Porcini mushroom: photo and description of how to cook. Porcini mushroom: description, types, photos How many types of porcini mushrooms exist

A special delicacy on any table is the porcini mushroom - not only tasty, but also healthy. It can be used not only for food, but also as a medicinal product. For a mushroom picker, it is important not to make a mistake in choosing - to look at the handsome one among the forest grass and be able to distinguish it from its skillfully camouflaged poisonous and inedible counterparts.

The white mushroom or boletus (Boletus edulis) belongs to the class Agaricomycetes, genus Boletus, family Boletaceae. It has many names: cow, bear, wood grouse, belevik and others. Classified as edible.

The cap is convex in shape, gradually becoming flatter, with a span of up to 30 cm. The outer part is usually smooth, but may have wrinkles and cracks in hot weather. During periods of high humidity with a small mucous layer, in dry times it is shiny.

The color of the porcini mushroom cap varies depending on where it grows:

• among pine trees - closer to chocolate, perhaps pink edging;
• in a spruce forest - brown with a coffee, sometimes green tint;
• next to deciduous trees - light, light walnut, yellow ocher.

The pulp is dense, in newly emerging specimens it is light, turning yellow with age. When cut, the color does not change. It has a weak taste and smell when raw. A special pleasant aroma spreads during cooking or drying.

The stem of the mushroom is 8-12 cm high, up to 7 cm thick. The shape is “barrel” or “club”, elongated in aging specimens, thickened at the base. The surface shades are brown with whitish or reddish tints. The reticular layer is light, most often located closer to the cap. Rarely is it mild or absent altogether.

The tubular layer is from light in young to yellowish and greenish in older individuals; it comes off easily from the flesh of the cap.

Distribution and collection season

They grow next to many trees, but most of all they love the “community” of pine forests, birch or oak groves, and spruce forests.

In the fall, the boron form friendly shares space with the green russula in the oak forest and with the chanterelle next to the birches, appearing at the same time as the greenfinch.

There is a high probability of finding such whites in pine trees that are 20-25 years old, or pine forests that are at least 50 years old and covered with moss and lichen.

The best temperature for mushroom growth is 15-18 degrees Celsius in the summer months, and 8-10 in September. Serious temperature changes and rain inhibit the development of mycelium. White hare grows best after minor thunderstorms and foggy, warm nights.

They like soils with the presence of sand and loam, without excess water. Peat bogs and swampy areas are excluded. They also do not like hot places, although they prefer good lighting.

You can meet the hare on all continents except Australia. It grows especially actively in Europe, northern America and even Africa. In Asia it reaches Japan and China. In Russian forests - almost everywhere, reaching the tundra and Chukotka, but is not found in the steppes. Doesn’t like to “climb mountains” too much.

Fruiting occurs solitary, closer to autumn days - in clusters.

Porcini mushrooms grow in seasons: in more temperate climatic latitudes - from mid-June to the end of September, the most mushroom time is from the fifteenth of August. Where it is warmer, it may appear by the end of May and not disappear until October.

Species diversity and description

Scientists have counted 18 forms among white hare, but the average amateur will not want to climb into such jungle. And it’s possible to meet some only on other hemispheres of the planet. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at what grows in the forests of Russia.

Spruce

The white spruce mushroom (Boletus edulis f. edulis) is large in size, up to 2 kg per specimen. The hat is chestnut-brown or “brick with a red tint”, in the form of a hemisphere, turning into a plane over time. The top is wrinkled and velvety to the touch. In young mushrooms, the edges are slightly turned inward.

The tubes are white, gradually appearing yellow-green. Leg height 6-20 cm, thickness 2-5. The mesh layer is located closer to the cap.

Distribution and collection time

Collection is possible from early June to early October in spruce-pine and mixed forests - wild and park. They love the proximity to spruce.

Oak

The porcini oak mushroom (Boletus quercicola) has a cap most often of a coffee-gray color, with possible light inclusions, with a diameter of 5-20 cm, fleshy and dense. With age, it gradually begins to wrinkle. As humidity increases, the surface becomes shiny and slightly slimy.

The leg is widened or club-shaped, 6-20 cm high and 2-6 cm in diameter. The inner part is more fragile than that of other species.

Where and in what season is it collected?

Oak porcini mushrooms grow from May to October next to oak trees and mixed vegetation in the middle and southern zone of the center of the country, the forests of the Caucasus, and Primorye. They spread widely, sometimes in clusters.

Birch

Birch porcini mushroom (Boletus betulicola) – the fruiting body is much larger than that of its other counterparts. The cap reaches 5-15 cm in diameter, but at times grows to 25-27 cm. The color is light - from white to light coffee, it can wrinkle slightly and crack in the heat.

The tubes are white, with the decay of the mushroom comes a creamy tint. The interior is dense and remains white when dried. The leg is barrel-shaped, white-brown, the mesh is closer to the cap, 5-13 cm high, 1.5-4 cm wide.

Distribution and collection time

The white birch mushroom is present throughout the forests of the European part of Russia, the middle latitudes of Northern and North-East Asia, the Caucasus, and the tundra zone - among the northern birch forests. Any soil (but does not take root on peat bogs), the main thing is that birches or at least aspens grow nearby.

You can find it from early summer until October. Some beauties can survive until the first cold weather. Trim carefully 1.5-2 cm from the ground. You need to look for birch porcini mushrooms on the outskirts of the forest and along nearby roads.

Pine

The white pine mushroom (Boletus pinophilus), also called boletus, looks like a “fat mushroom.” The height of the leg is from 5 to 16 cm, with a diameter of 4-10 cm, thicker at the base. The surface is completely “enveloped” in a reddish or light brownish mesh.

The diameter of the cap is 5-25 cm. The general color is dark brown, there may be variability in reddish shades, the outline is slightly pink, in newly grown ones it is closer to light. The lower part is white-yellow, darkening with increasing age. The flesh at the break is white, under the skin it is brown with a red tint, with a weaker structure than that of the white birch mushroom.

Where and in what season is it collected?

Borovaya porcini mushroom is collected in the Siberian taiga, coniferous forests of the western half of the European part of the country and in the northeast from July to the 15th of October. Prefers sandy pine forest soils, old forests with mosses and lichens. Can be found in forests mixed with pine.

It is important to collect before the tubular layer acquires a greenish tint - old specimens can lead to poisoning!

Picking mushrooms - how to do it right?

When going to the forest, you need to understand where, when and how to collect porcini mushrooms. It is preferable to start “hunting” for them in July and August. They especially scatter across the soil after brief thunderstorms and warm fogs at night. In summer, the boletus mushroom grows for 6-9 days, in autumn – 9-15.

It is advisable to come to the forest before the sun has risen, when the white mushroom is clearly visible. Move slowly, carefully examining the ground. Especially places with sand and loam, where the soil does not flood. When the summer is damp, it is worth looking at a distance from trees, on hills and in places well lit by the sun. If the season is dry, whites hide near the trees, where the grass is thicker. They love to live next to morels.

The best specimens for collecting are those with a cap diameter of approximately 4 cm. Boletus is loved by various kinds of pests, so you need to look out for them carefully, especially in the cap. Be sure to cut it into pieces and remove the wormholes. Within 10 hours, the porcini mushroom must be processed (placed for drying, salting, fried, etc.), otherwise most of the beneficial properties will be lost.

Collection rules

• cut off the porcini mushroom carefully, without damaging the mycelium;
• can be unscrewed;
• clean from possible pests (although it is better to take whole ones);
• place in a collection container with the cap down;
• if the legs are high, lay them sideways;
• leave overripe and questionable specimens on the ground;
• do not trample.

Healthy porcini mushrooms are not afraid of frost, so they can be harvested even after frost. After thawing, they do not lose their taste.

Nutritional quality

Freshly picked porcini mushroom has a calorie content of 34 kcal per 100 g of mass, dried - 286 kcal. Nutritional value – 1.7 g fat, 1 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g protein per 100 g weight. Also disaccharides and saturated fatty acids.
Praised for excellent taste in any form. The special nutritional value is that it makes the stomach work actively.

90% of the weight is water, the remaining 10 is divided into proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, minerals and fats.

It contains the most important microelements - iodine, copper, manganese and zinc. Vitamins – PP, C, B1, A. 22 amino acids. The amount of protein depends on the type, age of the mushroom (the younger the better), place of growth and method of preservation. Dried porcini mushrooms are especially good at preserving proteins.

Digestibility of mushroom proteins

It happens more slowly than in animals, since the proteins of the fungus are enclosed in special walls that “do not penetrate” the enzymes of the digestive tract. To improve absorption by the body, mushrooms need to be well chopped, boiled or fried.

Usage

White mushrooms without wormholes are allowed to be eaten in any form - dried, boiled, fried, salted, pickled and fresh. When dried, they do not become dark, leaving a pleasant forest aroma. The sauce goes great with meat and rice. Powder from such mushrooms can be used to season various dishes. Italians love them very much, adding them raw to the ingredients of a salad with Parmesan cheese, seasoning with oil, spices and lemon juice.

Dried mushrooms can be stored for 1 year by placing them in paper bags. The air temperature should be fixed and moderate, and regular ventilation is required.

The benefits and harms of porcini mushroom

Porcini mushrooms are both beneficial and harmful depending on their human use.

Beneficial features

• in pharmaceuticals – treatment of mastopathy, oncology, angina pectoris, tuberculosis;
• strengthen the immune system;
• improve the condition of eyes, hair and nails;
• are a preventative against anemia and atherosclerosis;
• when used externally – promotes rapid healing of wounds.

Harm

• collected near roads and industrial enterprises - absorb heavy metals and toxic substances;
• if stored improperly, porcini mushrooms can cause serious stomach upset, especially in children;
• Excessive consumption of dried mushrooms can cause obesity;
• use porcini mushroom with caution in patients with liver and kidney problems.

Mushroom look-alikes

A serious problem is created by dangerous doubles of the porcini mushroom. To distinguish the porcini mushroom from false poisonous and inedible mushrooms, use the table below.

	Porcini	Satanic (false white mushroom)	Gall (bitter)
hat	from red-brown to almost white	grayish-white, coffee shades or olive	light brown shade
Leg	light mesh layer	yellowish-red with mesh pattern	dark mesh layer
Tubular layer	white or cream in young and greenish in old	reddish-orange, turns blue when pressed	white, later pink
Pulp	dense, odorless	dense with an unpleasant odor	soft with a pleasant mushroom smell
Behavior at fracture and shear	color does not change	slowly turns red, then turns blue	turns pink
Edibility	edible	poisonous	inedible

It is clear that poisonous and inedible mushrooms are in many ways similar to porcini mushrooms, but upon closer inspection they can still be distinguished. An additional look at the external condition will help - false ones have an impeccable appearance.

Symptoms of doppelgangers poisoning, first aid

In case of poisoning in an adult, serious symptoms last up to 3 days. These are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and headache. But due to the unknown impact of poisons, psychogenic reactions are real, including hallucinations, absolute loss of self-control and memory, and even lethargic sleep or death.

As soon as symptoms arise, immediately rinse the stomach and take the poisoned person to the hospital or call an ambulance. The effects of doppelgangers mushrooms, especially Satanic mushrooms, have been little studied and delaying first aid can be fatal.

Carefully compare the appearance of the specimen you come across on a “quiet hunt” with the description of the porcini mushroom, as you remember it and using the photos given in the article. Place only those in your cart that you are completely sure of. And then the beauties brought home will delight all gourmets with the amazing aroma and taste of forest gifts.

Name White mushroom received since ancient times. Back then people mostly dried mushrooms. The porcini mushroom pulp always remained perfectly white after drying or heat treatment. This was the reason for this name. The porcini mushroom belongs to the boletus genus, so the second name for the porcini mushroom is boletus.

Important! After collecting mushrooms, you must immediately begin processing them, since porcini mushrooms lose their beneficial properties very quickly. For example, after 10 hours the mushroom already contains half of the minerals and trace elements.

Let's consider the varieties of porcini mushroom and their description. All of them belong to the first category of edible mushrooms and have the same shape.

White mushroom (spruce) (Boletus edulis)

It is the most common type and has a typical form. The cap is brown or chestnut in color, 7-30 cm in diameter. It has a mainly convex shape, sometimes cushion-shaped. Its surface is smooth and velvety and does not separate from the pulp.

The shape of the boletus leg has a thickening at the bottom, reaches an average height of 12 cm and is considered high in this type of porcini mushroom. The surface of the leg is covered with a mesh and has a whitish-brownish tint. The taste is mild, the smell is delicate and individual, usually enhanced by cooking or drying. Under the cap there is a tubular layer 1-4 cm wide, which is easily separated from the pulp and has a yellowish tint.

The flesh of the mushroom is fleshy white and does not change color when broken. This species is found in spruce and fir forests in large areas of Eurasia, except Iceland, on all continents except Australia. Fruits singly or in rings. Forms mycorrhiza with deciduous and coniferous trees.

Often appears together with green russula and chanterelle. Prefers old forests with moss and lichen. Positive weather conditions for the mass appearance of porcini mushrooms are short thunderstorms with warm nights and fog. Prefers sandy, sandy loam and loamy soils and open heated areas. Harvesting takes place in June - October.

The nutritional quality of porcini mushroom is the highest. Used raw, boiled, dried. In terms of the content of nutrients and microelements, the porcini mushroom is not superior to other types of mushrooms, but is a powerful digestive stimulant.

Scientists have proven that porcini mushroom protein is difficult to digest by the body due to the presence of chitin, but after drying it becomes more digestible (80%). For medicinal purposes, folk medicine uses the antitumor and immunostimulating properties of porcini mushrooms.

White pine mushroom (Boletus pinophilus)

This species is similar to the general description of the porcini mushroom, but differs in some features. The cap, 8-25 cm in diameter, is red-brown with a purple tint, but is slightly lighter at the edge. Under the skin of the cap the flesh is pink. The leg is short and thick, 7-16 cm in height. Its color is slightly lighter than the caps, but it is covered with a light brown thin mesh. The tubular layer is up to 2 cm wide and has a yellowish tint. There is an early form of pine porcini mushroom. It is distinguished by a lighter color of the cap and the flesh under it. Appears at the end of spring.

This species forms mycorrhiza most often with pine. Prefers sandy soils and grows singly or in small groups. Pine porcini mushroom is common in Europe, Central America, and the European part of Russia. Harvesting takes place from June to October.

White birch mushroom (Boletus betulicola)

Sometimes in regions of Russia it is called spikelet because of the appearance of rye during heading. This species has a light yellow cap, the size of which is 5-15 cm in diameter. The pulp does not change color when broken, but has no taste. The leg is barrel-shaped, whitish-brown in color with a white mesh. A tubular layer of a yellowish tint, up to 2.5 cm wide. Birch boletus forms mycorrhiza with birch. Fruits singly or in groups. Likes to grow on the edges or along roads. It is found in Western Europe, and in Russia - in the Murmansk region, Siberia, and the Far East. Harvesting takes place from June to October.

Did you know? The growth of the porcini mushroom takes nine days, but there are some varieties that grow for 15 days.

Dark bronze porcini mushroom (Boletus aereus)

Sometimes this species is also called copper or hornbeam porcini mushroom. The cap is fleshy, convex in shape, reaches a diameter of 7-17 cm. The skin can be smooth or with small cracks, dark brown, almost black. The pulp is white, has a pleasant taste and smell, and turns slightly darker when broken. The leg is cylindrical, massive, pink-brown in color with a nut-colored mesh. The tubular layer has a yellowish tint and is up to 2 cm wide, but when pressed it becomes olive in color. This species is common in deciduous forests with warm climates. Most often found in Western and Southern Europe, Sweden, and North America. The fruiting season is from July to October, but in Austria it appears in May and June. Included in the Red Books of Ukraine, Montenegro, Norway, Denmark, Moldova.

In terms of taste, it is valued by gourmets more than the white spruce mushroom. It has similar external characteristics to the edible Polish mushroom (Xerocomus badius), in which the flesh turns blue and there is no mesh on the stem. The semi-bronze porcini mushroom (Boletus subaereus), which has a lighter color, is also found in deciduous and mixed forests.

White mushroom (Boletus reticulatus, Boletus aestivalis)

The white reticulated mushroom differs from the spruce mushroom in that the cap is lighter colored and the mesh on the stem is more pronounced. It is considered the earliest of all types of porcini mushrooms. The cap reaches a diameter of 6-30 cm and has a light brown color. The pulp is fleshy white, with a yellow tint under the tubes. The leg is short, thick, club-shaped, brown in color and differs from other species by the presence of a large mesh pattern. The reticulated porcini mushroom has a pleasant smell and a sweetish, nutty taste.

The thickness of the tubular layer is up to 3.5 cm. Its color varies from white to greenish-yellow. A peculiarity of this species is the presence of cracks in the skin of old mushrooms. This species forms mycorrhiza with beech, oak, chestnut, hornbeam and grows on the edges of dry alkaline soils.

It is rarely damaged by insects. Grows in Europe, North Africa, North America. Harvesting takes place from May to October. The reticulated porcini mushroom is more similar to the birch mushroom, which has a lighter cap and a shorter net.

White oak mushroom (Boletus quercicola)

A distinctive feature of the white oak mushroom is its brown cap with a grayish tint. It is much darker in color than the birch species. The pulp is less dense than other types. Grows in the Caucasus, in the Primorsky Territory. Harvesting takes place in June-October. It germinates abundantly, which is not typical for porcini mushrooms.

Important! Very similar to a porcini mushroom - gall mushroom. It is classified as inedible due to its bitterness. Its main differences from the porcini mushroom are the pinkish tubular layer and the darker color of the mesh on the stem.

Semi-white mushroom (Boletus impolius)

The semi-white mushroom belongs to the genus Boletus and can be called yellow boletus. The cap reaches a diameter of 5-15 cm with smooth skin of a matte light brown color. The pulp of the mushroom is dense, light yellow in color. The taste is slightly sweet and the smell is reminiscent of carbolic acid.

The leg is thick, cylindrical, up to 15 cm high, straw color. There is no mesh pattern on the stem, but the surface is rough. The tubular layer is up to 3 cm thick and yellow. It grows in oak, beech, and hornbeam forests and prefers moist clay soils. Yellow boletus is a heat-loving mushroom and is common in Polesie, Carpathian region, and the central and southern European part of Russia. Harvesting takes place from May to autumn.

In some sources, due to its specific smell, it is described as a conditionally edible mushroom. The taste is not inferior to the classic porcini mushroom. After drying and scalding, the smell almost disappears completely. In appearance, it is similar to the maiden boletus, but differs from it in its specific smell and does not change the color of the flesh when broken.

The porcini mushroom is a tubular mushroom and belongs to the Boletaceae family, the genus Boletaceae. Other names for the porcini mushroom are known: ladybird, boletus, capercaillie, babushka, zheltyak, bear's mushroom, pan, etc. Distributed throughout the European forest zone. It is found in the taiga, the Arctic, and the Caucasus. Growth occurs on many tree species, but mainly on birch, pine, oak and spruce forests. Well adapted to any type of soil, excluding peaty ones, growing in groups. Porcini mushrooms found in spruce and birch forests are considered the most delicious. Those collected in pine forests do not have a strong aroma and are distinguished by looser pulp. It is important to remember that this species has a dangerous counterpart, the porcini mushroom. Having a bitter taste, it is strikingly similar to its brother. The gall mushroom, which is the name given to the false porcini mushroom (gorchak), belongs to the same family. During the cooking process, the bitterness of the mushroom will only intensify, which will radically spoil the taste of the remaining mushrooms. According to many mushroom pickers, it is extremely difficult to get poisoned by a false porcini mushroom. But in pharmacology it has gained good fame due to the content of specific bitterness, which is why it is an excellent choleretic agent.

White mushroom (description). A tubular mushroom, the stem of which can reach 25 cm in height (on average 12 cm), about 10 cm thick. It has a shape reminiscent of a barrel. During the process of growth, it can acquire a cylindrical (widened or narrowed) shape, always remaining slightly thickened at the base. The surface on the stem is white, sometimes having a brownish or reddish tint. The leg is covered with a network of white veins, localized more in the upper part.

Photos of a mushroom.

Below are photographs of a porcini mushroom. Porcini mushroom (photo) is collected from summer to autumn in deciduous coniferous and mixed forests, often among moss. The cap is leathery, acute-angled. The leg is dense, with a mesh pattern. The base is blunt-ended.

The cap of a mature porcini mushroom reaches a diameter of up to 30 cm (in some cases there are specimens with a cap of 50 cm). The shape is convex, flat-convex, prostrate, depending on the age of the mushroom. The surface of the cap is slightly wrinkled, smooth, thin-tomentose, and in some representatives it is fibrous-scaly. Mushrooms growing in dry conditions have a matte (shiny) cap that is slightly cracked. In humid forests, the cap of the porcini mushroom is slightly slimy. The color of the cap can vary from white to brown. There were porcini mushrooms with orange, yellow, and purple caps. However, in all cases the cap tends to darken with age. The skin is difficult to separate and adheres to.

The pulp of the porcini mushroom is fleshy, becoming fibrous with age. The color is white, dense, in a mature mushroom it is yellowish, and does not change color after cutting. A brown (red-brown) layer is visible under the cap in section. The porcini mushroom has a mild, slightly pronounced taste. The smell is faint, reminiscent of raw mushroom pulp, which manifests itself during cooking (especially when drying). You can buy porcini mushroom at markets or order delivery through an online service.



We have been collecting mushrooms for a long time. Even in the times of Ancient Rus', during the summer-autumn season, entire families went into the forest to prepare these gifts for the whole winter. Milk mushrooms, saffron milk caps, chanterelles and, of course, porcini mushrooms, which are very often mentioned in Russian proverbs, sayings, and fairy tales.

White, which depends on where it grows, is eaten in any form: fried, stewed, boiled. It can be dried, pickled, preserved. At the same time, most of the beneficial properties are retained. For example, mushroom broth is much healthier than meat broth, and dried porcini mushrooms are twice as caloric as chicken eggs. The substances found in porcini mushrooms have tonic and antitumor properties. Its extract was once used to treat frostbite.

Porcini mushrooms grow on almost every continent, with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. They grow throughout the summer until late autumn, but not constantly, but in waves that depend on local and weather conditions. The first wave usually occurs at the end of June and beginning of July. The most productive period falls in the second half of August and the beginning of September. The third wave depends on unpredictable autumn weather and may not even occur. the varieties of which are diverse, does not grow very quickly. The time that passes from the development of the embryo to the mature mushroom is on average about a week. Moreover, they usually grow up in families. Therefore, having found this handsome man in the forest, you should carefully look around: you will probably find more than one somewhere nearby.

They prefer to settle in birch or white mushrooms. The color of the cap of the porcini mushroom can be very different: brownish, light brown, sand. If there is too much moisture, it may be a little slimy. The leg is thick, ovoid, and somewhat elongates with age, remaining thick at the bottom. The flesh may turn slightly blue when cut. After drying, the bluish tint disappears and the mushroom becomes white again.

The famous Soviet scientist B.P. Vasilkov, who studied mushrooms and is the author of many scientific works, described 18 species of white mushrooms depending on the season, climate and other external conditions. It is generally accepted that the white mushroom, varieties of which can have different forms, belongs to one species - Boletus edulis. However, some scientists who have conducted similar studies believe that 4 of them are independent species.

Varieties of porcini mushrooms

The following subspecies can most often be found in our forests:

Carefully! I!

The porcini mushroom, the varieties of which are well known to experienced mushroom pickers, still has a dangerous double. This is a gall mushroom (bitter or bitter).

In appearance, these are ordinary porcini mushrooms. Photos of poisonous gall and edible white are practically the same. But there is still a difference:

• the tubular layer has a slightly pinkish tint;
• gall fungus usually grows at the base of trees or on stumps;
• the bitterling leg is covered with a darker reticulate pattern;
• it has pores;
• it has a sharp, bitter taste that can be easily felt by lightly touching it with your tongue.

Despite the fact that this mushroom is poisonous, it contains medicinal substances. In folk medicine, bittersweet has been used since ancient times as a choleretic agent, which is why it got its name.

The porcini mushroom is perhaps the most famous representative of the mushroom kingdom, which could easily be called, without exaggeration, “the king among mushrooms.” Such fame came to him thanks to his extraordinary taste properties and appearance. The white mushroom itself (its Latin name Boletus edulis) belongs to the Boletaceae family, a species of boletus, due to which it is often also called boletus.

Why is the porcini mushroom called white?

The name “ceps” has a deep history that dates back to ancient times. The fact is that our distant ancestors, who lived centuries ago, often dried mushrooms rather than fried or stewed them. They noticed that when dried, this mushroom continues to remain white, hence its name. There is another version, according to which the white mushroom received its name due to its contrast with the less tasty “black” mushrooms, whose flesh tends to darken when cut.

White mushroom - description and photo, characteristics and properties

White mushroom cap

The porcini mushroom, as well as other mushrooms of the boletus genus, are famous for their aroma and piquant taste. The cap of the porcini mushroom is brownish-brown in color; it usually grows to 7-30 centimeters in diameter. Although in some especially favorable places you can find a porcini mushroom with a cap 50 cm in diameter.

Good to know: you can determine the age of a porcini mushroom by looking at its cap. So the cap of a young mushroom has an almost artistic convex shape. But older mushrooms have a flatter cap. Also, the older the mushroom, the darker the color of the cap, and its surface itself becomes more rough.

Also, the cap of the porcini mushroom is pleasant to the touch; its upper skin is tightly bound to the pulp of the mushroom and for this reason it is difficult for it to separate from it. In dry or windy weather, the mushroom cap may become covered with deep wrinkles and cracks, causing damage to the internal pores of the mushroom. A thin film of mucus forms on the cap of the porcini mushroom.

White mushroom pulp

In a ripe porcini mushroom, it is usually juicy, dense, fleshy and, of course, white. But in old mushrooms it may turn a little yellow.

White mushroom leg

Typically, the height of the stem of an average porcini mushroom is 12 cm, but sometimes in the forest you can find real “giant porcini mushrooms” with a stem height of 25 cm. The shape of the stem of a porcini mushroom is barrel-shaped or club-shaped, but in old mushrooms it can be cylindrical, the diameter of the stem usually about 7 cm. The color of the leg can be from white to brown

Where do porcini mushrooms grow?

Almost everywhere, with the exception of, of course, cold Antarctica and Australia, which is also too dry for them. They are often found in European forests, including our native Ukrainian Carpathians. You can also find them in Mexico, the Far East and even northern Africa; their habitat is very wide.

When do porcini mushrooms grow?

The growth cycle of porcini mushrooms strongly depends on the place of their growth; in our latitudes, porcini mushrooms begin their growth in May-June, and end in October-November - the most mushroom months. Mushrooms often grow in families-colonies, so if you see a porcini mushroom in the forest, know that there are definitely its relatives nearby.

In which forests do porcini mushrooms grow?

Typically, porcini mushrooms like to grow in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests under trees such as spruce, fir, pine, oak, and birch. You can find them in places that are overgrown with moss or lichen, but, alas, porcini mushrooms do not grow on swampy soils and peat bogs. In general, the porcini mushroom likes to bask in the sun, but it also happens that it grows in the shade. The porcini mushroom is a rare guest in the tundra, forest-tundra and steppe regions.

Types of porcini mushrooms, names and photos

In fact, there are several varieties of porcini mushrooms, and below we will write in detail about them.

It is also a reticulated boletus, the Latin name is “Boletus reticulatus”, and in appearance it is very reminiscent of a moss fly. Its cap (6-30 cm in diameter) has a brown or ocher color. The leg is cylindrical. The pulp is white. The reticulated porcini mushroom can be found in beech, oak or chestnut forests of Europe, America, and Africa. This mushroom ripens earlier than other porcini mushrooms - in June-September, again depending on the habitat.

It is also known as bronze boletus, also known as copper or hornbeam boletus. It differs from other porcini mushrooms in the dark, even brown color of the cap and stem; sometimes similar mushrooms are even found completely black. The leg is also cylindrical. But the flesh of this mushroom is white in color and also has a very pleasant taste. The dark bronze porcini mushroom is particularly common in North America, but can also be found in Europe, especially in oak and beech forests.

Its other name is spikelet. A distinctive feature of this mushroom is its light color. The cap, reaching a diameter of 5-15 cm, is almost white in color; sometimes it comes in cream or light yellow colors. The stalk of the spikelet is barrel-shaped, the flesh is white. The birch mushroom grows exclusively under birch trees (hence the name) and is found throughout the habitat of porcini mushrooms, wherever there are birch trees.

Also known as boletus mushroom or boletus pine. It is distinguished by a large dark-colored cap, which sometimes has a purple tint. The flesh of this mushroom has a brownish-red color. The stem of this mushroom is short but thick and has a brown or white color. You probably guessed by the name that this mushroom grows under pine trees and is found everywhere in the pine forests of Europe, America, and Asia.

The cap of the oak mushroom is brown, but with a gray tint. The flesh of this mushroom is looser than that of other types of porcini mushrooms. Lives in Caucasian oak forests.

The most common among porcini mushrooms. His hat is brown and reddish in color. The leg is long, but with a thickening at the bottom. It usually grows in pine and spruce forests in Europe.

Porcini mushroom - benefits, properties, vitamins, minerals

Porcini mushroom has a high mineral content, making it one of the healthiest mushrooms, so what are the benefits of porcini mushrooms?

• The pulp of the porcini mushroom contains the extremely useful substance selenium, which helps cure cancer in the early stages.
• Porcini mushroom also contains ascorbic acid, which is necessary for the normal functioning of human organs.
• The pulp of the porcini mushroom contains calcium, which is vital for the human body (especially bones).
• Riboflavin in the porcini mushroom improves hair and nail growth, and also helps regulate the thyroid gland.
• B vitamins, also present in porcini mushrooms, have a positive effect on the nervous system, memory and brain function in general, promote sound sleep, good mood, and appetite.
• Lecithin, present in porcini mushroom, is useful for atherosclerosis and anemia, as it helps cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol.

Also, porcini mushroom has a low calorie content, it can be dried, fried, stewed and pickled for the winter. The taste of the porcini mushroom is simply excellent, although it itself is quite difficult to digest.

Good to know: of all the types of preparation of porcini mushrooms, it is mushrooms in dried form that are best absorbed by humans; with the consumption of dried mushrooms, up to 80% of porcini mushroom proteins enter the body. It is not without reason that nutritionists advise eating dried porcini mushrooms.

Harm of porcini mushroom

Despite all the benefits of porcini mushroom described above, it can also cause poisoning.

• The porcini mushroom contains chitin, and it is poorly absorbed by children, pregnant women, and people with problems with the digestive system and kidney diseases.
• Porcini mushrooms can accumulate toxic substances from the soil in which they grow. Therefore, you should not collect mushrooms growing near industrial facilities, highways, landfills, and so on.
• Some people may have allergic reactions to fungal spores.
• Also, poisoning can result from the mistaken use of a double of the porcini mushroom, known as gall mushroom or golchak. We will write about it further.

False porcini mushroom (gall mushroom). How to distinguish a white mushroom from a false one?

• The most important difference between a false porcini mushroom and a genuine one is the color of the cut; in a false mushroom it will darken or become pinkish-brown. The white flesh, as we wrote above, always remains white.
• The gall mushroom on the stalk has a very bright pattern in the form of a mesh, which a real porcini mushroom does not have.
• The tubular layer of the false porcini mushroom has a pinkish tint, while that of the edible porcini mushroom is yellow or white.
• Also, the gall mushroom has a bitter taste, and it remains bitter even after boiling or frying.

Growing porcini mushrooms at home on a personal plot

Planting and growing porcini mushrooms in your garden is the dream of many owners. Well, it is quite possible to make it a reality. The technology for growing porcini mushrooms at home is not that complicated. Although it will require perseverance, patience and maximum accuracy from you. But keep in mind that the porcini mushroom is a forest citizen that cannot live without symbiosis with a tree, so it would be ideal if your summer cottage is adjacent to the forest. If it is not adjacent, then at least several trees should grow there, such as pine, birch, oak or spruce.

In general, there are two main ways to grow mushrooms at home in the country: growing from mycelium and growing from spores that are located in the mushroom cap. Below we will describe them in detail.

Growing porcini mushrooms from mycelium

First of all, you need to purchase porcini mushroom mycelium in a special store. Then you can begin preparing the area for planting mushrooms. The preparation itself is best done in May, but not later than September.

• Around a tree (be it oak, birch, pine, spruce) it is necessary to expose the soil by removing 15-20 cm of the top layer, thus creating a circle with a diameter of 1-1.5 meters. The soil should be saved for later covering the area.
• Peat or well-ripened compost is placed on the finished plot.
• Pieces of the acquired mycelium are laid out on the soil prepared in this way; it is advisable to lay them out in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 30-35 cm.
• Then you need to cover the planted mycelium with a layer of soil that you initially removed. Then the whole thing needs to be carefully watered (2-3 buckets per tree, but only so as not to wash away the soil).
• The area with mycelium can be covered with a layer of straw, which will maintain the necessary humidity and prevent the mycelium from drying out.
• Before the onset of winter frosts, the area must be covered with forest moss to create a protective “blanket” from frost. In early spring, this “blanket” will need to be carefully removed with a rake.

The first harvest of excellent porcini mushrooms will be in just a year, and if you do everything correctly, then your home mycelium will bear fruit for 3-5 years.

Growing porcini mushrooms from caps

First, you will need to collect caps from wild mushrooms, always ripe ones, or even better, overripe ones. The diameter of the caps should be at least 10-15 cm. Also remember under which trees the mushrooms whose caps you picked grew under, then they will need to be planted exactly under these same trees.

• The collected caps are carefully separated from the stems and soaked in water for 24 hours. (you can add 3-5 tablespoons per 10 liters to water).
• After a day, you need to thoroughly grind the soaked mushroom caps until they form a homogeneous mass, then strain it through a layer of gauze, separating the aqueous solution with mushroom spores from the mushroom tissue.
• The preparation of the place for planting porcini mushrooms is identical to what we have already described in the first option.
• Then the water with the spores must be poured onto the fertile cushion, stirring the aqueous solution periodically.

Caring for a mushroom meadow involves watering it, although not frequently, regularly and abundantly.

How to collect more porcini mushrooms, video

And in conclusion, a useful video life hack for mushroom pickers on how to collect more porcini mushrooms.