The fruiting bodies appear in coniferous woodlands in autumn in northern Europe and North America.

[6] The cap is 5–20 cm (2–8 in) wide,[7][8] domed, flat, or with a slightly depressed centre, and sticky.

The colour is variable, most commonly purple to wine-red, or greenish, and darker towards the centre of the cap.

The gills have a mild to rather bitter taste, narrowly spaced, and turn creamy-yellow on aging specimens.

[9] More reddish-capped forms could be confused with the sickener (Russula emetica), although the latter always has a white stipe and gills; greener-capped species may resemble the also edible R.

[8] It grows solitary, or in groups with conifers,[1] and seems to have a preference for Douglas fir, or more rarely pine trees or larch.

[10] Variety tenuicarnosa has been found on sandy soils under pine in Slovakia and northern Italy in Trentino.

[13] This Russula is considered one of the best edible species of its genus, although the crab, or shrimp taste and smell will persist even when cooking.