The Saffron Milk Cap is a popular mushroom in the USA! Is it edible? Where can you find it? And how to identify it?
Everything you need to know in this article!
Is The Saffron Milk Cap (Lactarius Deliciosus) Edible?
Yes, it is an excellent wild mushroom! It is very tasty and it has a mildly nutty flavor.
However, we do not recommend that you eat it raw.
Where Can You Find Saffron Milk Caps?
Soil
Milk caps grow in habitats with slightly acidic to neutral soil. They are obviously found on acid soil, but their optimum is at pH values closer to neutrality.
To respect this condition, you will therefore favor areas with a low to moderate presence of acidophilic plants such as ferns.
Good news! The Saffron Milk Cap is referenced on our Mushroom Maps here.
Climate
The most productive places, as a rule, are the rainy and warm places. The best areas are those with good exposure, but with a limited slope. (which allow water to penetrate the soil)
Trees
This mushroom grows exclusively under pines! It is therefore useless to imagine finding it in other habitats.
In addition, looking for it exclusively under pines will limit the risk of confusion with other milk caps.
Saffron Milk Cap Season
It grows particularly well between mid-September and mid-October.
Saffron Milk Cap Identification
The Saffron Milk Cap is an excellent edible mushroom, but you can easily confuse it with poisonous milk caps. Thus, it is important to learn to identify it before consuming it.
How Do You Identify The Lactarius Deliciosus?
- Its cap is orange to reddish brown in color and measures between 2 and 4 inch in diameter, sometimes more. It is fleshy and slightly rounded. Its margin is thin and pruinose on young subjects, slightly rolled up. Its skin is thin and elastic. Concentric patterns can be seen on the cap.
- Its gills are thick. They are adnate to decurrent. They are orange-yellow to orange in color and do not turn green.
- The stem is short and very cylindrical. It is of a beautiful orange color and is covered with small irregular darker dimples. In addition, it measures between 1 and 2 inch high for barely 1 inch thick.
- The flesh is firm and brittle. Of a beautiful orange color then reddish with age. its whole flesh exudes a bright orange latex with a sweet flavor.
Lactarius Deliciosus Look-alikes
You have to be careful, there are poisononous Milk Cap, like the Yellowdrop Milkcap (Lactarius chrysorrheus)
Find Mushrooms With Our Maps!
To find the most suitable areas for the main edible mushrooms, explore our Mushroom Maps here! Have fun!
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