickenings. The top of the cap in different species can be half spherical or flat, the diameter of the cap in adult mushrooms reaches 10 cm.

What group does the russula belong to?

The russula family is the russula family of the same name, and by its genus the mushroom belongs to the lamellar. Within the group, there are over 250 different types of mushroom, and almost all of them, with rare exceptions, are suitable for human consumption.

What does a russula look like

It is quite easy to recognize the mushroom, it has external features characteristic of mushrooms of the Russula family.

The leg is straight, without outgrowths and rings, usually cylindrical in shape. The color of the leg can be either white or colored in other shades, sometimes a slight thickening is observed at the base, and under the cap there is a sharpening of the leg.
The cap of an adult mushroom is flat or in the shape of a shallow funnel, sometimes convex hats are found. Young mushrooms can have a spherical or bell-shaped cap, but its shape changes with age. The cap of the mushroom is usually covered with dry skin, matte or shiny, the edge of the cap is either straight or turned inward.

A characteristic feature, noticeable in the photo and in the description of russula mushrooms, is the lamellar structure of the cap on the underside. The plates can be white or yellowish, frequent and rare.

What colors are russules

The shade of the cap and other parts of the mushroom varies widely. The color is gray and pink, brown and yellow, greenish and even blue. It is impossible to recognize a fungus by just one shade - the variety of colors is too great.

Features of the structure of the russula

The main feature of the fungus is the unusual structure of the cap. Unlike most other mushrooms, as it grows, it changes its shape - a convex or spherical cap becomes even and flat, and sometimes even takes the form of a small funnel.

Important! The plates on the underside are very fragile. This is associated with difficulties in collecting, the fungus is difficult to cut and put in a basket so as to preserve its integrity.

How russules grow

In order to harvest a good harvest during the summer, you need to know where exactly the fungi of this type are found most often. You also need to familiarize yourself with the growth characteristics and determine the optimal timing for collection.

Where russules grow

The prevalence of the fungus is very high, it grows on forest edges and clearings, next to swamps and in deciduous forests. Most often it can be found near roads.

When russules start to grow

You can meet the mushroom in the forests and on the edges throughout the warm season, the first caps appear from the ground at the beginning of June. However, massive growth begins in mid-summer, with a peak in August and September.

How quickly russules grow

The full growth cycle of fungi passes rather quickly, on average, in just 3-7 days. You don't have to wait long for ripening. Rapid growth is especially facilitated by rains - in wet weather, fungi develop very rapidly, and you can go to the forest for them literally a couple of days after the first young mushrooms were noticed.

What tree does the russula grow under

Due to their ubiquity, fungi of this species can successfully coexist with most tree species. Very often they enter into symbiosis with alder and aspen, birch and oak, spruce and pine, poplar and linden. You can meet them next to shrubs and even perennial tall grasses, fungi are kind to such a neighborhood.

Varieties of russula with photos and names

Of all the many varieties, it is customary to distinguish only 3 types of russula, which grow in our forests most often. Fungi of these types are ideal for use in food, they have good taste, and do not bring unnecessary hassle during processing.

Food russula

The mushroom is easily recognized by the light red color of the cap with a pinkish, lilac or beige tint. Young specimens have convex caps; in adults, the apex is flat or even slightly concave in the middle. On the hat of this variety, a thin skin is slightly puffed up, it is easy to remove it before cooking. On the underside there are thin plates, white at a young age and creamy in adult specimens.

The leg of the species is white and dense, up to 7 cm in length; in dry weather in the forest, the color of the leg changes slightly and takes on the shade of a hat. A fungus of this type can often be found on sandy and sandy loam soil, in pine forests.

Green russula

Among all types of russula with a photo, the green russula stands out. It is found mainly in oak or birch forests, grows both in small groups and singly. The cap of the green variety has a typical structure, but its color is unusual, it is covered with a pale green skin with a brownish spot in the center.

The leg height can be up to 10 cm, the shade of the leg is usually creamy, and the structure is smooth and even.

Wavy russula

This edible variety has a recognizable, bright, deep red hat - burgundy in the center and slightly lighter around the edges. The wavy fungus can be crimson, pink or purple, the shade depends on the place of growth, on the level of humidity and lighting.

The diameter of the cap is usually 6-10 cm, the shape of the top in adult mushrooms is flat and outstretched, and in young ones it is convex. A striking sign of this species of russula is the slightly curved and uneven edges of the cap, hence the name. The stem of the fungus is flat and cylindrical, creamy white or slightly pinkish in arid conditions.

Is it possible to eat russula

It is certainly possible to eat fungi with a telling name in food. But contrary to the name, even the safest and most common types are not recommended to be eaten raw. If the mushroom is eaten raw, it can lead to nausea, indigestion and even severe poisoning.

Important! Russula are so named because they require much less processing than other types of mushrooms. It is enough to boil the mushroom for about half an hour, and before salting it is boiled for only 5 minutes.

Taste qualities of russula

Any russula belongs to the category of edible mushrooms, but the taste is very different from one species to another. Greenish, yellowish and bluish mushrooms have a very pleasant taste - sweetish with a slight nutty tint.

But red, pink and purple fungi are usually very pungent.They need to be processed longer to eliminate the unpleasant aftertaste.

The benefits and harms of russula mushrooms

The russules have not only good taste - if properly processed, they are also very useful. The mushroom contains:

vitamins B1 and B2;
nicotinic acid PP;
iron, potassium and calcium;
magnesium and sodium;
vitamin C;
vitamin E.

Due to their composition, fungi are able to have a beneficial effect on the body. In particular, the beneficial properties of russula:

have an anti-inflammatory effect and help to cope with internal and external infections;
improve digestive functions and help normalize metabolism;
help to get rid of excess weight, since the nutritional value of mushrooms is small, they can be used on a diet;
improve the condition of blood vessels, thin the blood and prevent the development of heart ailments;
protect against atherosclerosis.

The benefits of russula mushrooms for the human body are undeniable, but at the same time they have strict contraindications. You cannot use these mushrooms when:

individual allergy to mushrooms or individual components in their composition;
with serious heart ailments;
with chronic liver and kidney diseases;
during pregnancy and lactation - any mushrooms are too risky food for a baby;
in children under 12 years of age, the child's body is not yet ready to assimilate the product.

When using russula of any kind, it is important to observe safe daily dosages of the product. It is recommended to eat no more than 150 g of mushrooms per day, even if we are talking about very high quality, healthy and impeccably cooked specimens.

When to collect russula

The optimal time for collecting fungi is August and September. However, much depends on the specific species.

Food russula are harvested from early June to late August. The peak of mushrooms occurs in the middle and end of summer, in June and September, mushrooms can be found, but much less often.
Green fungi in oak and birch forests grow most abundantly in August and September. Sometimes you can meet them even at the beginning of October, if it turned out to be warm enough.
Wavy russula actively grow from August to mid-October, although they can be found in small numbers from the beginning of summer.

It is best to go to the forest for mushrooms after heavy rains. It is in conditions of high heat and humidity that fungi grow quickly and densely; a short walk through the forest can harvest a solid harvest.

How to collect russula

If you go to the forest at the right time, then there is no doubt that you will be able to find a huge number of russula in the grass. But for successful collection, it is necessary to carefully study the types of edible russules with photos and descriptions and follow some rules.

Mushrooms cannot be removed from the ground along with the root system - this harms the population as a whole. To preserve the mycelium, it is necessary to use a sharp knife, the mushroom is cut along the stem at a short distance from the surface of the earth.
Before cutting off the fungus, you need to carefully examine it and make sure that it is an edible product, and not about false doubles and not about poisonous specimens.
It is best to cut sturdy young mushrooms. First of all, they have the best taste. In addition, old specimens are usually eaten by insects and crumble very easily in the hands and in the basket.
The mushrooms must be folded into the basket very carefully so as not to break the fragile caps, legs up. You cannot collect mushrooms in a bag or bag, otherwise you will be able to bring only mushroom dust home.
The cut mushroom must be inspected and made sure that no worminess is visible on the cut of the leg, if the pulp is affected by insects from the inside, then it cannot be eaten.

At home, the collected mushrooms are carefully sorted out - they are cleaned of adhering debris, washed and at the same time sifted out all broken or spoiled mushrooms that accidentally fell into the basket of healthy ones.

False double russules

In addition to several varieties of edible fungi, the classification of russules includes species that are inedible and unpleasant in taste, they are usually called false counterparts. Also, some poisonous mushrooms can be disguised as an edible mushroom.

Corrosive russula

The mushroom is very similar to the wavy variety, as it also has a light red or pinkish cap. However, the taste of such a mushroom is pungent and bitter, and only prolonged boiling helps to make it more pleasant. However, eating caustic fungi is not recommended even after careful processing, they contain the toxic substance muscarin, which is part of the fly agaric.

Blood red russula

Most often, the mushroom comes across in coniferous forests and in mixed massifs under the pines. The cap of the blood-red species is large, up to 10 cm in diameter, deep red in color with a lilac tint and poorly peeling skin. Such a mushroom has a very bitter and pungent taste and can cause poisoning not only raw, but also in boiled form.

Spicy, or yellowing, russula

It resembles a wavy one, but the shade is slightly different - the dense cap is covered with a cherry, red-brown or purple skin. The pulp is yellowish, the leg is with a slight purple or lilac tint. The fungus tastes unpleasant and bitter, causing food poisoning.

The deadly pale toadstool can successfully disguise itself as a green variety of edible fungus. She is related to the russula by a glossy greenish hat and frequent white plates on the inside of the hat.

Attention! Toadstool can usually be distinguished by its characteristic fringed ring on the leg and a thickening near the ground itself. But old toadstools often do not have a ring, so special care must be taken.

The use of russula

These delicious mushrooms are suitable for use in many dishes. Despite the fact that they cannot be eaten raw, after minimal processing they are used in soups, main courses, side dishes and salads, make sauces based on them, put them in the filling for pies, and marinate for the winter.

Before cooking, the fungi must be processed - first soak for a couple of hours, and then boil for at least 5 minutes. After that, they can be pickled, salted, fried or baked in the oven.

The cap of a fragile mushroom is easy to boil and crumble. Therefore, whenever possible, the pulp is boiled together with a film on the cap, which allows you to preserve the integrity of the product. But if the film tastes bitter and pungent, it must be removed.

Advice! To make the film off the cap easier, you can first scald it with boiling water.

Interesting facts about russula

A detailed examination of the fungi, you can find out some interesting facts associated with them.

In terms of its value, the mushroom is inferior to many other species. However, the high content of vitamins PP and B2 in russula makes it a truly useful food product.
This type of fungus can lower blood cholesterol levels and, if consumed on a regular basis, can help cure many health problems.
After salting, fungi can be consumed within a day - this is a very short period, most mushrooms require longer processing.

Numerous russula species are very similar to each other. Sometimes, in order to distinguish them, even specialists have to carry out special analyzes. Ordinary mushroom pickers should remember this feature of mushrooms and cut off only those specimens whose edibility is beyond doubt.

Conclusion

Photos of russula are presented on the Internet in huge numbers, in order to collect healthy and tasty mushrooms in the forest, you need to carefully study the edible species. Delicious fungi come across under trees and in the glades very often - from the middle of summer you can be guaranteed to collect a full basket.

Russula mushroom: photo, description and types