Charcoal Burner

Russula

The Charcoal Burner is a special type of fungus that looks a bit like a mushroom! It grows in woodlands and can be found on the ground among leaves.

Habitat: Woodlands

Appearance

The Charcoal Burner has a cap that varies greatly in color, from purplish-gray to olive-green or even brown, often with wavy or splitting edges. Its gills are creamy white, flexible, and do not break easily, distinguishing it from many other brittle Russula mushrooms. The stalk is firm and white, sometimes with a grayish tint.

KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderRussulalesFamilyRussulaceaeGenusRussula

Charcoal Burner

Interesting facts

Despite its name, the Charcoal Burner has a very mild and pleasant taste, not smoky at all!

It often grows close to oak and beech trees, connected by a hidden underground network.

Its scientific name 'cyanoxantha' means blue and yellow, even though it's rarely those colors!

This mushroom's flesh doesn't change color when you cut it, a handy identification clue!

Special abilities

Charcoal Burner can display many cap colors, from purplish to greenish-grey, making it hard to spot!

Charcoal Burner has pliable gills that bend instead of breaking, unlike many of its brittle relatives.

Charcoal Burner can share vital nutrients with tree roots, helping both partners thrive in the forest.

Measurements & details

Height: 4-10 cm
Edibility: edible
Cap Diameter: 5-15 cm
Growth Substrate: soil
Season: Summer to fall
Spore Color: White

Ecological connections

symbiotic with

Pedunculate Oak

Quercus robur

forms a vital underground partnership with its roots

symbiotic with

European Beech

Fagus sylvatica

trades sugars for essential minerals and water

eats

Spanish Slug

Arion vulgaris

a common forest floor inhabitant that enjoys fungi

eats

Grey Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

forages for various fungi as part of its varied diet

Traits

Deciduous

Discover the magic of plants that shed all their leaves during a particular season, often putting on a spectacular show of fall colors first. They get ready for a fresh start!

Spore Producing

Discover how some plants and fungi create tiny little "seeds" called spores to help them grow new life! These tiny particles drift in the air, spreading new generations far and wide.