✅ Edibility Note
CHOICE EDIBLE: Excellent flavor. The ORANGE LATEX and CEDAR ODOR combined with cedar/cypress host are diagnostic. May stain green - this is normal. Best young. Cook thoroughly.
Description
Aromatic Milk Cap has an orange cap (4-12 cm) with concentric zones, often with greenish stains. Gills are pale orange, crowded. Stem is orange with pits. KEY FEATURE: ORANGE LATEX (milk) and distinctive AROMATIC CEDAR or INCENSE-LIKE ODOR. Latex may stain green. Flesh is pale. Spore print is cream. The aromatic odor distinguishes it from similar species.
Habitat & Distribution
Habitat: Mycorrhizal with CEDAR and CYPRESS (Cupressaceae family) in western North America. Grows under incense cedar, western red cedar, and Port Orford cedar. Found in coniferous forests.
Region: Pacific Northwest, Northern California, Western Oregon, British Columbia
Seasonality
Fall (September-November), fruiting in coniferous forests.
Common Lookalikes
Always verify identification to avoid these similar species:
- Lactarius deliciosus - pine host, less aromatic
- Lactarius rubrilacteus - red latex
- Other orange Lactarius - check tree host and odor
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