This uncommon arboreal fungus stands out from other similar tree-dwelling species. Its bright red, vermilion color is visible from a distance, and the mushroom itself sometimes, especially after rain, looks like a piece of meat attached to a tree.

The fungus appears in the European climate in summer and grows until autumn, mainly on deciduous trees.

The most likely place is birch wood, but it also grows on beech, poplar. It is rarely found on coniferous trees, for example on fir. It does not grow on healthy trees.

Although it looks appetizing, it is inedible. It also has no medical uses. It owes its beautiful red color to a substance called cinnabarina.

The mushroom is a 1-2 year old species. It has a kidney shape, but sometimes it is quite irregular, semicircular. The upper side is fleshy, red in color, it is dull, while the underside is orange-cinnamon, bright.

The mushroom does not reach any impressive size. It can have a diameter of up to 15 cm and a thickness of about 5 cm. The long tubes and pores are cap-colored.

The flesh does not have a distinct taste or smell. When young it is soft, a little lighter than the cap, and in old age it becomes corky, hard.

Enjoy 😉