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Ryadovka elm (elm gypsizigus) is an edible forest mushroom, widespread in temperate latitudes. It is quite easy to identify it, but only after studying the features and false twins.
Where does gypsyzigus elm grow?
The elm row is characterized by increased cold resistance and therefore grows widely both in the middle lane and in more northern latitudes. Most often, you can see hypsizigus in the forest at the very roots of trees on trunks, it can also grow next to deadwood or on rotting stumps.
There is an elm row, usually in groups – you can rarely see it one by one. The most favorable time for collection is the middle of autumn.
What does the elm row look like
The appearance of the fungus is quite characteristic. The cap of the hypsizigus at a young age is convex and wrapped inside, in an adult it is prostrate and fleshy. The color of the cap is whitish or light beige, from below it is covered with light, frequent plates. A distinctive feature of the elm row is the presence of “watery” spots on the surface of the cap.
On the stem, the hypsizigus rises by 4-8 cm, the fibrous stem is identical in color to the cap or even slightly lighter. There is a slight pubescence at the base, often the stem can be curved, in adult mushrooms it is hollow from the inside.
Is it possible to eat gypsizigus elm
Although many mushroom pickers are apprehensive about the elm row, in fact it is suitable for eating. True, rowing should not be eaten raw, first it must be boiled for at least 20 minutes.
The taste of the mushroom
Ilm row is considered a mushroom with average taste. Fresh fruiting bodies are characterized by a mealy taste, characteristic of most rows, but after boiling and subsequent processing, it disappears.
Benefits and harm to the body
Eating gypsyzigus as a food may benefit human health. The composition of the elm row contains important valuable substances, namely:
- polysaccharides;
- essential vitamins A, C, D and B;
- 18 essential amino acids;
- mineral salts;
- digestive enzymes – lipase and amylase;
- glycogen and fiber.
Properly processed gypsizigus increases immune resistance and supplies the body with a large amount of vegetable protein.
These are:
- accelerates the breakdown of fats;
- promotes weight loss;
- helps to relieve the inflammatory process in stomach ulcers;
- improves peristalsis;
- has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin.
However, the elm row can cause serious harm to the body. A protein-rich product is not recommended for use with a sluggish intestine – gypsizigus can cause constipation. It is also better to refuse rowing for pancreatitis and gastritis with low acidity.
Poisoning by an improperly prepared mushroom is a great danger. Therefore, eating an elm row is prohibited for pregnant women and children under the age of 7 years, for them the consequences of intoxication can be especially serious.
False doubles
Since the appearance of the elm row is quite characteristic, it is difficult to confuse it with other mushrooms. But false twins in hypsizigus still exist.
Matsutake
An edible mushroom with an unusual name is similar to an elm row, mainly in shape, its hat is rounded at a young age, straightens out over time. The varieties can be distinguished by color – mitsutake has a brown tint with wide spots, and the hat is whitish and cracked at the edges. Its flesh is also white, and the leg is long and club-shaped.
Mitsutake is widespread not only in Japan, as the name might seem, but also in Europe and North America. In Our Country, mitsutake is found in Siberia and the Far East, and the active fruiting of the fungus occurs at the same time as that of gypsizigus – from early September to October.
Soap line
The conditionally edible mushroom is similar to the elm row in the shape of the cap and in size, but in general it is not difficult to distinguish them from each other. The soap row is not beige, but gray or grayish-brown, with a lighter shade along the edges of the cap. If you break the hat, then the flesh on the break will quickly turn red.
The soap row tastes bitter, and it smells like laundry soap. Although it is not a poisonous variety, it is not eaten – the unpleasant aroma and taste of the soap row does not disappear during processing, but only intensifies.
Collection rules
It is recommended to collect elm gypsizigus in mid-autumn from the second decade of September until frost. You need to look for an edible mushroom in the forests at the roots of trees or directly on old stumps and fallen trees. Since the elm row usually grows in groups, a fairly large crop of mushrooms can be harvested in one trip.
Like all mushrooms, gypsizigus has the ability to absorb toxic substances from the soil, wood and air. You need to collect it only in clean places, you can not cut fruiting bodies that grow near roads and industrial areas. Even after processing, too many harmful compounds will remain in their pulp.
Use
Edible forest mushroom is very popular in cooking. A variety of recipes suggest using gypsizigus in salads and soups, second courses and side dishes, in baking stuffing. Also, the elm row is pickled and salted, this allows you to save useful properties for a long time.
Before any preparation, gypsizigus needs to be additionally prepared for use. Fresh hats are cleaned, washed in cold water and boiled for at least 20 minutes, processing helps to improve taste.
Cultivation at home
Ilm row belongs to the category of mushrooms, which are not only harvested in the forest, but also grown in the conditions of a house or a summer residence. To do this is quite simple – you only need to prepare the mycelium of hypsizigus, as well as get a good and healthy deciduous log. Indoors, mushrooms can be grown throughout the year; planting in the country should be carried out from April to October.
The elm row is prepared for planting as follows:
- A birch, aspen or elm log is selected as a nutrient substrate, it should be about 30 cm in diameter, about 50 cm long. The tree should be taken young, but not younger than 4 years old, there should be no signs of decay, branches and any or defects.
- For 3 days, the log is kept in water so that the wood reaches the desired moisture level. After the expiration of the period, the tree is moved for 3-5 days to a dry and well-ventilated place so that excess water comes out of it.
- With the help of a drill, small indentations about 5-10 cm deep are made in the log, placing them in a checkerboard pattern at intervals.
- The prepared mycelium is placed into the drilled holes with the help of thin clean sticks. In order not to infect the seeds of gypsyzigus with bacteria, it is necessary to sow with gloves, and close the log immediately after planting the mycelium with plastic bags.
A moistened log with elm seeds sown inside is transferred to a shaded, well-ventilated place with a constant temperature of at least 20 ° C. While the mycelium develops, the log needs to be moistened from time to time so that the nutrient medium for the gypsyzigus is preserved.
It takes about 3 months for the development of the mycelium of the elm row, sometimes more or less. The first harvest can be seen six months after planting.
Of course, the elm row at home will not be able to grow on the same log for a long time. Soft logs taken from birch, willow or poplar feed the mycelium for about 4 years, on maple, beech and rowan logs the row can grow up to 7 years. After the yields are reduced, the procedure for planting mushroom seeds will need to be carried out again.
Conclusion
Ryadovka elm (elm gypsizigus) is a useful and pleasant-tasting mushroom with a recognizable appearance. It can not only be collected in the autumn forest, but also grown on your own plot. Gypsizigus reproduces well in artificial conditions.
