Mushrooms and mushrooms are delicious both boiled and fried. They are very often used for various pickles. Because of their taste, these gifts of the forest are very popular among mushroom pickers. However, it is important to know how to distinguish the flywheel from other mushrooms that may be inedible.
On this page you will find out what mushrooms look like and how the green flywheel differs from the cracked and red flywheel. You can also get acquainted with the photo and description of the flywheel mushroom and get information about its counterparts.
What a green flywheel mushroom looks like
Category: edible.
The name of the mushroom speaks for itself about what a green flywheel looks like. Hat (diameter 4-12 cm): usually greenish-gray or olive, maybe slightly brown. Slightly convex in shape, velvety to the touch.
Leg (height 3-11 cm): in the form of a cylinder, expands from bottom to top, can be with a brownish mesh.
Pay attention to the photo of the green flywheel pulp: it is white, and may turn slightly blue on the cut.
Despite its rather noble description, the flywheel mushroom is very often covered with mold, which can be dangerous for humans. Therefore, it is very important to pick mushrooms without mold.
When it grows: from mid-May to early October throughout Russia, as well as in European countries, North America and Australia.
Where to find it: in all types of forests.
Eating: a very tasty mushroom in boiled, fried and pickled form, however, it is not suitable for long-term storage (it turns black when dried). Best eaten immediately after preparation.
Application in traditional medicine: not applicable.
Mushroom red flywheel: photo and other names
Category: edible.
Xerocomus rubellus hat (diameter 3-9 cm): red, crimson or brown.
Look at the photo of what a red flywheel looks like at a young age: the cap of small mushrooms is convex, shiny. Over time, it almost straightens out. The peel is hardly separated from the pulp; after prolonged dry weather it can become covered with a network of small cracks.
Leg (height 4-12 cm): crimson, red or pinkish, slightly lighter than the cap, may be yellowish on top. Covered with small scales, expands from bottom to top, has the shape of a cylinder, solid.
Tubular layer: yellow or with a greenish or olive tint. Under strong pressure, it turns blue.
As you can see in the photo of the red flyworm, this mushroom has a very dense, yellow flesh, noticeably blue when cut and when interacting with air.
When it grows: from early August to late September on the Eurasian continent and in Asia. Found in North America, but very rare.
Where to find it: On deciduous forest soils among low grass or moss, usually near oak trees.
Eating: a very tasty mushroom, but it darkens noticeably when dried, therefore it is recommended to eat it pickled or fried.
Application in traditional medicine: not applicable.
Other names for red flywheel: red boletus, red boletus, red ache, reddish boletus, reddish boletus.
Fractured flywheel mushroom: photo and description
Category: edible.
Hat Xerocomus chrysenteron (diameter 3-11 cm): matte, olive, burgundy or brown.
If you look closely at the photo of a fissured flywheel, you will notice a barely noticeable mesh pattern and a network of wrinkles. Because of this, the mushroom got its name. In a mature mushroom, it has the shape of a swollen pillow, but it may also be slightly depressed in the center. Velvety to the touch.
Leg (height 5-12 cm): yellowish above, and red-claret below, covered with small scales, solid (in old mushrooms it can be hollow), has the shape of a club.
Tubular layer: cream, yellow or olive, turns blue at the point of pressure.
Flesh: white or yellowish, very blue when cut or broken. It does not have a pronounced smell and taste.
When it grows: from early July to mid-September in Europe and the Far East.
Where to find it: On acidic soils of all types of forests, especially around beeches and oaks.
Eating: salted and dried.
Application in traditional medicine: not applicable.
Other names: yellow flyworm, yellow-meat flyworm, perennial boletus.
How to distinguish a flywheel from twins
The twin of the green flywheel is the variegated flywheel (Xerocomus chrysenteron). This mushroom can be distinguished by a thin and reddish pigment layer under the skin.
The twins of the red flyworm are the Polish mushroom (Xerocomus badius) and the fissured flyworm (Xerocomus chrysenteron). But the Polish mushroom, which is most often found next to conifers – spruce or pine, has a darker cap color. And the leg of the fissured flyworm has an intense reddish tint and also mainly grows in coniferous forests.
Another twin of the fissured flyworm is the pink-footed flyworm (Xerocomus trancatus). This mushroom differs only in that it grows exclusively in deciduous forests.
