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The yellow russula (Russula claroflava) is a very common and tasty lamellar mushroom with a brightly colored cap. Inveterate mushroom pickers, she did not find great popularity due to increased fragility and frequent damage by mushroom worms.
Where light yellow russules grow
Yellow russula prefer to grow in birch or mixed birch-pine forests. They settle especially under birches, with which they form mycorrhiza. Often found in damp places and along the edge of swamps, as well as in peat bogs. Yellow russules like mossy areas with little grass cover, grow among fallen leaves. They are found both singly and in whole groups, sometimes forming arcs or circles.
The fruiting period is from July to mid-October. The growth of yellow russula begins earlier than other autumn mushrooms; frequent neighbors in the forest are:
- boletus;
- the pig is thin;
- the float is yellow-brown.
Even in dry summers, when other mushrooms stop growing due to lack of moisture, this variety continues to actively bear fruit, not giving the mushroom picker a reason to come from the forest with an empty basket.
What do yellow russula mushrooms look like?
The species Russula claroflava differs from other members of the Russula family by the noticeable color of the cap of a juicy bright yellow shade. Mushrooms can be easily found among moss or dry leaves, however, in the fall they merge with birch litter, which has a similar color.
Photo and description of yellow russula
At a young age, a yellow russula has a hemispherical cap, which, as the fungus grows, opens, becoming first flat, and later - funnel-shaped. The diameter of the cap under favorable conditions sometimes reaches 10-12 cm. The edges are even, the skin is smooth and dry, in inclement weather it is slightly sticky, it separates well from the pulp. The reverse side of the cap is lamellar, white at the base of the stem, yellowish closer to the edge. In old mushrooms, the plates acquire a grayish tint, brown spots appear on them.
The pulp of a yellow russula has an elastic structure, consisting of small fragile plates, as the fruit body ages, it becomes loose. It turns gray when broken or cut due to exposure to air. The spores are in the form of a prickly egg, the spore powder is ocher.
The leg of the Russula claroflava is cylindrical, flat, smooth and dense. In young specimens, it has a boiling white color, in old ones it gradually turns gray, voids appear inside, the pulp becomes like cotton wool. The diameter of the leg is usually 1-2 cm, the height is 5-10 cm.
Edible or not yellow russula
This type of mushroom is included in the 3rd group in terms of nutritional value (edible mushrooms with a medium taste). Along with Russula claroflava, this group includes:
- honey mushrooms are real;
- morels;
- lines;
- boletus;
- value;
- flywheels;
- waves;
- black milk mushrooms.
Taste qualities of russula with a yellow hat
The pulp of the yellow russula has a pleasant mild taste with barely noticeable nutty notes. The mushroom smell is weak, you can distinguish a floral or coniferous aroma. It is better to eat young mushrooms in which the cap has not yet opened. The taste of old specimens is less intense, they are more prone to crumbling and do not look aesthetically pleasing in dishes. In addition, the adult Russula claroflava is often wormy.
Benefit and harm
Mushrooms of the genus Russula are rich in vitamins B2, C and PP. It also includes:
- phosphorus;
- iron;
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- calcium.
It is a low-calorie food appreciated by nutritionists and vegetarians. There are only 19 kcal in 100 g of the product. The nutritional value:
- proteins - 1.7 g;
- fats - 0.7 g;
- carbohydrates - 1.5 g.
Eating mushrooms quickly satisfies the feeling of hunger, does not lead to obesity. However, it is worth refraining from such dishes for children under 7 years old, pregnant and lactating women. Russula have a beneficial effect on the human body:
- increase the level of hemoglobin;
- relieve swelling;
- strengthen blood vessels;
- intensify creative activity;
- relieve hangover syndrome;
- normalize the emotional background during menopause;
- restore libido;
- remove toxins and toxins;
- prevent the formation of blood clots and blood thickening.
Athletes in aerobic sports often include this product in between intense workouts, while bodybuilders, on the contrary, refuse to eat mushrooms, especially during the drying period.
Doctors strongly advise against using yellow russula for diseases:
- kidney;
- gallbladder;
- liver;
- Gastrointestinal tract during exacerbations.
False doubles of yellow russula
Novice mushroom pickers can easily confuse the yellow russula with its poisonous counterpart - the bright yellow fly agaric (Amanita gemmata), which has hallucinogenic properties. It can be distinguished by white flakes on the cap, characteristic thickening of the stem at the base and a filmy ring. The flesh of the inedible mushroom exudes a faint radish scent.
In addition to the fly agaric, its closest relative, the bile russula (Russula fellea), can be mistaken for a yellow russula. This variety is distinguished by a light ocher or straw-yellow shade of the cap, which fades to beige as the mushroom grows. The pulp of the bilious russula gives off geraniums, the taste is unbearably burning.
Instead of yellow russula, which have a mild taste without bitterness, in coniferous forests, you can collect ocher russula (Russula ochroleuca). They are also edible, but taste more mediocre. You can distinguish the ocher variety by lighter plates; its pulp does not change color in air. They prefer to settle in dry places, they are found under pines and spruces, which is unusual for a yellow species.
How to cook yellow russula
Edible yellow russula, photos of which attract the eye with saturated colors in yellow and white, lose their attractiveness during heat treatment, becoming gray. However, this does not detract from their taste. Mushrooms are suitable for drying, they are:
- pickle;
- salt;
- stew;
- fried;
- freeze.
Experienced chefs advise to pre-soak russula in cold water, so you can get rid of a possible bitter taste. Further, they are boiled for 15-30 minutes, thrown into a colander, after which they begin to pickle, marinate and fry. Salted russula seasoned with garlic, onion, pepper and sour cream are especially tasty. In some European countries, this dish is considered a delicacy.
Conclusion
Due to its prevalence throughout Russia, the yellow russula has been encountered at least once by any mushroom picker.A smart look and good taste - that's what lovers of a quiet hunt appreciate this mushroom for. Many undeservedly ignore it in the forest, knowing about fragility and frequent worminess, preferring to collect noble species, and in vain, because in salty form it can give odds even to boletus.
