Oyster mushrooms are brown. Useful properties and contraindications of oyster mushrooms. Fried chicken with oyster mushrooms
The genus of oyster mushrooms has many varieties and hybrids. All types of oyster mushrooms are united by one feature - lush mycelium hanging from their habitat. The density of the fruiting bodies, as well as the size of the cap (from 10 to 30 cm), is influenced by the structure and degree of moisture content of the substrate. Today, thanks to cultivation, it has become possible to grow different types of oyster mushrooms at home.
Varieties of oyster mushrooms, descriptions of varieties
What do oyster mushrooms look like? The color of the oyster mushroom cap can be yellow, grayish, purple, white, even pink. All young mushrooms of this species have predominantly white, juicy flesh if it is young. Older specimens have a stiffer, fibrous consistency. At home, they can grow and bear fruit all year round. The main thing is to properly maintain the required level of humidity, lighting, and air temperature. Let's look at the most popular types of oyster mushrooms, which are popular among home-based mushroom pickers.
Oyster mushroom
This is one of the most popular and valuable species due to its excellent taste. The hat may be slightly lilac or brown. This variety feels comfortable when grown at home, and with the proper approach to the matter it pleases with the harvest all year round.
Oyster, photo
Horn-shaped oyster mushroom
It has a cone-shaped cap, which is why it has this name. Under artificial conditions it is grown on stumps, mainly elm ones. The color of the cap varies from light brown (sand) to dark brown. It has elastic flesh and a pleasant, albeit slightly specific aroma.
Horn-shaped, photo Pink oyster mushroom
Pink oyster mushroom has another name - Pink Flamingo. This is a beautiful, fast-growing mushroom with a wavy cap and a soft pink color. This variety is thermophilic and requires an individual temperature approach (from +16°C to +30°C at different stages). It begins to bear fruit 10 days after sowing the mycelium.
Pink or Pink flamingo, photo
Lemon oyster mushroom
There is another name: ilmovik. The mushroom has a brightly colored conical cap. This variety is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to growing conditions and is grown both on substrate and on stumps. Characterized by clustered fruiting bodies and graceful elongated legs. The diameter of the cap varies from 5 to 10 cm.
Lemon or elmovik, photo Steppe oyster mushroom
Steppe oyster mushroom (eryingi) is also called Royal. This is the most delicious variety of oyster mushroom; it has fleshy, dense pulp and a massive funnel-shaped leg. The mushroom cap (5-10 cm in diameter) is modified. While the mushroom is growing: at first it is convex, then it becomes flat, and by the time the harvest is harvested it is already concave. This species is grown in special large jars or cans (photo below).
Royal (steppe), photo Common oyster mushroom
Ordinary - the most popular variety, grown on stumps or on various substrates. It produces a harvest from summer until frost. It has a grayish-yellow or brown cap.
Oyster mushroom, photo Florida oyster mushroom
This is a light beige or grayish-white mushroom with a semicircular, slightly funnel-shaped cap (10-20 cm in diameter). Requires higher temperatures during the growing and fruiting stages.
Florida, photo Pulmonary oyster mushroom
This species is eaten or processed only when it is young, since “old” mature mushrooms are characterized by increased rigidity. The mushroom cap has a tongue-like shape with slightly cracked edges, and is white or brownish-cream in color. Fruits from spring until the first cold weather.
Pulmonary, photo Late oyster mushroom
A mushroom with a refined, pronounced taste. May be brown, gray or brown in color. It has an ear-shaped cap that can reach large sizes (up to 25 cm in diameter); young mushrooms are darker in color, mature ones are lighter. It is grown on stumps or logs (oak, poplar, aspen), as well as on substrates (straw, sunflower).
Late White Elf
A very tasty dietary variety. It has an elongated solid leg. The caps of this mushroom have slightly curly edges and are white. The surface of the cap may be scaly. It is grown both on logs or stumps, and also on substrate blocks.
White Elf The above varieties of oyster mushrooms do well when grown artificially. With proper care they bear fruit abundantly. It is also worth mentioning hybrids, which are characterized by high productivity and unpretentiousness. The hybrids most preferred by mushroom pickers are: Dune NK-35, R-77, R-20, No. 420, No. 107.
Remember that you only need to wear gloves when unpacking bags of mycelium. The material should be purchased from trusted sellers. The mycelium itself should be free of black or green spots.
All of the above types of oyster mushrooms are adapted for growing at home.
Oyster mushrooms got their name due to the fact that they grow in a characteristic “suspended” state on tree trunks. Therefore, looking under your feet and looking for these mushrooms on the ground makes virtually no sense. Many mushroom pickers do not like to collect oyster mushrooms, considering them to be tree destroyers. However, this is a wrong opinion, since oyster mushrooms in the forest begin to grow only on already diseased trees. We invite you to look at a visual photo of oyster mushrooms in the forest.
Mushroom pickers who know the taste of forest oyster mushrooms are sure that they are much tastier and more aromatic than those grown in special mushroom farms.
Experts say that oyster mushrooms are a real source of vitamins. The vitamin content in these mushrooms can be compared with vegetables and fruits. These fruiting bodies can compete with legumes in their nutritional value. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with information about oyster mushrooms: in which forests do they grow, when to collect them and can they be found on the ground?
Let's start with where do oyster mushrooms grow in the forest? Very often these mushrooms are found on dead, fallen stumps, on dying coniferous or deciduous trees. The favorite place for oyster mushrooms in the forest is on birch trees. However, they are often also found on aspens, willows and pine trees.
Forest oyster mushrooms are unpretentious mushrooms, so they can be grown artificially even at home: on sawdust, small wood shavings, paper, straw or sunflower waste. It must be said that in the modern world, many often do this, which brings a good harvest of mushrooms all year round.
Types of oyster mushrooms and what mushrooms grow in the forest on the ground
There are five species of this mushroom found in the wild, and all of them are considered conditionally edible. Therefore, a piece of advice for cooks: oyster mushrooms should be pre-boiled in salted water for 20 minutes. These mushrooms are found in all countries of the former Soviet Union.
The most common is oyster mushroom, or oyster.
There are abundant, pulmonary, late and steppe oyster mushrooms. By the way, there is only one type of oyster mushroom that grows in the forest “on the ground” - this is the steppe one. However, even here the surface of the earth in the clearings should be densely strewn with bark and branches of broken trees. Therefore, it seems as if the mushrooms are growing directly on the ground.
Although the types of oyster mushrooms differ in color, size and shape of the caps, they all grow in large colonies on the trunks of dead trees - standing or fallen.
Look at the photo of how oyster mushrooms grow in the forest. They hang from the trunks in a large stepped garland, the weight of which can reach more than 3 kg. If mushrooms grow on a fallen tree, their stems are long and located close to the side of the cap. And if their colony has formed on a still standing tree, their legs are short, as if fused together.
The harvest time for oyster mushrooms ranges from April to November frosts. However, even frost is not harmful to these mushrooms: they do not lose their taste and nutritional properties. In addition, this type of fruiting bodies is not damaged by worms while they are young. Only on very old copies can deterioration be noticed.
Another type of oyster mushroom - abundant, grows in deciduous forests. Its collection begins in May and lasts until October. These mushrooms are afraid of frost, so you shouldn’t look for them in cold weather. The most abundant fruiting of oyster mushrooms occurs in June and then in October. They love humidity, and at this time of year, especially during rainy weather, there are a lot of fruiting bodies in the forest. They can often be found on old birch, elm, rowan and oak trees. The abundant oyster mushroom has a wavy edge of the caps and a light cream color. The stem of the mushroom is long and curved towards the cap.
Another type of oyster mushroom - pulmonary, which is distinguished by its white color. It has a convex cap with thin edges drooping downwards. Her leg is covered with delicate white fluff, reminiscent of velvet. Grows in colonies on oaks, birches and beeches. Although the pulmonary oyster mushroom looks very tender and delicate, it is easily transported and tolerates cold well for 4 days. This type of mushroom can easily take root at home: place wild oyster mushrooms in the yard near the stumps, and after a while you will see the result - a good harvest of home-grown mushrooms.
Autumn oyster mushrooms in October and winter mushrooms in December
As for the late oyster mushroom, it fully lives up to its name. Autumn oyster mushrooms grow in the forest in October. Sometimes it is found in November, if there are not very severe frosts. Mushrooms grow on coniferous trees or rotten stumps, especially in old clearings. Autumn oyster mushrooms are distinguished by their greenish color, reminiscent of green olives. These mushrooms taste a little bitter, so some mushroom pickers do not collect them, although they are edible.
Oyster mushrooms in the photo
In the wild, oyster mushrooms are common in Europe, America, and Asia. In China and Japan, oyster mushroom has long been widely used in national cuisine and is popular with the equally famous shiitake. In Russia, oyster mushroom is found in the middle zone, in Siberia, the Far East and the Caucasus. Oyster mushrooms grow here mainly in autumn and winter and tolerate winter temperatures well.
By the nature of their diet, oyster mushrooms are xylotrophic fungi from the group of saprophytes that feed on organic matter from decaying wood, so they prefer to settle on old stumps, dead trees, and dead trees. When describing oyster mushrooms, it is worth noting that these are predatory mushrooms, since they are able to absorb nematodes, first paralyzing them with the released toxin. Thanks to the mixed feeding method, oyster mushroom is able to replenish the need for nitrogen when there is a lack of it in rotten wood.
In industrial mushroom growing, mainly one type of mushroom is practiced - oyster mushroom, which is distinguished by its delicate taste and soft structure of mushroom fibers.
In appearance, the mushrooms have a one-sided, round cap. The cap can be flat or slightly concave. The culture does not have roughness and has a smooth surface. Diameter from 5 to 15 centimeters. Color from light gray to brownish. This mushroom has a white and dense small stalk or the stalk is completely absent. If you break it into two parts, the insides will contain pulp, which after a while becomes dense and fibrous. The pulp has a pleasant taste and aroma.
If, when describing oyster mushrooms, we talk about the benefits of these mushrooms, it is important to note that this mushroom contains a number of essential substances that are necessary for the human body to function normally. It contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and mineral salts.
Not even every dietary supplement can boast such a variety of beneficial substances.
People who watch their figure may not worry about the calorie content of the product. Oyster mushrooms have a low calorie content, which is only 38 calories. Even with a very small amount, a person can quickly and for a long time forget what feeling of hunger is. If we compare autumn oyster mushrooms with other plants, then in terms of the content of proteins and various amino acids they are on par with healthy vegetables, and the amount of fats and carbohydrates is several times higher than other products.
In terms of vitamin composition, oyster mushrooms have the same amount of vitamins B, C, E and D as meat. The product is not only the best food product that can be compared with various vegetables and meat, but also the best among valuable mushrooms. It contains a large amount of vitamin PP, which is not found in any other product.
Oyster mushrooms are not only a tasty food, but also an excellent fat-burning enzyme with low calorie content.
Oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus pulmonarius) . The mushroom is edible. The cap is up to 15 cm, fan-shaped, light, almost white, later yellowish or fawn, elastically fleshy, growing sideways from the tree. The plates descend on a short, dense white stalk. The pulp is fibrous, often saturated with water. The smell is pleasant, slightly aniseed. Spore powder is colorless. Oyster mushroom is a tree mushroom. Grows in deciduous and coniferous forests, in gardens and parks on birch, linden, aspen, and less often on coniferous trees. Fruits from July to September. It has no inedible or poisonous counterparts. It is cultivated or used for hybridization with other types of oyster mushroom to create productive varieties. Suitable for any method of culinary processing.
Oyster mushroom, or oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus ostreatus). The mushroom is edible. The cap is up to 15 cm, fan-shaped, dark gray in autumn at low air temperatures, light gray in warm weather, fleshy, growing sideways from the tree. The plates of this variety of oyster mushroom descend on a short, dense white stalk. The pulp is fibrous and dense. The smell is pleasant, slightly mushroomy. Spore powder is colorless. It grows in deciduous and coniferous forests, in gardens and parks on birch, linden, aspen, and less often on coniferous trees. In terms of the volume of mushrooms artificially bred in the world, oyster mushroom ranks second after bisporus champignon. Fruits from August to October. Sometimes it bears fruit in April, May, June. It has no inedible or poisonous counterparts.
Autumn oyster mushroom. It is an edible lamellar mushroom. Other names are alder oyster mushroom and willow oyster mushroom. It grows in large groups from the end of September until the frosts and first snow. Places of growth - trunks and stumps of deciduous trees: aspen, maple, alder, willow, etc.
Its surface is smooth and has a light mucous coating. Depending on where the oyster mushroom grows, it can be colored brown, gray or brown. On the underside of the cap of young mushrooms there are descending yellow plates, which in mature oyster mushrooms acquire a brownish tint. The mushroom stem is either very short or absent altogether. Thinner at the base, it has a curved shape and a finely scaly surface of a yellow-brown color. The pulp is dense, odorless, in damp weather it becomes watery, and in old mushrooms it becomes rubber-like. Oyster mushrooms are eaten fried, salted or dried.
Oyster mushroom. Oyster mushroom is an edible lamellar mushroom. It grows in large groups from the end of May to the end of October, preferring to settle on the stumps and dead wood of maples, oaks and elms. Extremely prolific, producing consistent, abundant harvests year after year.
Young mushrooms have a convex cap, but with age it changes and becomes horn-shaped or spade-shaped. Its diameter is approximately 13 cm. The surface of the cap is painted white or light yellow, which darkens over time and acquires a brownish tint. The plates are sparse, light-colored, descending along the eccentric lateral stalk. The leg is rounded, thinner at the base, white or fawn. The pulp of young mushrooms is dense, fleshy, has a pleasant aroma and good taste.
Oyster mushroom. Belongs to the fourth category of mushrooms. It can be boiled and fried; it is not suitable for long-term storage in salted or pickled form. Only young mushrooms are eaten, since old ones lose their nutritional value and are completely deprived of their good taste.
Lemon oyster mushroom. This mushroom differs from its other species in the multitude of fruiting bodies located on the joint. It is very loved by the residents of the Primorsky Territory and owes its name to the bright yellow color of its cap.
Steppe oyster mushroom. It does not settle on tree trunks, but in the ground, in the root zone of grasses belonging to the umbrella family, which makes it different from other species. This mushroom is most often found in the steppes and has dense and fragrant white flesh. It is traditionally distributed in the countries of Central Asia and in the Pamir and Tien Shan foothills.
Oyster mushroom is orange. It became famous as a beautiful mushroom, which became a decoration of gardens and forests. Settles on rotten stumps, dead wood, weakened birches, aspens and lindens. It grows both singly and in fan-shaped groups. The diameter of its cap reaches 7–8 cm. Orange oyster mushroom is edible only when it is young. An adult mushroom is inedible in most cases because it becomes tough and takes on the unpleasant smell of rotten carrots.
Young oyster mushrooms of this variety have watery, whitish or yellowish flesh:
The taste is bitter, and the smell is either melon-like or not noticeable at all. It is quite a common situation if a leg is missing.
Pink oyster mushroom. The second name is flamingo. Flamingo is one of the fastest growing. Already 10 days after sowing the mycelium, the first fruits appear. But this variety has its own characteristics: the mushroom is more heat-loving, and for fruit formation it needs a strict range of ambient temperatures from 16 °C to 30 °C. Ordinary grain straw, sunflower husks or buckwheat husks will be an excellent substrate for its mycelium.
Oak oyster mushroom. It grows mainly on oak trunks and stumps in July-August. The cap is up to 10 cm in diameter, regularly rounded, dense, fleshy, whitish, with dark fibrous scales, the edge is closed, with hanging white remains of the veil. The pulp is white, thick, dense, pleasant taste and smell. The plates running onto the stem are white; in old mushrooms they turn yellow. The leg is highly eccentric, up to 5 cm long, 1-3 cm thick, white, scaly.
Here you can see photos of the types of oyster mushrooms described above:
In the photo, Oyster mushroom
In the photo, lemon oyster mushroom
In addition to the above species of mushrooms, numerous hybrids have been artificially bred.
Oyster mushroom NK-32ng.
Insensitive to light intensity, high-yielding strain. The round gray cap has a size of up to 12 cm. The weaker the lighting, the lighter the cap will be.
Oyster mushroom R-20.
A high-yielding strain that grows in clusters and has a medium-sized beige cap.
Oyster mushroom R-77.
The cap is gray in color, the mushroom has a small stem and a dense consistency. Good for freezing. High yielding strain.
Oyster mushroom 107.
An unpretentious, high-yielding strain that grows in clusters. Tolerates transportation well.
Oyster mushroom 420.
A high-yielding strain growing in clusters with a gray or cream-colored cap. Quite demanding on the composition of the air.
Look at the photos of oyster mushrooms, the description of which is presented on this page:
Nowadays, people increasingly value food not only for its taste, but also for its environmental friendliness. For growing oyster mushrooms at home, it eliminates the content of nitrates and harmful substances. Oyster mushrooms have a beneficial effect on the human body, they are recommended for use by hypertensive patients, they reduce the risk of cancer, and normalize the level of lipids in the blood.
For the substrate, it is recommended to use straw from various cereal crops (barley or wheat). It must be clean and dry, free of odors and impurities. The straw of such crops is considered the most common raw material for these mushrooms.
When preparing a substrate for growing oyster mushrooms, straws must be chosen that are not infected, porous and wide. They need to be crushed or flattened. Straw should be purchased from one seller. If it is fresh and has a thick coating of wax, then it must be soaked for 12 hours.
At home, hydrothermal treatment is often used. Take a large container and compact straw into it. It is filled with warm water and then heated to 70 degrees. At a steady temperature, the substrate must be kept for about 3 hours, then drain the water. Next, the substrate is removed, removing excess water. When its temperature reaches 25 degrees, you can proceed to planting.
The straw cools down for about half an hour. During this time, it is necessary to prepare the mycelium, a polyethylene bag, and the inoculation site. The substrate is poured onto the bottom of the bag, then a layer of mycelium is laid out. The procedure is repeated until the package is completely filled. Mycelium should be no more than 5% of the weight of the substrate.
Sometimes, in order to grow oyster mushrooms, sunflower husks are used. It must be heated very quickly to 90 degrees and kept for no more than 2 hours. Then drain the water, wait until the substrate drains (no more than half an hour), and then inoculate.
Growing these mushrooms at home is not that difficult. When breeding them, you should remember several rules. Firstly, the mycelium must be dispersed in such a way that 4/5 is located closer to the walls of the bag. Secondly, the number of layers should not be less than 12. A larger number will accelerate the fouling of the substrate with mycelium.
After compaction is completed, you need to leave a little space for tying. The block (a bag containing mycelium and substrate) must be left in a dark place at a temperature of 20 °C. If the temperature increases by more than 4 °C, the mycelium may die (inside the substrate the temperature can reach up to 35 °C).
If everything is done correctly, then after a maximum of 16 days the block will look like a white monolith. If some areas are infested, the overall yield will be lower. Until primordia appear, you just need to maintain the required humidity and temperature, and sometimes you can spray the block.
Video: Preparing substrate for mushrooms
Within two days, the primordia become adult mushrooms. As they grow, it is important to monitor the ventilation in the room. There is no need to water the mushroom buds, as this may cause their death. The harvest can be harvested when the edges of the caps at the top of the joint are aligned.
Below you will learn how to make oyster mushroom mycelium at home and how to grow mushrooms.
Oyster mushroom mycelium is the vegetative body of the fungus, mycelium, which consists of thin branched threads. Usually develops in the substrate or on its surface. There are several ways to obtain it, both in the laboratory and at home.
In nature, mushrooms reproduce primarily by spores. However, science does not stand still, and it was decided to learn how to grow mushrooms in artificially created conditions.
Previously, to grow oyster mushrooms in the forest, they took mycelium and propagated it in adapted greenhouses. At the same time, a small piece of it was planted on previously prepared soil, without sprinkling soil on top, so that the mycelium would not bear fruit. When all the soil was well intertwined with mycelium, it was taken out, slightly dried and used for dilution. In Russia, oyster mushroom mycelium was obtained in this way in the late thirties of the twentieth century.
The quality of the mycelium obtained under such conditions was low. Fruiting was scanty, and the mycelium quickly degenerated. When using such oyster mushroom mycelium, harmful bacteria and microorganisms were introduced, which inhibited development and deteriorated quality. Therefore, researchers were constantly looking for new technology for growing mycelium.
In 1894, in one of the institutes in France, mycelium was first bred from fungal spores grown in laboratory conditions. It had great prospects, since it took root much better and brought an extensive harvest before the mushrooms appeared in the forest. But spore breeding was successful only in laboratory conditions, which significantly reduced the frequency of its use.
The last to be patented was a method for growing oyster mushroom grain mycelium. In modern Russia it is still widely used. Mushroom growers grow mycelium on the grain of any type of cereal crop, as well as on sunflower shells, dry grape pomace, corn stalks, and sawdust.
The highest quality mycelium is obtained in laboratory conditions, but how can you prepare it at home yourself? If you do not have the equipment to organize the work of a scientific laboratory, then production at home can be carried out where there is gas, water and electricity.
You can prepare mycelium for growing oyster mushrooms at home, but before doing this, you need to purchase special equipment: test tubes, tweezers, thermometer, pipettes, agar.
At the stage of preparing the room and equipment, it is necessary first of all to take into account the fact that there are from 5,000 to 20,000 microorganisms per 1 m2. And the primary task for the mushroom grower is to resolve the issue of how to prepare sterile equipment and ensure workplace hygiene.
There are two ways to grow oyster mushroom mycelium at home. The first method is the full cycle. From spores or a piece of the fruiting body, a mother culture is grown, from which intermediate mycelium can be obtained and seed mycelium can be grown.
The second shortened method is the propagation of mycelium purchased from specialists.
Video: DIY royal mycelium
Oyster mushroom mycelium can be grown on grain or wood at home. Grain mycelium is obtained by applying mother cultures to a substrate of cereal grains. This type of production is more common.
In the second case, the mycelium is located on wooden sticks. This type is suitable when mushroom production on stumps is used. Mycelium grown on wood is less susceptible to diseases and has a long shelf life.
- Royal mycelium is obtained from part of the fruiting body. Fresh oyster mushrooms are cut into two parts and a piece is cut out from the top of the stem. Before replanting into the nutrient medium, a piece of the fruiting body is dipped in hydrogen peroxide to ensure sterility. After this, a piece of mushroom is placed over the flame into a test tube with a nutrient medium. The test tube is closed with a stopper fired over a fire. The cork cannot be placed on the table surface, so you must hold the cork and the test tube with your hands at the same time.
The test tubes are left in a dark room with a temperature of 240 degrees Celsius. In a couple of weeks, the mycelium created with your own hands can be transferred to the substrate.
You can also make a nutrient medium for growing mother culture yourself. Potato-glucose agar, wort agar, oatmeal agar, carrot agar and a number of others are suitable for this. The nutrient medium is poured into test tubes and sterilized. The tubes are then placed in an inclined position so that the medium has a large surface area. After it hardens, a piece of the oyster mushroom fruiting body is added to the test tube.
When growing oyster mushroom royal mycelium at home with your own hands, you need to ensure sterility: disinfect and clean the room and work surface. The equipment is sterilized over a burner before use.
- Next stage– cultivation of oyster mushroom mycelium. To grow intermediate oyster mushroom mycelium, cereal grains are often used. To do this, take high-quality grains and boil them in two parts of water for 15 minutes. After this, the grains are dried and mixed with gypsum and calcium carbonate.
The glass container is filled two-thirds with the resulting grains and sterilized. Several pieces of the nutrient medium are transferred to the processed grains.
The intercropping will grow in two to three weeks. The mycelium can be stored for 3 months at temperatures from 0 to 20 degrees. If necessary, it can be packaged in plastic bags.
Intermediate mycelium is a physiologically active culture for the production of oyster mushroom seed mycelium.
- Developed viable intermediate mycelium of oyster mushroom has the appearance of a lush white coating with a pleasant mushroom aroma. The seed mycelium is also grown using the same technology for growing intermediate mycelium. In other words, the intermediate material is used to seed new containers. For a one-liter jar, 1 spoon of intermediate mycelium is enough.
This type is used for sowing a substrate on which oyster mushrooms will subsequently grow.
Video: Oyster mushroom mycelium at home
Premises for growing oyster mushrooms
An old barn, a stone garage or a former pigsty can serve as a room for growing oyster mushrooms. The most important criterion when choosing a room for sowing oyster mushroom mycelium should be the ability to maintain high air humidity (85–90%) and maintain a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees, as well as the presence of a good ventilation system and proper lighting.
Oyster mushrooms do not like high temperatures; at temperatures above 25 degrees they will not bear fruit. Therefore, the use of greenhouses as a room for sowing oyster mushroom mycelium is unacceptable.
Mushrooms are sensitive to carbon dioxide. It is best to plant oyster mushroom mycelium when its level is low. Therefore, good indoor ventilation is the key to success.
The chambers where the seedlings are located must be illuminated. It is better if it is natural light, but it is advisable to avoid direct sunlight on the mycelium. If there are no windows in the room, fluorescent lamps are used for growing oyster mushrooms. Constant lighting is not necessary; 8–9 hours a day is sufficient.
To grow oyster mushrooms, you can use any cellulose-containing material: straw, sawdust from deciduous trees, and paper are suitable for this purpose. Existing methods make it possible to cultivate oyster mushrooms both in special premises and in summer cottages, as well as to grow mushrooms at home.
All methods of growing oyster mushrooms can be divided into extensive and intensive. Extensive methods include cultivation in natural conditions. Intensive methods involve growing mushrooms in special rooms where the appropriate atmosphere, lighting and humidity are maintained.
The stumps remaining after deforestation are perfectly suitable for growing. The mycelium is applied to the surface of the stump in a layer of 1.5–2 cm, having previously cut off a disk 3–5 cm thick. After placing the mycelium, it is covered with a cut disk, which is nailed down. This is usually done in April or May.
When grown on stumps, oyster mushrooms appear within 40–50 days; fruiting can occur in 2–3 waves. When cold weather sets in, mushrooms stop growing.
Video: Oyster mushroom on stumps
Growing oyster mushrooms on stumps using this technology in the country involves the use of grain mycelium for planting, which is applied in a layer of 1.5–2 cm to the clean front surface of the stump. After this, the stump is covered with a polyethylene film, and a layer of earth 10–15 cm thick is sprinkled on top and along the edges of the film. The most suitable time for growing oyster mushrooms on stumps in the country is the beginning of April. The consumption of seed material (mycelium) with this method is 1 kg per 10 stumps.
Planting of seed material can be carried out in a more effective way by introducing mycelium into pre-made cuts 3–4 cm deep, 5–6 cm wide, or drilled holes of the same depth and 1.5–2 cm in diameter. After inoculation, the cuts are covered with fresh sawdust, and the holes - wooden plugs. The ends are covered with plastic wrap and sprinkled with a layer of earth.
Growing oyster mushrooms on stumps lasts 3.5–4 months, then it is time to harvest. Typically, this period occurs at the end of September, when daytime temperature fluctuations are 12–18 °C, and nighttime temperature fluctuations are 3–7 °C, which is considered the most optimal for oyster mushrooms. Before fruiting begins, somewhere in mid-September, the stumps are removed from the film and earthen layer. Please note that growing oyster mushrooms requires high humidity. Therefore, in dry weather, the soil around the stumps should be watered up to three times a week.
After 5–7 years, fully fruited stumps become rotten and crumble. Growing oyster mushrooms in this way can be used as a natural method of removing stumps in gardens, parks, cottages and personal plots.
To grow mycelium, you can also use 25–30 cm long pieces left over from cutting down trees (the diameter of the pieces is at least 15 cm). They are placed in the basement in a column of 3–6 logs on the mycelium (70–100 g) previously wiped with a damp, clean rag in a layer of 1–2 cm. For better development of the mycelium and retention of moisture in it in the basement, columns of sections are covered with straw or breathable material , for example, burlap. When mycelium sprouts, excess carbon dioxide accumulates in the basement, so drafts should be provided for ventilation. In April, sections with mycelium shoots are planted in open ground.
The technology for growing oyster mushroom mycelium on wood with your own hands is quite simple. Material for cultivating mushrooms is prepared in advance. The length of the bars is 25–30 cm; the side leaves and branches are removed from them. The wood is then cut into pieces and soaked in water for several days. At the beginning of spring, the pieces are placed in cellars or similar rooms. They are placed in columns that reach a height of 2 m. A layer of mycelium is applied to the upper end of each column. To maintain moisture, the mycelium is covered with a layer of straw. They can use matting or burlap, but not plastic film, as it blocks the access of air to the mycelium. The mycelium develops in wood within 2–2.5 months. You need to monitor the temperature and humidity in the room for better growing.
In summer, pieces of wood are moved outside. They are buried in the soil to a depth of 10–15 cm in a row. The end of the stump, where the mycelium develops, must be in the soil. After planting, the cuttings are watered abundantly.
Under natural conditions, the fruiting bodies of mushrooms fully develop in September or October.
Often at home, straw bales can be used to grow oyster mushrooms. In this case, the straw is not subjected to heat treatment or pasteurization, so this method is not used in mushroom production.
The substrate for growing oyster mushrooms in bags with straw must be fresh, without rot or signs of damage by microorganisms. Before use, it is moistened by immersing it in water for 80 hours.
Bags of straw are placed in places protected from direct sunlight: under sheds, in sheds, cellars, etc.
When growing oyster mushrooms on straw, the mycelium develops in 10–12 weeks, that is, if planted in May, the harvest can be harvested in September. In 2–3 waves of fruiting, 3–5 kg of mushrooms are obtained from one bale. The technology is not too complicated; this is a very good option for people who are interested in mushroom growing.
Video: Mushroom germination chamber
It is important to know how to grow oyster mushrooms in order to cultivate them correctly. Today they are in great demand on the market and are sometimes considered more valuable than champignon mushrooms. Therefore, the cultivation of oyster mushrooms is very profitable, since it does not require major investments, but allows you to obtain abundant harvests.
Growing oyster mushrooms in plastic bags
Disinfect the bag before planting. Since the bags cannot be boiled, place them in a 2% bleach solution for two hours. After disinfection, start filling the bags; you will need to put 5 kilograms of substrate in each bag, followed by a layer of mycelium. Strictly follow the order to the very top. After planting, make small slits in the bag to allow oxygen to enter.
During the first two weeks when growing oyster mushrooms in plastic bags, there is an incubation period. The optimal temperature for the growth and development of the product is from 18 to 22 degrees.
Do not allow the substrate temperature to exceed 30 degrees. The first three days after planting, the temperature inside the bags is quite high. You can reduce the temperature in the bag in a simple way: to do this, point a fan at the bag. The mycelium will not be harmed.
Video: How to grow oyster mushrooms
With proper lighting, you can leave the mycelium alone for the first three days after planting. After three days, small white threads will begin to make their way through the substrate. The next ten days will be spent filling the bag with mycelium. The mycelium will acquire a corresponding mushroom smell.
In the modern world, grain or royal mycelium of oyster mushrooms is used for the propagation of mushrooms. It is usually grown in sterile laboratory conditions to protect the mycelium from harmful microorganisms and increase yield. But amateur mushroom growers have found a way to create it at home. Moreover, homemade mycelium bears fruit no worse than laboratory one.
Mycelium using oat flakes. You will need to take:
- 40 grams of flakes crushed to a powdery state;
- 960 ml water;
- 100 grams of gelatin;
- bactericidal lamp;
- sterilized test tubes and cotton plugs for them;
- grain cans, tweezers;
- mature oyster mushroom.
Oatmeal must be boiled for an hour, then strain through several layers of gauze. Soak the gelatin in water (take some from the already prepared water) and, when it swells, heat it in a water bath, then add it to the oatmeal jelly. Fill the test tubes with the resulting slurry to 2/3 of the total volume, close with cotton plugs and place to sterilize in a water bath for 40 minutes. Next, you will need to install the tubes in an inclined position so that the inoculation area becomes larger. When the substance in the test tubes has cooled, use sterilized tweezers to take an oyster mushroom plate (the part that grows under the mushroom cap) and carefully place it in the test tubes on the nutrient medium. Close the test tubes with cotton plugs and wrap them in foil. Place the tubes in a dark place with a temperature not lower than 24 °C. After 2 weeks the mycelium will be ready.
Such mycelium will need a grain substrate. To prepare it you will need:
- 10 kg of grain (any grain crop);
- 15 liters of water;
- 130 g gypsum;
- 30 g chalk.
Boil the grain in water until it becomes soft, but do not boil it into porridge. Dry the boiled grain well and add gypsum and chalk to it. Fill the jars with the prepared grain, making a small depression inside to place the mycelium in the future. You need to make a hole in the lids with a diameter of 1.5 cm, and then close the jars with them. Plug the holes in the lids with cotton swabs. Sterilize in the oven at 120°C for two hours.
Now all that remains is to plant some oyster mushroom mycelium in the prepared grain substrate. It is necessary to slightly heat the test tubes with the mycelium ready for planting so that it can easily separate from the walls. Using sterilized tweezers, carefully transfer the oyster mushroom mycelium from the test tube into the depression prepared on the grain. It is important to close the holes in the lids again with cotton plugs and place the jars in a dark place and remember to maintain the room temperature at 24 °C. Maintaining sterility when growing oyster mushrooms on grain is very important in the entire procedure from beginning to end. Only in this case will the mycelium produce high yields for a long time.
Video: How to make mycelium from grain
Methods for storing oyster mushroom mycelium
Today, there are two known ways to store oyster mushroom mycelium. Both of them are usually used in large industries. This is storing the mycelium in the cold and placing it in liquid nitrogen.
The first method involves placing oyster mushroom mycelium in the refrigerator. The disadvantage of this method is the difficulty in recognizing the active structure. Therefore, before use, the mycelium is removed from the refrigerator, shaken vigorously and left at room temperature for several days. Active mycelium will begin to grow rapidly, while spoiled grain will remain bare and its color will be unpleasantly brown.
A more advanced way to preserve oyster mushroom mycelium is to place it in liquid nitrogen. In addition to the fact that this substance allows you to well preserve the structure in which oyster mushrooms will grow in the future, it has a beneficial effect on the quality of the final product and on the productivity of the mycelium.
Before storing the mycelium, it is kept for several days at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. The freezing process itself is carried out very slowly and under careful control. Before planting, the mycelium is slowly defrosted.
As laboratory experiments show, it is best to store mycelium in liquid nitrogen, since with this method practically no changes occur and all its properties remain almost the same as before storage.
At home, storing mycelium is best done in a freezer with a temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius. As the practice of experienced mushroom growers shows, such storage makes it possible to obtain good quality material by the required date without any significant changes. After a short period of rest, when the mycelium is at room temperature, the structure continues to vegetate.
Only repeated changes in temperature conditions, which result in thawing and re-freezing of the material, can lead to a deterioration in its quality, which, of course, does not contribute to the high yield of oyster mushrooms. Therefore, it is very important for the mushroom grower to ensure a stable temperature for the stored mycelium, regardless of environmental factors and conditions. Especially if mushroom production is on stream and is the main source of income.
Getting oyster mushroom mycelium at home is the dream of any mushroom grower. Nowadays it is not difficult to buy it. However, it is not always possible to find a company that is 100% responsible for product quality. The fact is that such organizations work mainly with wholesalers and practically do not have time to monitor quality in such conditions.
You can find out that the product is “inoperative” only when the bags with the substrate turn green. But growing oyster mushrooms requires a certain amount of time, and 40% of the cost goes to the substrate. In this case, mushroom growers, not trusting unknown producers, grow mycelium with their own hands.
Oyster mushroom harvest
These mushrooms ripen in clusters. When harvesting oyster mushrooms, they are twisted out of the substrate or cut off at the base so as not to damage the mycelium. After 10–15 days, the second wave of the harvest appears.
During the fruiting process there can be up to four waves of harvest, but the largest number of mushrooms are collected during the first.
After fruiting is completed, the mushroom blocks are removed, and the growing room is disinfected with a chlorine solution, closed for several days, and then thoroughly ventilated. Then you can download a new batch. You can perform up to four such cycles per year.
Oyster mushrooms are considered unpretentious mushrooms, tolerate low temperatures well and are better suited than other species for growing at home. Where oyster mushrooms grow, namely on which trees, is of interest to all lovers of this tasty and healthy mushroom.
In this article we will look at how and where oyster mushrooms grow in nature, what trees to look for them on, what species exist and what conditions they need to be provided to successfully grow at home.
How oyster mushrooms grow in nature
There are about 30 species of mushroom, although only about 10 of them are grown in home gardens. However, these mushrooms are quite popular due to their high taste, rich aroma and low maintenance requirements.
Under natural conditions, they grow on tree trunks, mostly deciduous, but some species can also be found on conifers. The most unpretentious is the steppe, which can grow on trees of any species, and even on old fallen trunks or stumps.
Where do oyster mushrooms grow, on what trees?
Experienced mushroom pickers believe that oyster mushrooms collected from the forest are much tastier and more aromatic than mushrooms grown artificially. It is forest species that are considered a valuable source of vitamins and minerals, but to collect them you need to know where oyster mushrooms grow, namely on which trees.
Picture 1. Places of growth in nature You can see how and where oyster mushrooms grow in nature in the video.
Lemon (elm)
Lemon, or elm, is common in the Far East, although it is also successfully grown at home.
The mushroom got its name because of the unusual for this species bright yellow color of the stem and fruiting body (Figure 2). The second name - elm, received due to the characteristics of its growth. In the wild, it can most often be found on elm, a type of Far Eastern elm.
Figure 2. External features of the lemon variety At home, you can use poplar, birch or aspen wood for successful cultivation.
Horn-shaped (abundant)
Horn-shaped, or abundant, prefers deciduous forests. This species is sensitive to low temperatures, and although the harvest period lasts from May to October, it is almost impossible to find in cold weather (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Horn-shaped oyster mushroom in nature It has a long curved stem and a cap with wavy edges, and the color of the fruiting body is light cream. It usually grows on the trunks of old birch, elm, oak and mountain ash trees.
Stepnaya
Steppe oyster mushroom, unlike its relatives, develops not on wood, but on the roots of umbrella plants (Figure 4). It received its second name, royal, due to its large size. The cap of adult specimens is much larger than that of other species and can reach 25 cm in diameter. In addition, it has valuable nutritional qualities, as it contains a lot of protein and vitamins characteristic of dairy products.
Figure 4. Growing steppe oyster mushroom If you want to know where a given type of mushroom grows, you should go to a pasture or wasteland covered with umbrella plants. Moreover, harvesting can begin in the spring.
Pulmonary
A characteristic feature is the pure white color of the fruiting body (Figure 5). The cap is convex, and its edges are slightly down. Good news for mushroom pickers: it grows in large families, so in one trip to the forest you can pick up a whole basket of mushrooms.
Figure 5. Appearance of pulmonary oyster mushroom If you don't know what trees the pulmonaceous species grow on, look for an old birch, oak or beech. There is no need to worry that the mushrooms will be damaged after picking. Despite their delicate appearance, they tolerate transportation well and are not sensitive to low temperatures.
Pink
Under natural conditions, you can find pink oyster mushroom in Russia only in the Far East. It is also found in tropical countries, but, due to its unpretentiousness, it can also be successfully cultivated at home, on a substrate of straw or corn waste (Figure 6).
Figure 6. Pink oyster mushroom in nature and at home It grows on the trunks of deciduous trees, and grows in groups or clumps. It is considered an edible mushroom with not very high taste properties.
Royal
Royal oyster mushrooms, or erings, are fairly large mushrooms that grow on the ground. In this case, the mycelium is located on the roots of the plants (Figure 7).
Figure 7. Growing erings at home Representatives of this species are spring mushrooms. In regions with a warm climate, the first harvest can be harvested in March, and in moderate climates - in May. The fruit body is white or light yellow and quite large. It is valued for its high taste, high protein and vitamin content.
How to grow oyster mushrooms at home
Let's look at the most popular types of mushrooms that are cultivated in home gardens and large mushroom growing complexes.
Figure 8. Types of oyster mushrooms for home cultivation: 1 - ordinary, 2 - carob-shaped, 3 - steppe, 4 - pulmonary Examples of different types of mushrooms are shown in the pictures below.:
- Ordinary: the most common type of mushroom of this species. In nature, as a rule, it grows on stumps. In households, it can be cultivated on logs or grown in bags filled with substrate.
- Horn-shaped: these mushrooms grow in large groups. In young horn-shaped specimens, the cap has a convex shape, but as it grows it becomes funnel-like. The mushroom has a rich aroma, and the cap darkens with age (various shades of white and yellow). It is considered especially widespread in China, Japan and the Primorsky Territory.
- Stepnaya: found in steppe regions and grows on dead stems and roots mainly in autumn (September and October). The caps are often irregularly shaped and may be covered with small scales. The color is yellow-brown or slightly reddish.
- Pulmonary: The caps are white, but may have a slight grayish tint. It has soft flesh with a pleasant mushroom smell. As a rule, the fungus grows in groups on fallen trunks of deciduous trees from June to October. Old mushrooms are edible but may be a little tough.
- Lemon-hat: A characteristic feature is its bright lemon color. This is one of the most sought after species, but due to its fragility, these mushrooms are difficult to transport. An additional advantage is the pronounced aroma, and when added to food, dishes acquire a light nutty aroma. It is also called the ilmak mushroom, since under natural conditions it grows on the Far Eastern species of ilmak tree, although it can be found on the trunks of poplar, beech, oak or birch. In the wild, the mushroom grows in Asia and North America, but is also cultivated in the Far East.
- Pink: grows in clumps, and the caps have a distinct pink color. Under natural conditions it can be found in tropical and subtropical regions, but it can also be grown artificially using cotton waste, fermented straw or corn cobs as a substrate.
- Florida: It is distinguished by a rather large funnel-shaped cap (diameter can reach 20 cm). Outwardly similar to the usual one, but differs in the lighter color of the caps and less soft flesh. The Florida plant is native to North America, but it is successfully cultivated in the Caucasus using beech logs.
Figure 9. Popular varieties of mushroom: 1 - lemon-cap, 2 - pink, 3 - Florida Interestingly, the Florida mushroom is not a separate species, but only a regional variant of the common mushroom.
Modern breeders have developed many hybrids that are characterized by higher fertility, ease of care and improved taste. Below is information about the most common strains and their main characteristics (Figure 10).
- NK-35
This is one of the most common hybrids that produces a large harvest. Characteristic features: round gray cap with a diameter of up to 12 cm.
The strain is grown on moist plant substrates. To grow mycelium, you need to maintain a stable temperature of 24 degrees, but to get better mushrooms, the temperature needs to be lowered to 21 degrees.
It is important that the color of the hybrid cap is affected by the light intensity: the higher it is, the more saturated the shade will be.
A hybrid with high productivity. The fruiting bodies are beige, medium-sized, growing in small groups. To prepare the substrate, wheat straw, sunflower husks and corn waste are used. The substrate must be crushed and moistened to 70-75%, and to increase productivity it must be pasteurized or fermented. A distinctive feature of the strain is its resistance to air composition and changes in lighting.
This hybrid is distinguished by a gray or brown cap, the color intensity of which depends on the temperature. The strain requires the use of high-quality substrate for cultivation. You can use shredded wheat straw mixed with alfalfa stalks and corn cobs. Good yields are achieved when using a substrate of cereal straw and sunflower husks. All components must be crushed, mixed thoroughly and moistened.
Figure 10. Popular strains: 1 - NK-35, 2 - P-20, 3 - P-77, 4 - strain 107 When growing, the substrate temperature should not exceed 25 degrees. Under such conditions, the mycelium fully grows in about 2 weeks. After the first fruits appear, the temperature is reduced to 14 degrees, maintaining humidity at 90 degrees.
Note: Strain P-70 does not lose yield even at elevated growing temperatures, but this negatively affects the quality of fruiting bodies.
The main advantages of the strain are the high density of the fruiting body, which facilitates storage and transportation, high yield and the possibility of long-term storage.
This strain is characterized by high yield and undemanding conditions. As a rule, the cap is dark gray, but the shade depends on the cultivation temperature and light intensity.
The hybrid shows high yield when grown on ordinary chopped straw, but the substrate temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. Complete overgrowth with mycelium occurs in 12-16 days. After the first fruiting bodies appear, the temperature is reduced to 11-16 degrees, and the humidity is maintained at 90%.
Externally, the mushrooms look very neat: a small stem and a correctly shaped cap. At the same time, they are perfectly suited for long-term storage, have a rich mushroom smell and do not break during transportation.
The strain is also characterized by high yield, and the fruiting bodies have a delicate light gray or cream color. For cultivation, you can use chopped straw or a mixed substrate. It must be pasteurized, fermented and moistened. During mycelium germination, the temperature should not exceed 30 degrees, while complete fouling is observed after 2 weeks.
The main requirement for growing hybrid 420 is thorough air filtration and maintaining a stable temperature, since mushrooms of this type are sensitive to air composition and cannot tolerate temperatures below 22 degrees. Recommendations for choosing the appropriate strain are given in the video.
At what temperature do oyster mushrooms grow?
If you already know where these mushrooms grow and on which trees to look for them, you should also decide on the harvest time.
The variety of species allows you to collect mushrooms from spring to autumn, but for most of them the temperature regime is important. Thus, mycelium germination occurs at temperatures from +5 to +20 degrees, with the optimal indicator being a range from 10 to 16 degrees.
Thus, in nature, maximum fruiting occurs in August-October (for a temperate climate). However, there are also species that can only be found in spring (for example, royal).
If you are interested in how they grow at home, you should immediately note that the success of cultivation will depend on what conditions you create for the mushrooms. It is desirable that the room maintain a stable temperature (on average +17 degrees) and humidity at 70%. Otherwise, ordinary stumps placed in the garden are sufficient for these mushrooms. In this case, you will be able to grow and harvest crops in natural conditions.
How fast do oyster mushrooms grow?
Oyster mushrooms can not only be collected in the forest, but also grown at home. This is one of the most unpretentious mushrooms, which requires minimal conditions and care, and the harvest will be quite abundant.
If the correct temperature and humidity conditions are created for the mushrooms, the mycelium will germinate quickly enough. Both at home and in the forest, a large specimen grows in 3-4 days, and you can start harvesting.
Oyster mushrooms grown from mycelium at home can be eaten without fear of food poisoning. But, if you go to the forest to pick mushrooms, you should know where they grow in nature and how to distinguish them from their poisonous counterparts.
It is not difficult to distinguish a false mushroom from a real one for several reasons. Firstly, they are not very common in our forests. Secondly, they are much larger and brightly colored to attract attention.
There are two most common types of false oyster mushroom that are found in Russia(Figure 11):
- Orange- painted in bright and rich colors. A characteristic feature is the almost complete absence of a stem: the mushroom is attached to the tree directly by the cap. In addition, they have a rather unusual smell. Young specimens smell like melon, and mature ones smell like rotten cabbage. The families are large, grow mainly on deciduous trees, and look very beautiful, which is why they are often used in landscape design.
- Wolf's saw-leaf can be found on dead wood of deciduous and coniferous species from June to November. The caps are cream or brown, grow sideways on the trunks, and mature specimens are covered with characteristic red spots. The smell is mushroom, but the flesh is very bitter.
Figure 11. Types of false oyster mushroom: 1 - orange, 2 - wolf leaf All false species do not contain potent toxins, so they cannot cause death. However, they are not suitable for food because the taste is too bitter.
What does an oyster (ordinary) mushroom look like?
Oyster mushroom, or common oyster mushroom, is the most common type of these mushrooms (Figure 12). It is successfully grown at home, since this variety is unpretentious to temperature, humidity and other cultivation conditions.
She has a funnel-shaped cap, shaped like an ear. The skin is matte and smooth, with shades ranging from light gray to dark. The family grows from one mycelium and forms a dense multi-tiered cluster.
Figure 12. External features of the oyster (common) mushroom In nature it grows on weakened deciduous trees and fallen trunks. In addition, it tolerates cold temperatures well, and although harvesting begins in September, it can last until November. Only young specimens are suitable for food, since old mushrooms have too hard flesh.
When can you pick oyster mushrooms?
The wide variety of oyster mushroom species allows them to be collected from spring to late autumn. In the spring, the royal mushroom appears in pastures and meadows, in the summer, starting in June, you can find the carob and pulmonaria in the forest, and the oyster, or common mushroom, is found in the forests even in late autumn, second only to winter mushrooms.
Based on this, they can be grown at home all year round, using an old basement or greenhouse.
Oyster mushrooms are edible mushrooms, often called oyster mushrooms for their similarity in taste to these seafood delicacies. They got their name because of their “suspended” state. All types of oyster mushrooms are located on stumps and tree trunks in such a way that it seems as if they are suspended in the air. These forest gifts are rich in amino acids and other beneficial substances, and therefore are used with pleasure in cooking.
Oyster mushroom and autumn mushroom
Below are photos and descriptions of common and autumn oyster mushrooms.
Oyster mushroom(Pleurotus ostreatus) is a mushroom with a lateral, semicircular, ear-shaped, grayish-yellow cap up to 20 cm in maximum diameter. The meat is white, has a pleasant smell. The plates are sparse, thick, first white, then yellow. The leg is short, narrowed towards the base, pubescent.
They grow in deciduous forests on stumps and trunks of dead deciduous trees.
Collection time- from June to autumn frosts.
Young oyster mushrooms are edible. It is used boiled and fried, salted and pickled.
Autumn oyster mushroom (Pleurotus salignus). The cap is one-sided, ear-shaped, elongated, up to 12 cm long, up to 6 cm wide, young gray, gray-brown, then grey-ochre. The meat is white, has a pleasant smell. The plates of a young mushroom are white, then gray-brown.
The leg is short, dense, slightly pubescent.
As you can see in the photo, these types of oyster mushrooms grow in groups on stumps and trunks of deciduous trees.
Collection time- September October.
Used boiled, fried and pickled.
Oyster mushroom steppe and carob-shaped
Here you can find photos and descriptions of oyster mushrooms of the species Pleurotus eryngii and Pleurotus cornucopiae.
Steppe oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii)- steppe white mushroom. The cap is up to 8 cm in diameter, flat-convex, irregular, fleshy, grayish-reddish, yellowish in old mushrooms. The plates are sparse, wide, whitish-pink. Leg up to 4 cm tall, whitish.
Grows on the roots of plants, mainly umbrella plants, in the steppes. Collection time is September - October.
The oyster mushroom (Pleurotus cornucopiae) has a cap up to 12 cm in diameter; young mushrooms have a convex, white or yellowish cap. Older mushrooms are horn-shaped and darker. The pulp is dense, white, pleasant taste and smell. The plates are sparse, white or yellowish. The leg is short, white.
