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Mild milkcap Lactarius subdulcis
inedible
It has a smooth cap and does not smell of Maggi seasoning.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
The rufous milkcap is a common, reddish-brown milk cap under conifers with acrid milk. It is inedible.
SeasonJune to October
Spore printcream white
FamilyRussulaceae
- Cap. The cap is 3 to 10 cm wide, reddish brown, dry and matt and often with darker zones.
- Underside. The gills are cream to rust-coloured and run down the stem.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is the same colour and hollow with age; there is no ring and no volva.
- Smell and taste. The milk is acrid; do not taste it.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is reddish brown, the milk white and acrid.
Lookalikes
It is very hot-tasting and inedible in Central Europe.
Curry milkcap Lactarius camphoratus
edible with restrictions
Fresh it smells of bugs, dried of Maggi seasoning or camphor, and its spore print is cream-coloured. The rufous milkcap, by contrast, is larger and tastes very hot.
View on the mapSide by side
| Rufous milkcap | Mild milkcap | Curry milkcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | 3 to 10 cm wide, reddish brown | 2 to 6 cm, reddish brown, smooth | 2 to 5 cm, reddish brown to dark chestnut brown |
| Underside | gills cream to rust-coloured, run down the stem | gills cream to pink, broad, decurrent | gills cinnamon brown |
| Stem | same colour, hollow with age | slender, cap-coloured | cap-coloured, thin |
| Flesh | reddish brown, milk white and acrid | pale, milk white | thin, brittle, milk watery white |
| Edibility | Inedible | inedible | edible with restrictions |
Habitat & Season
Acidic coniferous forest soils. From the lowlands to the hills and mountains.
Host trees
Spruce, pine, birch.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
Typical under conifers.
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.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Not an edible mushroom: do not collect it for the kitchen.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
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.
Why it is not edible
Acrid taste, no culinary value.
Not recommended for the kitchen. In Scandinavia it is eaten only after special treatment (souring), which we do not recommend following.
Frequently asked questions
Is the rufous milkcap edible?
No, the rufous milkcap is not edible. It is very hot-tasting, and it is not eaten in Central Europe.
When and where does the rufous milkcap grow?
The rufous milkcap grows from June to October, typically under conifers on acidic coniferous forest soils, near spruce, pine and birch.
Which look-alikes can the rufous milkcap be mistaken for?
It can be mistaken for the curry milkcap and the mild milkcap. The curry milkcap smells of bugs when fresh and of Maggi seasoning or camphor when dried, and its spore print is cream-coloured, whereas the rufous milkcap is larger and tastes very hot. The mild milkcap has a smooth cap and does not smell of Maggi seasoning.
How do you recognise the rufous milkcap?
The spore print is cream white. The cap is 3 to 10 cm wide, reddish brown, dry and matt and often with darker zones.
Related species
- Fleecy milk-cap Lactarius vellereus
- Delicious milk cap Lactarius deliciosus
- False saffron milkcap Lactarius deterrimus
- Salmon milkcap Lactarius salmonicolor
- Curry milkcap Lactarius camphoratus
- Woolly milkcap Lactarius torminosus
Sources
Photo credits
- Photo: (Photo by E. Barge) Barge EG, Cripps CL (2016) New reports, … · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Mild milkcap: Photo: User:Strobilomyces · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Curry milkcap: Photo: Irene Andersson (Mushroom Observer) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.