How To ID Me And What I’m Good For?

My ID Features:

Velvet Shanks

Latin Name - Flammulina velutipes

Common names - Velvet Shank, Enoki, Wild Enoki.

Family - Physalacriaceae.

Season - Winter.

Spore print - White.

Habitat - They are saprobic on stumps and trunks of dead hardwood trees. Their substrates consist mainly of elm, beech, oak, ash and willow. We tend to find them mostly on Beech, locally.

Possible Confusion - One should be most cautious of the Funeral Bell [Galerina marginata]. As suggested by its name, it’s really not one to mess with. It contains deadly toxins which are well documented. The Funeral Bell has clear evidence of a ring on the stem, though this sometimes disappears with age. The spore print will be a light yellowish to brown colour.

It could also be confused with the Sheathed Woodtuft [Kuehneromyces mutabilis]. Which is edible. But, its similarities to the Funeral Bell are similar to the untrained eye. This particular mushroom has red to dark brown spores.

One should take particular caution when picking brown mushrooms growing in groups from the forest floor.

Description - After what seems like a rather dire prologue. The Velvet shank is a great edible mushroom. Especially when not a lot else in the fungi kingdom is present. The stems of the mushroom are best discarded, leaving the caps to cook with. Personally, Nikki & I don’t think they’re a standalone mushroom. They're are much better added to things like stews and other slow cooking methods.

They are commonly said to be the same as enoki grown in dark conditions (pale and slender) that us chefs most commonly associate with Enoki [Flammulina filiformis]. DNA sequencing has shown them to be different to Velvet Shanks. We have both been guilty of using cultivated enoki in the past (they make great pickles!). Their flavour however, is nothing compared to their wild counterparts.

Physical Characteristics - As a wood rotting mushroom, you will only ever find Velvet's growing on trees or hidden stumps. The caps vary from orange to a beautiful golden colour and range from 2-10cm across. As their (ringless) stems mature they become more dark coloured, giving them their name Velvet Shanks. The stem really is the key to identification here and they’re absolutely beautiful. The gills are adnate and broad, firstly starting white and turning to a yellow/creamy colour.

Harvesting Sustainability - Make sure to cut these mushrooms at their base (ours were harvested in such a manner for safe ID), instead of pulling from the substrate. This will ensure further fruitings and no damage to the mycelium. As always, carry a basket which will ensure spore release along your walk.

Important note - Due to nature of these mushrooms growing close to the ground. Be sure to pick away from human and animal ‘interaction’.

Never munch on a hunch! Volf takes no responsibility for anything consumed.

Now For The Tasty Bit!

Here Are Our Delicious Recipes…