Velvet Shank - Flammulina velutipes

Rain is usually a consciously-avoided element of mine; however after the dry spell we've been having, I welcomed it with open arms this week, hoping that it might encourage some fungi to emerge. I was not disappointed!

In an attempt to expand our mushroom-hunting horizons, Matt and I have been researching new areas to go. On Saturday, we drove to Cwm George and Casehill woods in Dinas Powys for an early March stroll. This wood is over 500 years old and it's beautiful. We had a great time walking around and found loads of different species of fungi. I've chosen today to focus on one in particular: the Velvet Shank, or Flammulina velutipes (the scientific name is fun to say out loud!)

These lovely fellas are out from autumn til spring, so I've seen them around quite a lot in the last few months. They like to grow in small groups on dead wood, and most of the ones I've found have been on stumps. They have an orange cap which is often sticky to touch, and their name refers to the colour and texture of their stems, which are brown and feel velvety. These mushrooms are extremely resilient and can survive being frozen solid, which I think is pretty remarkable!

Velvet Shanks tend to have a slimy cap

A cluster in Bute Park

Characteristics

Habitat: On dead wood
Cap: Flat, 2-7cm across, orange, darker towards the centre. Sticky to touch.
Stem: Cap-coloured at the top, turning dark brown at the base. Velvet texture.
Gills: Adnate, white at first, turning pale yellow.
Spore print: White
Season: Autumn to spring
Edibility: Edible, although you should remove the slimy layer and the stem before eating. Very popular in Japan!

Baby Velvet Shanks

Disclaimer: I am not an expert. Never eat a mushroom you've found without confirmation that it is edible by an expert.

Comments

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