Flammulina velutipes
Description
Flammulina velutipes, is a delightful fungus that thrives in the coldest seasons, bringing vibrant life to winter landscapes. 🍂🌨️ Here's why this mushroom stands out:
🪵 Habitat & Growth
This stump-rotting fungus loves dead trees and standing dead wood, often adorning them with clusters of orange-brown caps that sparkle even under a dusting of snow.
When growing on fallen timber, its caps may distort due to dense growth, adding a touch of wild artistry to the forest floor. 🌳🎨
Cultivated in dark, cold conditions, the mushrooms develop pale, elongated stems with tiny, tender caps, offering a distinct appearance compared to their wild relatives.
🔥 Fiery Name Origins: The genus name Flammulina reflects its flame-like caps, while velutipes means "velvet legs," nodding to the velvety stems of wild varieties.
🌟 Health Benefits: A nutritional powerhouse, Flammulina velutipes boasts anti-cancer properties, with studies suggesting lower cancer rates among mushroom farmers in Japan. However, this mushroom is purely culinary—no psychedelic effects here! 🌱💪
🎭 Wild vs. Cultivated
Wild: Velvety brown stems, large orange-brown caps, and a tough texture—perfect for hearty winter foraging. 🍁🍂
Cultivated (Flammulina filiformis): Slender, tender, and pale with delicate caps, this variety is cherished in East Asian cuisine as enoki mushrooms.
📜 Historical Notes: Originally named Agaricus velutipes by Moses Ashley Curtis, it was renamed in 1947 by Rolf Singer. Despite the differing names for wild and cultivated forms, both belong to the same biological species.
Common names: Velvet Shank, Enoki, Elvet Stem, Velvet Foot, Golden Needle, Winter Mushroom.
Identification
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Cap
0.39 to 2.76 inches (1 to 7 cm); convex, becoming broadly convex to flat; moist and sticky when fresh; bald; color fairly variable-dark orange-brown to yellowish-brown, often fading with maturity.
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Gills
Broadly or narrowly attached to the stem; whitish to pale yellow; crowded or close.
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Stem
0.79 to 4.33 inches (2 to 11 cm) long; 0.12 to 0.39 inches (3 to 10 mm) thick; equal or larger towards base; tough; pale to yellowish-brown or orange-brown when young; becoming covered with a dark, rusty brown to blackish velvety coating as it matures.
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Flesh
Whitish to yellowish; thin.
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Spore Print
White.
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Habitat
It grows in groups on tree trunks during autumn and winter, and can be both a saprophyte and a parasite on broad-leaved trees such as elm, willow, and plane trees. It can survive cold temperatures and is commonly found in flat areas, including gardens and city parks throughout Europe.
- Microscopic Features
Spores 6-9.5 (-11) x 3-5 µ; smooth; more or less elliptical; inamyloid. Pleurocystidia absent. Cheilocystidia scattered or abundant; subclavate to clavate, ventricose, widely fusoid-ventricose, or cylindric; thin-walled; 40-65 x 9-13 ľ. Pileipellis an ixolattice to ixotrichoderm above a cutis of branching, clamped, cylindric hyphae that are reddish brown in KOH; terminal elements cylindric; pileocystidia occasional or frequent, ventricose to fusoid-ventricose, brown in KOH, often collapsing.
Look-Alikes
Flammulina populicola
Grows on poplar trees in western North America.
Kuehneromyces mutablis
Has darker gills and brown spores, though the cap is similar to that of velvet shank.
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Can appear in mild winters and is poisonous. However, it has a ring on the stem which distinguishes it from velvet shank.
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Mushroom with a dark, fuzzy stipe that is thicker than Flammulina and grows on conifer wood.
Health Benefits
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Immune-Boosting Benefits
Enoki mushrooms provide a smorgasbord of nutrition as well as antioxidants. They are full of thiamin, niacin, potassium, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, and selenium, and low in dietary cholesterol and sodium. Amino acids valine, lysine, and ergothioneine fortify the immune-heightening properties of the enoki. Appreciated because of its health advantages, the enoki mushroom has been utilized in traditional Chinese and Japanese medication for hundreds of years like a tonic for liver disease, high cholesterol levels, stomach ailments, and high blood pressure level.
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Helps you lose body fat in your gut
Enokitake mushrooms functions as a non-meat source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that will assist to reduce body fat. Enokitake mushroom CLA has the same weight loss advantages as CLA from meat sources.
Enoki mushroom consists of linoleic acid which helps to decrease gut fat. It is stated to switch on enzymes liable for burning up visceral fat. Therefore, helping you drop gut fat. So, including enoki mushrooms in your diet will help you decrease body fat.
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Balance Sugar Level
There are many advantages to getting more fiber in your daily diet like lowering your levels of cholesterol as well as bringing down unwanted weight.
Apart from that, another benefit of dietary fiber is it improves blood sugar control. What better blood glucose control means in weight reduction is that it leads to less sugar being stored away as fat.
Enoki mushrooms are full of dietary fiber that will help you manage blood glucose levels. Spikes within blood sugar result in insulin levels to boost telling the body to store fat. However, fiber might help enhance blood glucose levels simply by reducing the effect of glucose levels on insulin. In other words, what it does is slows down the assimilation of sugar. By reduction of the influence glucose within your bloodstream has on insulin, in effect you keep the body from storing fat away. Additionally, it works as a precautionary measure towards type 2 diabetes.
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Prevent constipation and normalize bowel movements
Fiber in enoki mushrooms help to normalize bowel motions and prevents constipation. 12 grams of dietary fiber are found in 300 grams of enokitake mushrooms which is 30 to 50 % of the daily fiber suggested by the Institute of Medicine for males and females of 50 yrs old and younger. However people below 51 need more fiber.
Insufficient fiber in your daily diet may disturb normal bowel motions and may result in constipation. Enokitake mushrooms are one of the best low-calorie sources of dietary fiber to prevent constipation.
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Promote intellectual development
Enoki mushroom consists of a good amount of amino acid which could encourage and foster mental development as well as enhance memory. Enoki mushroom becomes essential for the maintenance of health and conditioning the intelligence of kids, for the life extension of the age, and also to enhance the memory of adults. It is honored as a “fungus which encourages intellectual development.”
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Prevent Allergy
Frequent use of enoki mushroom helps to prevent asthma, rhinitis, eczema as well as other allergic reactions. So include it in your regular diet to remain healthy and allergy-free.
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Lower blood lipids
Enoki mushroom consumption help to prevent the rise of blood lipids, decrease cholesterol to avoid hyperlipidemia, and lower the occurrence of coronary disease.
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Promote metabolism
Regular use of the Enoki mushroom encourages the biological activity of the body to improve the metabolic process that encourages the absorption of nutrition.
Recipes
Ingredients
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2 packs of enoki mushrooms, a total of 14 ounces
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2 tablespoons oil
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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3 tablespoons light soy sauce
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½ teaspoon sugar
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1 scallion, finely chopped
Instructions
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Be gentle when handling these enoki mushrooms. Trim away about 1-inch of the root section. Use your fingers to tear the enoki mushrooms into small bite-size bundles and line them up neatly. Rinse clean and drain.
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Prepare a wok with boiling water, and blanch the enoki mushrooms in two batches, cooking each batch for about 1 minute. Drain off the water and transfer the mushrooms to your serving plate.
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In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for about 10 seconds (no need to brown the garlic). Now add the light soy sauce, sugar, and scallions. Bring the sauce to a boil, and turn off the heat. Don’t overcook the garlic and scallions--we want that fresh and sweet taste! Slowly pour the sauce over the enoki mushrooms, and serve.
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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1 red chili pepper (long, seeded and finely chopped)
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1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
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4 ounces enoki mushrooms (coarsely chopped)
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1 tablespoon soy sauce (plus additional for dipping)
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1 tablespoon mirin
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20 wonton wrappers
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10 ounces firm tofu (cubed)
Instructions
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Heat oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Sauté chili pepper and garlic 1 min. Add mushrooms and cook 1 min. Stir in soy and mirin. Cook, stirring, 1 min. Cool slightly.
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Working in 4 batches, place 5 wonton wrappers on aboard. Top each with a cube of tofu and a teaspoon of the mushroom mixture. Brush edges with water. Gather edges together to a point, pressing to seal.
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Line a large steamer basket with parchment paper and pierce in a few places. Arrange dumplings in a single layer in the basket. Steam over a wok of simmering water 12-15 mins. Serve with additional soy sauce, for dipping.
For serving
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1 teaspoon olive oil
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1/4 cup brown rice
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1/2 cup water
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Salt
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1 teaspoon mirin
Stir-Fry
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2 teaspoons sesame oil or olive oil
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3 leaves of swiss chard, leaves removed from the stems and stems chopped
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3 green onions, trimmed and sliced
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2 cloves of garlic, minced
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1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
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1/2 fresno or jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
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1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
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1 tablespoon mirin
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1 bunch of enoki mushrooms, feel free to substitute
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2 teaspoons seasme seeds
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1/4 lime
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1 large egg
Instructions
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In a medium pot, set over medium heat, add a teaspoon of olive oil, swirling it around to coat the bottom. Pour in the rice, along with the water, salt and the mirin. Bring to a simmer and then immediately turn the heat to low and cover slightly. Cook the rice for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the water is completely evaporated.
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To a medium sauté pan, set over medium heat, heat the sesame oil. When hot, add the swiss chard stems and green onions; cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Mix in the minced garlic, grated ginger, red chile pepper and cook for an additional minute, until the garlic is fragrant—it should start to smell awesome. Pour in the soy sauce, mirin, swiss chard leaves, mushrooms and sesame seeds; give it a good mix and cook for an additional minute or two until the vegetables have softened. Squeeze in the lime juice, turn the heat down to low and cover.
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In a small saute pan, fry up an egg or two. Serve stir-fry on brown rice and top with the fried egg.
Ingredients
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¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
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1 garlic clove, grated
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2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
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1 tablespoon honey
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½ teaspoon chili paste, such as sambal
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7 ounces enoki mushrooms
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1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
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1 head baby bok choy, sliced
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½ cup shredded carrots
Pinch fine sea salt
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1 cup white rice, cooked according to package directions
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½ cup sliced red bell pepper
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½ cup chopped or spiralized cucumber
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2 large eggs, fried to your preferences
Instructions
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Whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, honey, and chili paste in a small dish.
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Remove any root ends from the mushrooms. Separate 1/3 of the mushrooms and set aside. Chop the remaining mushrooms into small pieces. Heat the olive oil over medium-high in a medium skillet. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. They will begin to soften. Pour in the soy sauce dressing and continue to cook and stir as the dressing thickens slightly. Turn the heat to low to keep the mushrooms warm while you prepare the other ingredients.
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Toss 2 teaspoons of the remaining sesame oil with the bok choy and carrots. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high and add the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes, just until the greens wilt. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl.
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Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to the skillet and add the reserved enoki mushrooms. Toss to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until softened.
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Assemble two servings by filling each bowl with half of the rice. Top with the enoki in the soy dressing and drizzle any sauce remaining in the skillet over the rice. Add the cooked bok choy and carrots. Next add the whole enoki, bell peppers, cucumber, and eggs, and serve.
Ingredients
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400 g Enoki Mushrooms
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150 g Tempura Flour
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200 ml Iced Water
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1/2 tsp Sweet Paprika Powder
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1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
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Vegetable Oil for frying
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3 tbsp Vegan Mayonnaise
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2-3 tsp Sriracha Sauce
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Green Onion finely chopped
Instructions
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together tempura flour, water, paprika powder, and garlic powder until smooth.
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Cut off the bottom part of the Enoki mushrooms and separate them into smaller bunches.
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Pick up the bunches on at a time with chopsticks and dip in the tempura mixture, let excess mixture drip off then fry in hot oil until golden. Fry in small batches so the Enoki mushrooms don’t stick together.
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When golden, place the mushrooms on paper towel to let excess oil drip off.
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Mix ingredients for the spicy mayo in a small bowl and serve the Enoki mushrooms with a sprinkle of green onions immediately while hot.
Ingredients
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1 pound thinly sliced beef (package Korean sliced beef, hot pot beef, etc.)
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2 packages of enoki mushrooms
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1/2 cup soy sauce
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1/2 cup sake or other rice cooking wine
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1/3 cup brown sugar
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2 tbsp minced ginger
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5 garlic cloves , crushed
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1 tbsp dried chilies
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Water
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Salt
Instructions
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In a large enough bowl, mix soy sauce, sake (cooking wine), brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and dried chilies until the sugar is dissolved. Place the beef in the marinade and gently move it around ensuring they are completely covered. Let the meat marinate for at least an hour.
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Remove the mushrooms from the packaging and cut and discard the base of the enoki. About 15 minutes prior to frying them, soak the mushroom in very hot but not boiling water with a pinch of salt. This will soften and loosen the mushrooms. After the enoki have soaked for 15 minutes, drain them well.
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To assemble the rolls lay one or two beef slices on a board. Place a cluster of the enoki at one end. Roll the beef around the mushrooms fairly tight.
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Place the rolls on a griddle and cook about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
Ingredients
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1 package enoki mushrooms, cut into segments
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1 green onion, chopped
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 tomato, peeled and cut into pieces
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1 teaspoon vegetable oil
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1 teaspoon chicken essence
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1 tablespoon parsley, minced
Instructions
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Cut enoki mushrooms into 2-inch length pieces and remove the bottom gritty portion of it.
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Heat a wok with oil, stir-fry green onion until fragrant. Add tomato and continue to stir-fry until it becomes soft.
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Add water and salt in the wok. And cook it until boiling.
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Add enoki mushrooms and chicken essence and cook for 5 minutes until the enoki mushrooms become soft.
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Turn off the fire. Transfer it on a bow. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Synonyms and Varieties
Flammulina filiformis
Agaricus velutipes Curtis (1782)
Agaricus sphinx Batsch (1786)
Agaricus nigripes Bulliard (1787)
Agaricus lividopurpureus Hoffmann (1789)
Agaricus sulcatus Withering (1792)
Agaricus fuscipes Vahl (1797)
Agaricus velutipes var. ß sphinx (Batsch) Persoon (1801)
Agaricus atropes Schumacher (1803)
Agaricus aesculi Schumacher (1803)
Agaricus austriacus Trattinnick (1805)
Agaricus velutipes var. d fuscipes Fries (1821)
Agaricus velutipes var. γ atropes (Schumacher) Fries (1821)
Gymnopus velutipes (Curtis) Gray (1821)
Agaricus texensis Berkeley & M.A. Curtis (1853)
Collybia velutipes (Curtis) P. Kummer (1871)
Pleurotus velutipes (Curtis) Quélet (1886)
Agaricus veluticeps Cooke & Massee (1887)
Collybia texensis (Berkeley & M.A. Curtis) Saccardo (1887)
Marasmius velutipes (Curtis) P. Karsten (1889)
Collybia veluticeps (Cooke & Massee) Saccardo (1891)
Agaricus trabeus Britzelmayr (1897)
Flammula nigripes (Bulliard) Cooke (1899)
Collybia trabea Saccardo & P. Sydow (1899)
Collybia veluticeps Rea (1901)
Collybia eriocephala Rea (1908)
Collybidium velutipes (Curtis) Earle (1909)
Gymnopus texensis (Berkeley & M.A. Curtis) Murrill (1916)
Myxocollybia velutipes (Curtis) Singer (1936)
Paxillus veluticeps (Cooke & Massee) Singer (1962)
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Michel Langeveld (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Stu's (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 3 - Author: Valentin Hamon (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo 4 - Author: Susan Marley (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo 5 - Author: Lukas (CC BY-SA 2.0)
