Here in Vermont, it’s that time of year again where regular walks through the forest begin to show signs (of what I consider) to be one of the most classic looking mushrooms beginning to pop out everywhere. I am talking about the extremely large and prevalent genus known as Russula. These mushrooms, with their bright red caps, white stems, and brittle gills are, in my opinion, the quintessential toadstool.
Although some of these Russula are edible, most notably the Shrimp Russula in North America, it can be quite difficult to tell these apart from others in the same genus. And because throughout the world, this family is often referred to as “the sickener”, I find it best to sat away from Russula’s all together.
To learn more about the Russula family of mushrooms, and how to identify the edible shrimp Russula here in the Green Mountains of Vermont, check out the new page here.
