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    The sickener

    Russula emetica (Schaeff.) Pers. · Russulaceae

    Also: Emetic russula, Vomiting russula

    ☠ Poisonous

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    Identification in 5 steps

    The sickener
    Photo: Jason Hollinger · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The sickener has a shiny blood-red to cherry-red cap, pure white gills and soft, burning-hot flesh. It grows in bogs and damp coniferous woods.

    SeasonJuly to November
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyRussulaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 4 to 10 cm wide, cherry to scarlet red, shiny, with a cap skin that peels off easily.
    2. Underside. The gills are pure white and brittle.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is white and fragile. There is no ring or volva.
    4. Smell and taste. It smells fruity and tastes burning hot; spit it out immediately after tasting.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white, soft and brittle.

    Lookalikes

    Burning hot; causes violent vomiting and diarrhoea.

    Habitat & Season

    Bogs, sphagnum moss, damp coniferous woods. From the lowlands to the hills and mountains.

    Host trees

    Spruce and 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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    Safety

    Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Poisonous mushroom: do not eat it. If you suspect you ate it, call the poison emergency line immediately.

    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.

    Salzburg: collecting poisonous mushrooms is banned.

    Red List Germany: Least concern

    Poisoning

    ToxinResin-like acrid compounds.
    SyndromeGastrointestinal syndrome.
    SymptomsAbdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, in extreme cases circulatory problems.
    OnsetWithin about an hour.
    What to do now: Call the poison centre immediately (NHS 111, England) and, in case of severe symptoms, the emergency number 999 / 112. Do not induce vomiting and do not give milk or salt water. Keep mushroom remains, trimmings and vomit for identification, and tell everyone who ate with you, as they should also be examined.

    Frequently asked questions

    The sickener: Is it edible?

    No, it is poisonous. Burning hot; causes violent vomiting and diarrhoea. If you suspect poisoning, call the poison centre immediately (numbers for your country below).

    The sickener: When and where does it grow?

    In Central Europe the season runs from July to November. Partner and habitat: spruce and pine. Soil: bogs, sphagnum moss, damp coniferous woods. Altitude: from the lowlands to the hills and mountains.

    The sickener: What are its lookalikes?

    The most important one to rule out is the bare-toothed russula (Russula vesca, edible): it has a matt, flesh-pink cap and tastes mild. Other lookalikes: Russula paludosa.

    Related species

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    Sources

    Photo credits

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

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