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

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

Description of Russula

Russulas are mushrooms that are very common in Russia and have a cap and a smooth, high stalk without rings or 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 russula belong to?

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

What does 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 smooth, without growths and rings, usually cylindrical in shape. The color of the leg can be either white or painted in other shades; sometimes there is a slight thickening at the base, and a pointed leg under the cap.
The cap of an adult mushroom can be flat or in the shape of a shallow funnel; sometimes there are convex caps. Young mushrooms may have a spherical or bell-shaped cap, but with age its shape changes. The mushroom cap is usually covered with dry skin, matte or shiny; the edge of the cap can be either straight or folded 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 or rare.

What colors are russulas?

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

Features of the structure of russula

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

Important! The plates on the underside are characterized by increased fragility.This is associated with difficulties during collection; it is difficult to cut the fungus and put it in a basket so as to maintain its integrity.

How do russulas grow?

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

Where do russulas grow?

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

When do russulas begin to grow?

You can find the mushroom in forests and on the edges throughout the warm season; the first caps appear from the ground already in early June. However, massive growth begins in mid-summer and peaks in August and September.

How quickly do russulas grow?

The full growth cycle of fungi goes through quite quickly, on average in just 3-7 days. You don't have to wait long for ripening. Rains are especially conducive to rapid growth - in wet weather, fungi develop very quickly, and you can go to the forest for them literally a couple of days after the first young mushrooms are noticed.

Under what tree does russula grow?

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. They can be found next to shrubs and even tall perennial grasses; fungi favor such a neighborhood.

Varieties of russula with photos and names

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

Food russula

The mushroom is easily recognized by the light red color of the cap with a pinkish, purple or beige tint. Young specimens have convex caps; in adults, the top is flat or even slightly concave in the middle. The thin skin on the cap of this variety is slightly puffy; it can be easily removed before cooking. On the underside there are thin plates, white when young 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 the cap. This type of fungus can often be found on sandy and sandy loam soil, in pine forests.

Green russula

Among all the types of russula from the photo, the green russula stands out. It is found mainly in oak or birch forests, growing 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 pale green skin with a brownish spot in the center.

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

Wavy Russula

This variety, suitable for human consumption, has a recognizable bright cap of a rich red color - burgundy in the center and slightly lighter at the edges. The wavy fungus can be crimson, pink or purple, the shade depends on the place of growth, the level of humidity and lighting.

The diameter of the cap is usually 6-10 cm; the shape of the top of adult mushrooms is flat and prostrate, while that of young mushrooms is convex.A clear sign of this type of russula is the slightly curved and uneven edges of the cap, hence the name. The fungal stalk is smooth and cylindrical, creamy white or slightly pinkish in dry conditions.

Is it possible to eat russula

It is certainly possible to eat fungi with a self-explanatory name. But contrary to the name, it is not recommended to eat even the safest and most common types raw. If you eat the mushroom raw, it can lead to nausea, stomach upset and even severe poisoning.

Important! Russulas are called that way 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 of different species varies greatly. 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 hot. They need to be processed longer to eliminate the unpleasant aftertaste.

The benefits and harms of russula mushrooms

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

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

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

have an anti-inflammatory effect and help 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 low, they can be consumed on a diet;
improve the condition of blood vessels, thin the blood and prevent the development of heart diseases;
protect against atherosclerosis.

The benefits of russula mushrooms for the human body are undeniable, but at the same time they have strict contraindications. These mushrooms should not be consumed if:

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

When consuming russula of any kind, it is important to follow 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 perfectly prepared specimens.

When to collect russula

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

Russulas are collected from the beginning of June until the end of August. The peak of mushrooms occurs in the middle and end of summer; in June and September you can find mushrooms, but much less often.
Green fungi in oak and birch forests grow most abundantly in August and September. Sometimes you can find them even in early October, if it turns out to be warm enough.
Russula wavy actively grows from August to mid-October, although they can be found in small quantities from the beginning of summer.

It is best to go to the forest to pick mushrooms after heavy rains.It is in conditions of increased heat and humidity that fungi grow quickly and thickly; in a short walk through the forest you can reap a substantial 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, you need to carefully study the types of edible russula 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, you must use a sharp knife; the mushroom is cut along the stem at a short distance from the surface of the ground.
Before cutting off the fungus, you need to carefully examine it and make sure that it is an edible product, and not false doubles or poisonous specimens.
It is best to cut off strong young mushrooms. First of all, they have the best taste. In addition, old specimens are usually eaten by insects and crumble very easily in your hands and in a basket.
Mushrooms must be placed in the basket very carefully so as not to break the fragile caps, with the legs facing up. You cannot collect mushrooms in a bag or sack, otherwise you will only be able to bring home mushroom dust.
The cut mushroom must be inspected and made sure that no worms are visible on the cut stem; if the flesh is infected by insects from the inside, then it cannot be eaten.

At home, the collected mushrooms are carefully sorted - cleaned of adhering debris, washed and at the same time weed out all broken or spoiled mushrooms that accidentally ended up in the basket with healthy ones.

False doubles of russula

In addition to several varieties of edible fungi, the classification of russula includes inedible and unpleasant-tasting species; they are usually called false doubles. Some poisonous mushrooms can also disguise themselves as edible mushrooms.

Acrid 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 acrid and bitter, and only long-term boiling helps make it more pleasant. However, it is not recommended to eat caustic fungi even after careful processing; they contain the toxic substance muscarine, which is part of fly agarics.

Blood red russula

Most often, the mushroom is found in coniferous forests and mixed areas under pine trees. The cap of the blood-red species is large, up to 10 cm in diameter, rich red in color with a purple tint and the skin is poorly shed. This mushroom has a very bitter and pungent taste and can cause poisoning not only when raw, but also when boiled.

Acute, or yellowing, russula

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

The deadly toadstool can successfully disguise itself as a green variety of edible fungus. It is similar to Russula in having a glossy greenish cap and frequent white plates on the inside of the cap.

Attention! A toadstool can usually be distinguished by a characteristic fringed ring on the leg and a thickening near the ground.But in older toadstools the ring is often missing, so special care must be taken.

Use of russula

Very tasty 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, they make sauces based on them, put them in pies filling, and marinate them for the winter.

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

The cap of the fragile mushroom easily boils and crumbles. Therefore, whenever possible, the pulp is boiled together with a film on the cap, which allows the integrity of the product to be preserved. But if the film is bitter and acrid in taste, it needs to be removed.

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

Interesting facts about russula

A closer look at fungi reveals some interesting facts about them.

In terms of value, the mushroom is inferior to many other species. However, the high content of vitamins PP and B2 in russula makes it a truly healthy food product.
Fungi of this type can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood; if consumed on a regular basis, they will help get rid of many health problems.
After pickling, you can eat mushrooms within a day - this is a very short period of time; most mushrooms require longer processing.

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

Conclusion

Photos of russula are presented on the Internet in huge quantities; in order to collect healthy and tasty mushrooms in the forest, you need to carefully study the edible species. Delicious fungi are found under trees and in clearings very often - from mid-summer you can be guaranteed to have a full basket.