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    Nutty brittlegill

    Russula integra (L.) Fr. · Russulaceae

    ✓ EdibleRisk of confusion: low

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Nutty brittlegill
    Photo: Holger Krisp · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
    Nutty brittlegill
    Photo: Jerzy Opioła · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The nutty brittlegill is a good-tasting brittlegill with a brown to brown-red cap and gills that turn leather-coloured with age. It grows in montane coniferous woods on limestone.

    SeasonJuly to October
    Spore printochre yellow
    FamilyRussulaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 6 to 12 cm wide, chestnut to wine brown, smooth and shiny.
    2. Underside. The gills are cream when young and ochre to leather-coloured when mature.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is white and firm. There is no ring and no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. It tastes mild and almond-like. Taste it only after ruling out a deadly amanita: chew a small piece and spit it out. Chew for longer to rule out the burning brittlegill.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white.

    Lookalikes

    Watch out for the burning brittlegill, which tastes very hot only after you have chewed it for a while.

    Habitat & Season

    Lime-rich, fresh to moist soils. Mainly montane coniferous woods.

    Host trees

    Spruce, pine.

    Season

    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.

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    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.

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    Safety

    Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Only eat mushrooms you have identified with certainty, and always cook them thoroughly.

    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

    Fried, in mixed dishes. Cook thoroughly.

    Possible.

    Frequently asked questions

    Nutty brittlegill: is it edible?

    Yes, it is considered an edible mushroom. Cook thoroughly. Watch out for the burning brittlegill, which tastes very hot only after you have chewed it for a while.

    Nutty brittlegill: when and where does it grow?

    The season in central Europe runs from July to October. Tree partner and habitat: Spruce, pine. Soil: Lime-rich, fresh to moist soils. Altitude: Mainly montane coniferous woods.

    Nutty brittlegill: what are the lookalikes?

    The most important distinction is from Burning brittlegill (Russula badia, inedible): It has a dull cap, often a red stem, smells of cedarwood and becomes extremely hot after a while. Other lookalikes: russet brittlegill.

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    Sources

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

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