The mushrooms will come. Simple rules for collecting healthy and nutritious porcini mushrooms. Mushroom picker calendar for autumn

The forest thicket is rich in its flora. One of its components are mushrooms. Among their diversity, one stands out - the main one - White mushroom. White fungus brings great benefits to the human body. But he can also cause considerable harm to health if the mushroom picker makes mistakes. It is important to know when and where to pick mushrooms, in which forests they grow, and how to distinguish a real white mushroom from its counterpart.

We go for mushrooms to the right places

White fungus is found in almost all latitudes the globe. It grows in European, American, Chinese, Siberian, Turkish and Mongolian forests. The Australians were the only ones not lucky: not a single mushroom was found in Australia.

White mushrooms grow almost all over the world

White grow next to birches, beeches, firs. Especially a lot of them are found in oak forests, from which they got their middle name. They like the neighborhood of juniper, mushrooms take a lot of nutrients from it and grow especially large.

But aspen groves and alder thickets are shunned by boletus, there is very little food left for them.

Advice. If you find one white mushroom in a birch grove or oak forest, do not rush to straighten your back. Mushrooms grow in families, look for - you will definitely come across more.

White fungus, like any other representative of this genus, loves warm, humid places, so it grows in the lowlands, where the humidity is maximum. It should also be noted that whites do not grow in young forests. You will never meet them in recent plantings.

Important! Never pick mushrooms near plants and factories. The mushroom picker, like a sponge, absorbs everything that is contained in the soil. Often, seasoned mushroom pickers poison their bodies with products collected in environmentally polluted places.

Boletus harvest time

There is no specific date for harvesting porcini mushrooms. The first of them appear in mid-June. The season ends with real night frosts, which means it can continue until the end of October. In case of an early increase in air temperature, mushrooms can be found in May.

Ceps have a phenomenal growth rate. A young mushroom weighing up to 5 g in 4-5 days becomes a 250-gram hero. There were cases when mushroom pickers boasted of specimens whose weight exceeded 500 g and reached 1 kg. We can assume that these stories are akin to fishing tales, but in 1961 a record mushroom weighing about 11 kg was found, the diameter of its hat was almost 60 cm.

How to distinguish a real porcini mushroom from a false one

The type of boletus directly depends on the place of growth. The elements contained in the soil affect the color and shape.

Depending on the place of growth, porcini mushrooms may have a different color.

1. Oak porcini mushroom - distinguished by a light coffee hat, up to 30 cm in diameter. Pleasant velvety to the touch. The tubular layer has a light olive tint, on the stem there is a white mesh, which is clearly visible along the entire length. This variety of white fungus is found in oak and linden groves, in the south it can be found next to edible chestnuts. It is valued by mushroom pickers for its unique aroma and light nutty flavor that persists after drying.
2. Birch porcini mushroom - has an almost white hat with a slight yellowing. It grows small in size - up to 15 cm in diameter. The tubular body of a young boletus is completely white, becoming yellowish with age. The leg is light, brownish, covered with a white mesh only in its upper part. Found in birch groves.
3. Pine white mushroom - unlike other representatives, it has a bright wine color of the cap. Tubular layer of olive color. The leg also has a mesh, but a reddish tint. It occurs in light and warm areas of coniferous forest, but in the hot season it can hide in the shade of dense crowns.

White - mushroom of the first category, it is edible and extremely useful. It can be eaten without heat treatment. But you should be very careful, because even experienced mushroom pickers can get false whites in the basket, which are conditionally edible, or even inedible and poisonous.

The main difference between all false mushrooms is the color of the tubular body under the cap. For example, at gall fungus it is slightly pinkish. Also, this double has an extremely bitter taste, which intensifies during processing. Not a single inhabitant of the forest will ever covet him.

White mushroom is very useful for humans

Another representative of twins - satanic mushroom. Unlike the gall fungus, which is inedible but not poisonous, the satanic mushroom is extremely dangerous to humans. The directory defines it as conditionally edible, but you can eat a satanic mushroom only after 10 hours of heat treatment. Only 10 g of raw mushroom pulp can cause paralysis of the entire human nervous system. The color and shape of the cap of this false mushroom is identical to white. The tubular layer can have all sorts of shades of red: from orange to pink. The mesh layer is red. The flesh is light, but turns blue on the cut within 5 minutes. Old representatives satanic mushroom have a terrible smell of rotten onions.

Important. It is recommended to check the color change of the cut on the legs directly during collection.

Who is especially useful white mushroom

The composition of boletus includes many elements useful for the human body. Especially a lot of it contains vegetable protein. In addition, the pulp of the fungus contains vitamins PP, C, B, B1; trace elements: iodine, zinc, copper.

Porcini mushroom broths are able to put a person on his feet after a complex operation. Mushrooms stimulate the digestive function, they have antitumor properties, and also help to tone the muscles and increase their endurance. White mushroom is strongly recommended to be eaten by athletes, vegetarians, people predisposed to cancer, and having problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Collection of white mushrooms: video

White mushroom: photo

The most necessary things for every mushroom picker are a mushroom picker's calendar and a mushroom guide. After checking with mushroom calendar, you can easily understand which mushrooms to collect at this particular time. Despite the fact that the timing of the appearance of a particular type of fungus is not constant and depends on weather conditions, each mushroom has its own specific start and end dates for the season. Here they are contained in the mushroom picker calendar for 2017. If you have forgotten the main differences between poisonous and edible mushrooms, be sure to refresh your memory by looking at the guide to mushrooms.

Mushroom picker calendar for summer

• Mushrooms in June According to the mushroom picker's calendar, in the first decade of June, lovers of mushroom picking should look for boletus in the pine forest, and boletus in birch groves. In the second half of June comes mushroom season at the white loaders. Loaders are fruitful mushrooms, they are harvested all summer and until late autumn.
• Mushrooms in July In the first days of July, the season of mushrooms begins, and at the end of the first decade of July, the most desirable mushrooms for the mushroom picker are porcini mushrooms. At the same time, according to the calendar, the first russula appear - the most fruitful mushrooms. They can be found in almost any forest from July to late autumn frosts. In the second half of July in coniferous and mixed forests milk mushrooms begin to come across, black podgruzdki, and on the edges and forest clearings mushroom pickers are pleased with chanterelles and pigs.
• Mushrooms in August August is considered the most mushroom month. In harvest years, mushroom pickers in August collect porcini mushrooms, milk mushrooms, saffron mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, russula, boletus and other mushrooms in baskets. At the beginning of August, the first mushrooms appear, and in the middle of the month - waves and whites. The second half of August and the first decade of September - best time for picking mushrooms.

Mushroom picker calendar for autumn

• Gibs in September. In September, mushroom pickers have joy. As the mushroom picker's calendar says: many summer mushrooms, at the same time appear in large numbers autumn mushrooms. In the second half of September, part of the mushroom species disappears, but honey agaric, volnushki, whites, birch boletus, pigs, and white mushrooms are still plentiful.
• Mushrooms in October At the end of October, you can postpone the mushroom picker calendar until next year, because the mushroom season ends. In the second decade of October, when the average daily air temperature drops to 4-5 degrees Celsius and night frosts begin, the mushroom picking season will end. However, you can still find young mushrooms, preserved under the foliage and grass of saffron mushrooms, volnushki and whites.

Mushroom calendar 2017

for the Moscow region and central Russia

Mushroom calendar 2017

for the Leningrad region and the northern places of Russia

Mushroom season in the forests Leningrad region- time from August to November. There are countless mushroom places in the Leningrad Region, the main thing is to know when to pick this or that mushroom. This will help the mushroom picker calendar for the Leningrad region. Edible mushrooms in the Leningrad region are diverse: bright aspen mushrooms, appetizing boletus mushrooms, valuable porcini mushrooms and mushrooms, red chanterelles, slippery butterflies and mossiness mushrooms, as well as volnushki, milk mushrooms and mushrooms. If you check the mushroom picker's calendar, you can pick up delicious morels, and raincoats, and russula. Do not be lazy, in the right weather after the rain, look at the mushroom calendar and get ready for a mushroom picking trip. Focus on the mushroom picker calendar for the Leningrad Region below.

Mushroom guide

There are no reliable methods to distinguish between edible and poisonous mushrooms by eye, so the only way out is to know each of the mushrooms. If the species affiliation of mushrooms is in doubt, it is by no means worth eating them. Fortunately, among the hundreds of species found in nature, many differ so clearly pronounced signs that it is difficult to confuse them with others. However, it is best to always have a mushroom guide handy.

Mushroom guide - How to distinguish edible mushrooms
1 - breast; 2 - camelina; 3 - cone mushroom; 4 - greenish russula; 5 - food russula; 6 - fox.	7 - oiler; 8 - morel; 9 - white mushroom; 10 - large umbrella; 11 - row; 12 - field champignon.
Mushroom guide - How to distinguish poisonous mushrooms
1 - paneolus; 2 - gray float; 3 - luminous talker; 4 - ordinary veselka; 5 - death cap; 6 - white fly agaric (spring).	7 - fly agaric red; 8 - motley champignon; 9 - russula vomit; 10 - value; 11 - entoloma

Taking with you a guide to mushrooms and a mushroom picker's calendar, making your way through the forest in search of mushrooms, you can entertain yourself with a conversation about mushrooms. Share interesting facts about mushrooms with your friends.

The most poisonous mushrooms

Undoubtedly poisonous species There are about a hundred mushrooms in Europe. Of these, only eight are deadly poisonous.

• The most poisonous mushroom is Galerina sulciceps growing in Java and Sri Lanka. Even one eaten fruit leads to death in half an hour or an hour.
• In Europe and North America, the most poisonous are white fly agaric (spring) and smelly fly agaric.
• The most poisonous, deadly to humans is the pale grebe, for which no antidote has yet been found.

The largest edible mushrooms

The world's largest mushroom grows in Malheur National Park in the Blue Mountains (Oregon, USA). This mushroom covers an area of ​​890 hectares. However, we are interested in edible mushrooms.

• The largest edible mushroom was discovered in Canada by Jean Guy Richard. The unique raincoat (Calvatia gigantean) had a circumference of 2.64 meters and a weight of 22 kilograms.
• The largest mushroom was found in Italy by Francesco Quito in the province of Bari. The mushroom weighed 14 kilograms.
• The largest of the found truffles weighed even less - only 7 kilograms.

The most expensive mushrooms

• Of course, the most expensive mushrooms are truffles, white and black. Incredibly expensive white truffles grow mainly in Italy, in the Piedmont region. Also, the Perigord black truffle or Tuber melanosporum is considered a real masterpiece of nature.
• Matsutake mushroom competes with truffles for the title of the most expensive mushroom. This mushroom is often called the king of mushrooms due to its rich mushroom aroma and excellent taste. So far, no one has succeeded in artificially growing matsutake, which is why the price for them has increased significantly, unlike truffles, which the Chinese have learned to successfully cultivate.

Now, thanks to the mushroom picker's calendar, you know which mushrooms and when to pick in the Moscow and Leningrad regions. Distinguish edible and recognize poisonous mushrooms A short guide to mushrooms will help you. Happy silent hunting.

Before moving on to the story of the places where porcini mushrooms grow, it would not be superfluous to mention that the phrase "porcini mushroom" is collective, and implies not one specific fungus, but several. Their number, as it turned out, is not limited to ten. In total, there are 18 subspecies, 4 of which are even trying to be defined as independent, certain types. Most of these mushrooms belong to the genus Borovik, but by a lucky chance, among the “noble” there was also one “mishandled Cossack” from the genus Obabok (white boletus) - because light color his hat. For the average mushroom picker, this information may seem scientifically boring, if not completely useless, but it significantly explains why porcini mushrooms grow in a variety of forests - from coniferous to deciduous.

Forests of white mushrooms

The variety of forests in which porcini mushrooms grow is explained by the fact that their different subspecies "make" an alliance - and very mutually beneficial - with a variety of trees. And they grow exactly where these trees are.

It would seem that to search for places where mushrooms should be found in fat herds, it is enough to write down the list of trees to which they gravitate and carry it with you on outings. But no - due to pickiness to the conditions, the lion's share of all varieties of porcini fungus turned out to be noticeably "more legible" than the same boletus and other aspen mushrooms. Give them not only “your” symbionts (moreover, of a certain age), but also specific soil, as well as characteristic thermal and humidity conditions. That is why porcini mushrooms do not grow anywhere, but only in special forests. Here we will now consider them in detail.

coniferous forests

Let's start, of course - with conifers, because these forests are the most dominant in temperate zone northern hemisphere of the planet, especially in its extreme northern part. In addition, they are the most characteristic landscape where white mushrooms grow.

Pine forests

Photo 2. Mountain pine forest rich in porcini mushrooms.

These forests usually have white mushroom pine, entering into symbiosis is understandable with which tree, less often with spruce and other (including deciduous) species. It differs from other boletus mushrooms in its sugary brown hat and stem, sometimes also having a brownish tint. The soil loves with sand, or loamy, but in no case waterlogged. That is, the fungus definitely avoids swamps and damp lowlands, preferring dry forests to them. In the mountains, he loves to "climb" higher - there, you see, the conditions for him are the best.

You can calculate the places where pine porcini mushrooms grow, not only by digging forest land spatula and found grains of sand under the half-rotten bedding. The main landmark is moss (sphagnum) or lichen "pillows". Mushrooms usually appear here, especially if there are small gaps in the trees, warming up more by the sun than other surrounding areas. They can also be found along the edges of clearings, clearings, and along forest roadsides.

I will give an example from my personal mushroom practice, when I managed to come across a whole “field” of porcini mushrooms, where they grew like cucumbers in a greenhouse and almost climbed on top of each other. It was a clearing bordering on a forest and a river, and it turned out to be completely covered with moss and reindeer moss. From one square meter a bucket of mushrooms was instantly collected from this place, and in total they managed to cut a dozen of such buckets. How we then dragged this wealth, and how we dragged it to the house in general, is the topic of a separate story. I can only say one thing - for the first time I felt everything in full negative traits own greed.

Spruce forests, fir or spruce-fir forests

Photo 4. Spruce-fir forest.

grows here spruce porcini mushroom. Outwardly, it is almost indistinguishable from the pine boletus, except that the color of its hat is slightly less saturated. By the way, this mushroom is a type species, and therefore - it is the same "real porcini mushroom".

Photo 5. Here he is - a handsome man, a typical representative of porcini mushrooms. Grew up on a cushion of sphagnum moss.

The growing conditions of the spruce boletus actually correspond to its pine counterpart, with the exception of the fact that the former is more inclined towards spruces.

Just like the previous mushroom, the spruce boletus loves sandy or loamy, not waterlogged soils, and moss-lichen litter.

Deciduous forests

They are noticeably smaller than coniferous forests, but this does not prevent them from occupying a very decent area. Deciduous forests are more developed in the southern area, in the north they are usually an infrequent occurrence.

birch forests

Photo 6. Bereznyak. The place of growth of the birch variety of white fungus.

It's funny, but the true white fungus managed to form a subspecies here too - birch boletus, he is spikelet(This name is due to the fact that this mushroom appears exactly at the time of earing of rye).

Unlike previous varieties, the spikelet has the lightest hat, is not so picky about the type of soil, and grows almost everywhere, except perhaps avoiding frank swamps and peat bogs. It is very common and numerous, for which we especially adore the admirers of the “quiet hunt”. In fact, it can be found in any birch forest, preferring edges and borders between overgrown and open areas.

There are three signs by which you can accurately determine whether porcini mushrooms grow in a birch forest. First of all, these are grass bumps. Or in a popular way - white-bearded grass.

Photo 8. Where such grass bumps come across, white mushrooms will definitely grow.

Two other signs are neighbor mushrooms. Fly agaric red and chanterelle. As a rule, both of them accompany the white fungus, and even begin to bear fruit with it at about the same time.

oak groves

Photo 9. A small oak grove with a slight admixture of birch and dark coniferous species (eastern border of the pedunculate oak).

Nevertheless, the area is not quite typical for the Urals, and it is worth mentioning, because, after all, we have small oak forests in the southwest, and this is the territory where ceps of the oak variety grow. However, this variety is controversial - some scientists distinguish it as an independent species - boletus bronze. It differs from the previous dark color hats, sometimes it even has a black, mold-like coating. In France, this fungus is popularly referred to as "Negro's head".

Photo 10

It grows in warm forests, tends to the southern regions. Rare or absent in mountainous areas. According to rumors - it comes across with us, but extremely infrequently.

Elm forests

Vyazovniki, they are ilmovniki. There are some. A specific breed of porcini mushrooms that prefer these particular forests has not yet been noticed. However, occasionally in these forests there are pine and spruce varieties, and sometimes birch comes across.

Scientists from mycology unanimously argue that it is difficult for porcini mushrooms to form a symbiosis with elm due to some specific nuances of biology given tree. That is why they are so rare there, and if they are found, then in small quantities.

I want to add the only thing: elm forests are those forests where porcini mushrooms do not grow. No matter how much I wandered in these places, I never saw mushrooms, although some other edible mushrooms did come across there.

Another thing is when the elm grows mixed with lindens and birches, and even with fir and spruce. But this is already

mixed forests

Which I mentioned for a reason, because their share among our forests is very tangible. So, it is in them that you most often come across large clusters of porcini mushrooms. What this is connected with is unknown. I only assume that the “hodgepodge” of symbiont trees somehow provides mushrooms best conditions for growth. And it is possible that the original undergrowth of mixed forests somehow influences here.

Although ... In mixed forests, there is often such a tree as a birch, and therefore - there is everything for the growth of a birch variety of white fungus - the most numerous of all. Maybe it provides the "productivity" of mixed forests?

Something about the minimum age of trees

It is noticed that what older forest, the more virgin and primitive it is, the more likely it is to come across large clusters of porcini mushrooms in it. But in young forest plantations, you will most likely be with butterflies, but not with whites. For the latter require a huge interval of time (according to some sources - from 20 to 50 years) in order to form a well-developed mycelium capable of bearing fruit on a maximum scale. Although, small harvests of whites sometimes occur in relatively young forests, but the fact is that it is small.

conclusions

Well, now - it's time to sum up all of the above. So, where porcini mushrooms grow, there:

1. There are birch, pine, spruce, fir and oak. And also - other trees, but the number of mushrooms here will be noticeably less.
2. The age of the trees is “adult”, that is, at least 20 years old, but older is better.
3. In relatively dry, not wetlands.
4. Along the borders of the forest and open areas, in places where trees are less common.
5. In the mountains.
6. On sandy, sandy and loamy soils.
7. Where mosses (sphagnum, cuckoo flax) and lichens grow on the ground.

Knowing these seven rules, you can safely go into the forest and quite successfully discover places where porcini mushrooms grow. However, I strongly recommend that you be observant at the same time, fix any interesting points and draw your own conclusions regarding the places where mushrooms grow. And the more often you walk through the forest, the more secrets and he will reveal secrets to you. And you will always come back with full baskets.

So yes! Just remember to sharpen your knife well.

White mushroom (boletus) is the real king of mushrooms and perhaps the most desirable prey during the “silent hunt”. Know where porcini mushrooms grow and when exactly myceliums give the most big harvest- the cherished dream and goal of any avid mushroom picker.

White mushroom is considered the most valuable, tasty, fragrant and nutritious.

Huge popularity and even love of many admirers of one of the most "natural" types of leisure boletus won not only appearance, regal posture and rich taste. It is very practical in cooking and preparations in a variety of forms - dried, salted and pickled. In addition, his search in the forest is an exciting activity in itself, developing in a person the healthy qualities of a real seeker.

But before going to the places of the most massive, traditional habitat of this spore plant, let's briefly get acquainted with their varieties and their distinctive features.

White mushroom and its main types

There are several versions of why this mushroom was popularly called white (although it also has another, more official, name - boletus). But despite the variety of all versions, most likely, the etymology of the familiar name is associated with the unique property of this handsome forest- it is the only one among the vast kingdom of various tubular mushrooms that retains its pleasant white color during drying, heat treatment, as well as in the places of the cut.

By tradition, experienced mushroom pickers easily distinguish white mushrooms by the special color scheme and shape of the cap and stem, as well as by the density of its pulp and excellent taste.

Moreover, in size and shape different parts you can determine whether a mushroom is young or old in front of us.

Yes, in his early age boletus has an almost spherical cap. The legs of the noble mushroom "young growth" are usually characterized by a pronounced barrel-shaped, the usual color of the leg is either light gray or light brown.

Over time, in a maturing boletus, the hat straightens out more and more, often so much that it becomes almost flat. At its maximum hat this plant sometimes it reaches a size of 20-30 cm. Noticeable metamorphoses also occur with the leg. With growth, it is more and more stretched in height and therefore from a barrel-shaped one it gradually turns into a rather slender cylinder. On average, the stem of the porcini fungus reaches a height of up to 10-15 cm in height, and up to 5-7 cm in diameter.

Usually its strong fleshy flesh is white in color and has a pleasant, pronounced mushroom aroma.

White mushrooms with their "colonies" form in woodland mycorrhiza is a symbiosis of fungal mycelium with tree roots, mainly spruce, pine, oak and birch. Due to the fact that the mycelium penetrates the roots higher plants, both "partners" receive mutual benefit.

Most often, white birch fungus can be found on the edges and along roads.

By the way, the color of its cap, the spectrum of which ranges from light brown to brown and dark brown, depends on which tree the boletus forms a close relationship with. In total, there are 3 main varieties of porcini mushrooms:

1. Birch. Most often grows in small groups or singly. His hat is usually either white or light yellow. The pale brown leg of the birch porcini fungus has a characteristic difference from the legs of other porcini mushrooms - a light mesh on it can only be distinguished near the cap.
2. Oak. characteristic feature of this species are its rather large size, light colors of the legs of brownish, ocher or coffee color, the presence of velvety skin. White (brown) mesh completely covers the entire leg of a cylindrical shape.
3. Pine. The most brightly colored type among all described varieties. In adulthood, his hat grows up to 20 cm in diameter and acquires the color of dark red wine. The tubular layer of the cap is painted in olive color, and a reddish mesh covers the leg from top to bottom.

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When and where do mushrooms grow?

Oak porcini grows in deciduous forests: under oaks, hornbeams, beeches, lindens and chestnuts.

The porcini mushroom as a whole is a rather capricious creature. The fact is that it is extremely sensitive to the features temperature regime the area in which it grows, to the level of humidity and other climatic parameters. This is the main reason why boletus usually does not yield too much.

However, if the climatic conditions suit it, it grows quite quickly. The period of growth and full maturation takes only a few days, and after a week (maximum after 10 days) aging begins with all negative consequences- the loss of unique taste qualities, increased worminess and the accumulation in the body of the fungus of toxic waste products of microorganisms, which, like people, love this plant.

Therefore, the mushroom picker should prepare in advance for an active “quiet hunt” and try to catch the period when this can be done with the maximum result. Of course, you need to know exactly where exactly to look for the "mushroom king".

If we talk about the area of ​​​​distribution of boletus, then it can be noted that almost the whole world is “mastered” by it. The only exceptions are Australia and the polar (Arctic) zone. True, in Russia this fungus is occasionally found in the southern regions of the tundra on the peninsulas of Chukotka and Kamchatka, in the Khibiny tundra.

Basically, pine white fungus grows in coniferous forests in the summer-autumn period.

The colonies of this noble plant grow quite actively in the Siberian taiga. But the richest in the Russian Federation for crops of porcini mushrooms is traditionally European part countries where they feel especially good in vast mixed forests. The most unloved for boletus are the steppe regions.

Boletus can grow in both old and young forests. However, he loves the former more. It is in them that abundant mosses and lichens are often found. At the same time, this mushroom feels good both on loamy and sandy soils that predominate in coniferous forests.

Wherein different types mushrooms demonstrate individual preferences regarding the place of their settlement. So, birch whites grow mainly along forest roads and paths, on forest edges. The oak species, in addition to oak forests, also gravitates towards lindens, chestnuts and hornbeams. The pine boletus coexists equally well both in fairly light and warm glades, and in the shade of dense tree crowns. It should always be borne in mind that this mushroom never grows in a completely open area.

Our forest delicacies can be found from June to September inclusive. However, the most productive period is traditionally considered the second half of August, when there are almost ideal conditions for development with short but heavy rains and warm nights with fogs. However, if the spring turned out to be warm and rainy enough, the appearance of young mushroom growth is possible in May.

White mushroom (lat. Boletus edulis) is a type of fungus that belongs to the department Basidiomycetes, the class Agaricomycetes, the order Boletaceae, the family Boletaceae,. This is the most colorful representative of the mushroom kingdom. The abbreviated name of the mushroom is simply “white”, some call it boletus. Even inexperienced mushroom pickers easily recognize the "forest celebrity" and fill their baskets with it.

Why is white mushroom called white?

The porcini mushroom got its name from old times when mushrooms were more often dried than fried or stewed. The marble pulp of the porcini fungus remains perfectly white even after heat treatment and drying. People noticed this feature and called the mushroom with a dark hat white. Another version of the name is associated with the opposition of the white fungus to the less tasty and not so valuable "black" butternut squash, the flesh of which darkens on the cut.

White mushroom - description and photo, characteristics and properties

Hat

All mushrooms of the boletus genus have a strikingly delicate aroma and spicy taste.
The brownish-brown cap of a mature porcini mushroom grows on average in diameter up to 7-30 centimeters. But in certain latitudes, subject to heavy rains and mild temperatures, porcini mushrooms with a cap diameter of 50 centimeters also appear.

Determining the age of a mushroom is quite simple: in a young porcini mushroom, the cap has an almost artistically deduced convex shape, overripe mushrooms are flatter, sometimes even prostrate in appearance. The surface of the white mushroom cap in most cases has a pleasant to the touch, slightly velvety texture, the upper skin is tightly connected with the pulp, so it is difficult to separate from it. In dry and windy weather, the cap becomes covered with a network of small but deep wrinkles or cracks, which leads to damage to the internal pores of the fungus. IN rainy weather at the top of the cap you can see a thin film of mucus. The color of the cap of the porcini mushroom can be varied - from reddish brown to almost milky white. The older the mushroom, the darker and denser the hat becomes, and the skin acquires a characteristic roughness.

pulp

The pulp of a ripe porcini mushroom is dense, juicy and mostly fleshy, attractive white color. In old mushrooms, it turns into a fibrous structure, the shade of the pulp acquires a slightly yellow or light beige tone.

Leg

The height of the stem of the white fungus is small, on average it reaches 12 centimeters, but you can also meet more “tall” representatives, the stem of which reaches 25 centimeters in height. The diameter of the stem is 7 cm, less often - 10 cm. hallmark white fungus is the shape of its stem: it is barrel-shaped or club-shaped, over time, in old mushrooms it becomes cylindrical, slightly elongated in the center and thick at the base and cap. Its color varies from white to deep brown, sometimes with dark red spots. There are porcini mushrooms, the color scheme of the cap and legs of which are almost completely identical. Often, at the base of the cap, the stem has a network of light thin veins, sometimes almost indistinguishable against the main background of the skin.

Bedspread and spore powder

There are no remains of the veil in the porcini fungus - the base of the leg is perfectly clean.
Spore powder of a juicy olive-brown hue, the porcini spores themselves resemble a spindle in shape, their dimensions are amazingly tiny: 15.5 x 5.5 microns. The tubular layer is light, then turns yellow, acquiring an olive-green hue.

Where do white mushrooms grow?

White mushrooms grow on all continents, with the exception of too dry Australia and cold Antarctica. It is found throughout Europe, North and South America, in Mexico, in the territories of China, Japan and in the northern regions of Mongolia, in North Africa, in the British Isles, in the Caucasus, Kamchatka, the Far East, in the middle and southern latitudes of Russia. Very often, white mushrooms can be found in the northern taiga, in the European part of Russia and in the Far East.

When and in what forests do porcini mushrooms grow?

The growth cycle of porcini mushrooms is very unstable and depends on the place of growth. White mushrooms begin to grow in May or June, and the abundant appearance of mushroom islands ends in late autumn - in October-November (in warm regions). In the northern regions, the white fungus grows from June to September, and the mass collection begins in the second half of August. growth phase white boletus quite long: only in a full week does it reach adulthood. Mushrooms grow in families or colonies-rings, so meeting in the forest with even one white mushroom often promises indispensable success for the mushroom picker.

White mushrooms grow in both coniferous and deciduous or mixed forests under trees such as spruce, pine, oak, birch, hornbeam, and fir. Collection of white mushrooms can be carried out in places covered with moss and lichen, on sandy, sandy and loamy soils, but these mushrooms rarely grow on swampy soils and peat bogs. White fungus loves sunlight, but it can also grow in dark areas. The fungus grows poorly when the soil is waterlogged and low daily air temperatures. Whites rarely grow in the tundra and forest-tundra, forest-steppe, and in the steppe regions, whites are not found at all.

Types of white mushrooms, names and photos

Among porcini mushrooms, the following varieties are considered to be the most famous:

• White mushroom mesh (boletus mesh) (lat.Boletus reticulatus )

Edible mushroom. Outwardly similar to, has a hat of brown or ocher color, sometimes with orange tint located on a short cylindrical leg. The mesh on the stem of the mushroom is white or brown. The cap has a diameter of 6-30 cm. The flesh is white.

There is a white fungus reticulated in beech, oak, hornbeam, chestnut forests of Europe, North America and Africa, in the Caucasus. It occurs in June-September, but not too often.

• White mushroom dark bronze (copper, hornbeam) (bronze boletus) (lat. Boletus aereus)

An edible type of porcini mushroom, it is distinguished by a very dark brown color of the cap and legs - sometimes they are almost black. On the leg there is a mesh, first white, then walnut. The leg has a cylindrical shape. The flesh of the bronze white fungus is white, does not change color when cut, dense, with a pleasant smell and taste.

The dark bronze white fungus can be found in oak, beech, oak-hornbeam forests from July to October, it is common in western and southern countries Europe, often found in the United States.

• Birch porcini mushroom (spikelet) (lat. Boletus betulicol a )

A feature of the species is a very light, almost white color of the cap, which reaches 5-15 cm in diameter. Less often, its color has a slightly creamy or light yellow tint. The stem of the mushroom is barrel-shaped, white-brown in color, has a white mesh in its upper part. On the cut, the mushroom does not turn blue, the pulp of the mushroom is white.

It grows exclusively under birches, occurs throughout its habitat, where there are birch forests and groves, along roads and on the edges. Fruits from June to October singly or in groups. It often grows throughout Russia, as well as in Western Europe.

• White mushroom pine (upland, boletus dine-loving) (lat. Boletus pinophilus)

A type of porcini mushroom with a large dark-colored hat, sometimes with a purple hue. The cap has a diameter of 6-30 cm. The pulp of the mushroom under the thin skin of the cap has a brownish-red color, it is white in the stem, does not turn blue on the cut. The stem of the mushroom is thick, short, white or brown in color, has a mesh of light brown or reddish hue.

White fungus pine grows in pine forests on sandy soils and in the mountains, less often in spruce forests and deciduous forests, found everywhere: in Europe, Central America, Russia (in the northern regions of the European part, in Siberia).

• White oak mushroom (lat. Boletus edulis f. quercicola)

A mushroom with a brown cap, but not brownish, but with gray tint, sometimes light spots are “scattered” on the hat. The pulp of this species is loose and less dense than that of other varieties of white.

Oak white fungus can be found in the oak forests of the Caucasus and Primorsky Krai, it is often found in middle lane Russia and its southern territories.

• Spruce porcini mushroom (lat. Boletus edulis f. edulis)

The type of the most common white fungus. The leg is elongated and has a thickening at the bottom. The mesh reaches a third or half of the leg. The hat has a brown, reddish or chestnut color.

Spruce white fungus grows in fir and spruce forests in Russia and Europe, except Iceland. White mushroom appears in June and bears fruit until autumn.

Useful properties of white mushrooms, vitamins and minerals

Due to its high mineral content, white mushroom is one of the most popular and beneficial mushrooms. What is useful white mushroom?

• First of all, the pulp of the porcini mushroom contains the optimal amount Selene capable of curing cancer in the early stages.
• Vitamin C, which is contained in white, is necessary for the normal functioning of all organs.
• The fragrant gourmet white pulp contains calcium vital to the human body iron, as well as phytohormones to reduce inflammation in the body.
• Riboflavin, which is part of the porcini fungus, contributes to the normalization of the thyroid gland, and also improves the growth of hair and nails.
• B vitamins contained in white, have a beneficial effect on nervous system, energy metabolism, memory and brain function, protect the skin and mucous membranes from infections, are responsible for sound sleep, good mood and appetite.
• Lecithin white fungus is beneficial for atherosclerosis and anemia, helps to clean blood vessels from cholesterol.
• The value of the porcini mushroom also lies in the presence B-glucan, an antioxidant that protects the human immune system and fights fungi, viruses and bacteria.
• Ergotionein as part of the porcini fungus, it stimulates the renewal of body cells, and is also useful for the kidneys, liver, eyes, and bone marrow.
• Also white fungus perfectly stimulates the secretion of digestive juices.

Porcini mushroom is low-calorie, 90% consists of water, perfect for drying, it is fried and stewed, pickled for the future for the winter. The taste of cooked pulp is unusually soft, immediately after cleaning it gives off an attractive mushroom smell, which only intensifies after heat treatment. The porcini mushroom has the strongest aroma after proper drying, when the pulp gradually loses moisture.

Any mushroom is quite difficult for human digestion. But it is dried porcini mushrooms that are most accessible for digestion, since in dried form human body up to 80% of white fungus proteins are digested. It is this form of fungus recommended by nutritionists.

Harm of white fungus

White fungus is edible mushroom, but they can also be poisoned in several cases:

1. The porcini mushroom contains chitin, which is difficult to digest by the child's body, pregnant women, people with diseases digestive system and kidneys. Even porcini mushroom broth can lead to exacerbations.
2. White mushrooms, like any other mushrooms, accumulate toxic heavy metals contained in the ground. That is why you need to be careful and in no case pick up mushrooms growing within the city or near industrial enterprises, landfills, waste, near highways.
3. The third reason for feeling unwell when eating porcini mushrooms is the occurrence of an allergic reaction to fungal spores.
4. And, of course, consumption can lead to poisoning. dangerous double white fungus called gall fungus or mustard.

The simplest advice for people who do not understand mushrooms and can confuse white mushroom with bile mushroom is not to pick mushrooms that turn blue (turn pink, redden) when cut and have a bitter taste!

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

• pulp

One of the main differences between the white fungus and the false gall fungus is the color of the cut. When cut, the pulp of the gall fungus darkens and becomes pinkish-brown. The pulp of the white fungus does not change color and remains white.

• Leg

The gall fungus on the stem has a rather bright pattern in the form of a mesh, which the edible porcini mushroom does not have.

• Hymenophore

The tubular layer of the false porcini is pinkish in color, while the true porcini is white or yellow.

• Taste

The false porcini mushroom is bitter, unlike the edible porcini. Moreover, the bitter taste of the gall fungus does not change during cooking or frying, but may decrease during pickling due to the addition of vinegar.

Read about the inedible false white fungus.

false porcini mushroom