Velvet Shanks
Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes)
One of the few mushrooms to fruit in cold weather (late autumn to early spring). Found in tight clusters on dead hardwood. Look for its shiny orange cap and velvety stem base. Edible when cooked. Beware of lookalikes like Galerina — always confirm with spore print and cap texture.
🔍 Key Identification Features
| Feature | Observation |
|---|---|
| Cap | Bright orange-brown, shiny, often sticky when damp |
| Gills | Pale, not attached to the stem, crowded |
| Stem | Yellow to orange at top, dark brown to almost black and velvety at base |
| Habitat | Growing on dead hardwood (likely ash or elm) in clusters |
| Season | Late autumn through winter into early spring (one of few cold-season mushrooms) |
🍽️ Edibility:
Edible when cooked — popular in Asia (cultivated form known as Enoki)
Wild version is chewier and darker, but tasty sautéed or in soups
Always cook thoroughly — not to be eaten raw
⚠️ Avoid confusion with Galerina marginata (Deadly Galerina), which can look similar in colour and size. Key differences:
Galerina grows in looser groups, has rusty brown spore print, and no sticky/shiny cap.
Velvet Shank has white spore print and shiny, slimy caps when wet.
