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Reddening hygrophorus (lat. Hygrophorus erubescens) is an edible agaric mushroom of the Hygrophoraceae family. Another name for the species is hygrophorus reddish.
What does reddening hygrophorus look like
The blushing hygrophorus is a mushroom with a rather classic appearance – its fruiting body consists of a high stem and a spreading domed cap. In young specimens, the latter is rounded, almost ovoid. As the fruiting body grows, it gradually opens up, but a small tubercle remains in the center.
The color of the cap is light pink, approaching white. Sometimes on the surface there are blurry yellow spots of small sizes. Closer to the center, the hat darkens. It is uneven and slightly sticky to the touch, covered with many small scales. The cap diameter varies from 5 to 11 cm.
The hymenophore is represented by free white-pink plates descending to the stem. The spore powder of this species is white.
The leg can reach 5-8 cm in height, the diameter varies from 1 to 2 cm. It is straight, cylindrical in shape. There is a slight expansion at the base. The color of the legs is whitish-pink.
The flesh is dense and slightly granular, light pink in color, which turns yellowish at the cut site. In young mushrooms, it tastes rather fresh, however, as the fruiting body grows, it begins to taste bitter. The smell of the blushing hygrophore is inexpressive.
Where does reddening hygrophorus grow
In large quantities, reddening hygrophorus is found in coniferous and mixed forests, while most often it is adjacent to spruces and pines. Peak fruiting of this fungus occurs at the end of August – beginning of September.
Is it possible to eat reddening hygrophorus
This is an edible mushroom, although not very popular. The fact is that its taste is rather inexpressive, therefore, this type is used mainly as an additive to other mushrooms.
False doubles
Most often, the blushing hygrophore is confused with the russula hygrophore (lat. Hygrophorus russula) or russula, which is called cherry in the common people. They have an almost identical appearance, but the double is generally larger than its relative, which is especially noticeable in the leg – it is much thicker. Its flesh is white, at the place of the cut it becomes red.
This species grows in deciduous and mixed forests, primarily under oaks. It almost never occurs alone, it is usually found in small groups. Fruiting occurs in August and September.
Another false double is the poetic hygrophorus (lat. Hygrophorus poetarum), which is also classified as an edible species. It is distinguished from reddening hygrophore by its lighter color and pleasant jasmine aroma.
This species grows in deciduous forests, usually in groups. Large concentrations are also found in mountainous areas, most often the mushroom is found under beeches. It is harvested from July-August to September.
Girlish hygrophorus (lat. Hygrophorus virgineus) is a conditionally edible mushroom that can be eaten only after heat treatment. This species is distinguished from the blushing hygrophore by color – there are no pinkish stains on its fruiting body. In addition, it generally has a more elegant outline.
The hygrophorus maiden grows in the highlands, on the plains and in places of deforestation. Fruiting species from August to September.
Rules for collection and use
During harvesting, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:
- Abundant fruiting of this species is observed during periods of high humidity, so it is better to go to the forest 1-2 days after the rain.
- Harvested more often in the morning. At this time, the air is saturated with moisture after the night coolness, so that the collected fruiting bodies will remain fresh longer.
- Mushrooms are placed in a wicker basket with sufficiently large gaps that allow air to pass through well. So the resulting crop will not deteriorate during the harvest and the way back. Plastic bags cannot be used, in them the cut fruit bodies begin to quickly soften and deteriorate.
- They look for mushrooms mainly under trees and shrubs; in open areas, the blushing hygrophore is rarely found. Sometimes fruiting bodies are covered with leaves, so it is better to take a stick on a hike to make it easier to look for them.
- It is strictly forbidden to collect fruits near roads and industrial buildings – the pulp of mushroom bodies quickly accumulates lead contained in exhaust gases, as a result of which they become unsuitable for human consumption.
- It is also impossible to pick mushrooms in field-protective forest belts – the fields are treated with potent chemicals, which, through groundwater, can also negatively affect the mycelium.
- It is impossible to pull mushrooms out of the ground. It is recommended to carefully cut them with a knife or unscrew the leg from the mycelium.
To this day, there is no consensus on the last point. Some scientists are convinced that the fruiting body is the safest to cut, since twisting can still damage the mycelium. Opponents of this opinion argue that cutting, on the contrary, is more dangerous than twisting – a rotting process can begin at the cut site, which subsequently passes to the entire mycelium.
The taste qualities of the blushing hygrophore are average, the mushroom is not classified as valuable. The smell of fruiting bodies is also inexpressive and weak. In this regard, the variety is usually used as an additive to other mushrooms.
Despite the fact that the blushing hygrophore can be consumed raw, it is rarely done – without additional processing, its flesh can be bitter, especially if the fruiting body is old. On the other hand, it is great for pickling for the winter.
Conclusion
Reddening hygrophorus is an edible, but not particularly valuable mushroom. Its taste is rather mediocre, so most often this species is used in cooking in combination with other mushrooms. The blushing hygrophore does not have dangerous twins, but it is easy to confuse it with related varieties, some of which are conditionally edible – they cannot be eaten without pre-treatment.
For more information on how to pick mushrooms correctly, you can learn from the video below:
