Scarlet Elf Caps
Would you wear one or do you prefer to dress up in Fairy outfits?
Bright Scarlet is an understatement when describing the glowing color of these early spring mushrooms. Only the tiniest bit of color peeking out from under the forest leaf litter was enough to catch my attention. Brushing aside the leaves I discovered a group of Scarlet Elf Cap Mushrooms.
Sarcoscypha coccinea
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I made the discovery on April 13 in an old sugar maple bush. The Elf Caps were growing on a half buried rotting branch. The wet woods in this area suits them fine. Their range appears to go cross county but my field guides specifically mention the East, North West and California. I can only guess why. In warmer areas their season can begin as early as November and go to April. Here where winters are colder than my wife’s feet the season starts about now and may go to August.
The cup size varies from less than a half inch up to just over 2 inches. They have a somewhat flexible flesh that is odorless and tasteless. They are edible but what’s the point?
I was thrilled to find these. Not only was it the first mushroom of the season – I was actually able to identify it. For me it takes a really unique ‘something’ in order to get their name.
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April 18th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Very peculiar looking mushroom…. How are they connected to the soil?…. I cant see any form of stem or root….. cheers! …~ bangchik
April 18th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I wonder if anything would ever attempt to eat these things. That red color immediately makes me think of blood. I try to think of something else, but the blood always comes back. They give me thoughts of eggs of some kind of reptile. Even with all of those thoughts though, they still have a strange kind of beauty.
April 18th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Mushroom hunting is a famous springtime past time here in these parts of Idaho. Haven’t ever seen that type before. Morrels are more the order of the day here. Nice find!
April 19th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Oh! You beat me to the scarlet cups. I’m watching for them, but haven’t seen any yet this year. Very nice.
April 19th, 2009 at 1:34 am
They look like egg tarts filled with 100% egg yolk.
April 19th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Now those little gems are aptly named!
May 17th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Thanks for posting. I love your style of writing and hope for more good reading.
March 15th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
[...] fault. But if you want to rub my nose in it you’re welcome to go to last year’s Scarlet Elf Caps post and leave a [...]
March 31st, 2010 at 4:46 pm
I saw them in St-Jerome (near montreal) last week, at the sugar shack, spectacular !!! how can i post the pictures on here to share them with you?
April 6th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
[...] Scarlet Elf Whatchamacallit posts: Mar 15th, 2010 Apr 18th, 2009 [...]