Ochre brittlegill: identification and lookalikes

Identification in 5 steps

The ochre brittlegill is a very common, medium-sized brittlegill with a pale to ochre-yellow cap and white gills. Its taste ranges from almost mild to hot, and it is considered conditionally edible.

SeasonJuly to November

Spore printwhite

FamilyRussulaceae

Cap. The cap is 4 to 10 cm wide, lemon yellow to ochre yellow, and evenly coloured.
Underside. The gills are white.
Stem, ring and volva. The stem is white, turning grey with age. There is no ring and no volva.
Smell and taste. The taste ranges from almost mild to hot.
Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white.

Lookalikes

Its taste ranges from almost mild to hot, and it is only conditionally edible.

Death cap Amanita phalloides

deadly poisonous

Yellowish forms have a ring and a sac-like volva.

View on the map

Geranium brittlegill Russula fellea

inedible

It is evenly ochre, including the gills and stem, smells of pelargoniums and tastes very hot.

View on the map

Habitat & Season

Acidic soils. From lowland to mountain regions.

Host trees

Conifers and broadleaved trees.

Season

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

possible good main season

Mushroom regions with a daily forecast

There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.

All mushroom regions →

Chance near you

How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.

View on the map

Safety

Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. For experienced foragers only: follow the restrictions, and if in doubt, do not eat it.

Advice for your country

United Kingdom

Poison centre:

NHS 111 (England)111

Emergency: 999 · 112

Ireland

Poison centre:

National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166

Emergency: 112 · 999

Germany

Poison centre:

Giftnotruf Berlin030 19240Giftinformationszentrum München089 19240GIZ-Nord Göttingen0551 19240

Emergency: 112

Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).

Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.

Austria

Poison centre:

Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43

Emergency: 112 · 144

Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.

Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.

Conservation and collecting rules

Not specially protected.

No species-specific rule known.

Red List Germany: Least concern

In the kitchen

Mild-tasting specimens in mixed dishes. Cook thoroughly.

Not recommended. Do not use hot-tasting specimens.

Never eat wild mushrooms raw, and always cook them for at least 15 minutes.
Use only young, fresh, maggot-free and reliably identified specimens.
Carry mushrooms in an airy basket, not in plastic bags, and prepare them the same day.

Frequently asked questions

Ochre brittlegill: is it edible?

Only with restrictions. Its taste ranges from almost mild to hot, and it is only conditionally edible. Cook thoroughly.

Ochre brittlegill: when and where does it grow?

The season in central Europe runs from July to November. Tree partner and habitat: Conifers and broadleaved trees. Soil: Acidic soils. Altitude: From lowland to mountain regions.

Ochre brittlegill: what are the lookalikes?

The most important distinction is from Death cap (Amanita phalloides, deadly poisonous): Yellowish forms have a ring and a sac-like volva. Other lookalikes: geranium brittlegill.

Related species

Rosy russula Russula rosea
Humpback brittlegill Russula caerulea
Blackening brittlegill Russula nigricans
Charcoal burner Russula cyanoxantha
Bare-toothed Russula Russula vesca
Green-cracking russula Russula virescens

Mushroom trainer: test yourself

Sources

Photo credits

Photo: Algirdas · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Death cap: Photo: Justin Pierce (Mushroom Observer) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Geranium brittlegill: Photo: James Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.