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Feoclavulina fir or fir hornwort is an inedible representative of the mushroom kingdom of the Gomph family. The species was first heard about in 1794. It grows among spruce trees in temperate regions. It begins fruiting from the end of summer, it lasts until late autumn. Since the species has edible counterparts, in order not to make a mistake during mushroom hunting, it is necessary to study the external description, view photos and videos.
Where do feoclavulins fir grow?
Feoclavulina fir prefers to grow in pine and fir forests, on needle litter in well-lit places. The species is rare, feels comfortable in regions with a temperate climate. After the onset of frost, the dense pulp becomes watery, and the fungus dies.
What do fir feoclavulins look like
In order not to harm your health, you need to know the external characteristics of the fungus and view the photo. This type of hat and legs does not have. The fruiting body in the form of a coral is small in size, reaches a height of up to 5 cm and a width of up to 3 cm. Coral branches are flattened and erect, branching at the top, forming beautiful decorative tufts. The coral mushroom is colored yellow-green, with mechanical damage, the color changes to blue-emerald or dark olive.
The lower part of the fruiting body is short, light emerald in color. The surface is smooth; closer to the surface of the earth, a whitish mycelium is clearly visible, partially extending into the spruce substrate. The pulp is dense, fleshy, painted in a light olive color. The taste of the fruiting body is sweetish, with a bitter aftertaste. The smell is faintly distinguishable, reminiscent of the aroma of damp, damp earth.
Is it possible to eat fir horns
This representative of the gifts of the forest belongs to inedible species, but in some sources the species is considered conditionally edible. Before cooking, many mushroom pickers soak the harvested crop for about a day, rinse thoroughly and boil for 15-20 minutes. If there is a desire to eat the species for food, it is necessary to collect only young specimens, since in old mushrooms the fruiting body is hard and bitter.
How to distinguish fir horns
Fioclavulina fir, like any representative of the mushroom kingdom, has edible and inedible counterparts. These include:
- Fioclavulina Invala – This specimen belongs to the 4th category of edibility. The fruit, coral body is painted in light yellow color. A branched bushy mushroom representative prefers to grow in small families in shady places, on dry spruce litter. It starts fruiting from July to October. To get rid of bitterness, the harvested crop is soaked for 10-12 hours before cooking, periodically changing the water. After boiling, mushrooms can be fried and stewed.
- Feoclavulina yellow – a conditionally edible forest dweller that grows in coniferous and mixed forests. The fruit body is 10-15 cm high, painted in bright yellow. Grows in families, comes into fruiting from August to October. The pulp is dense and fleshy. Young representatives exude a pleasant herbal aroma. The taste qualities of the fungus are weakly expressed, so there are not many fans of this species. This copy is not recommended for children and people with gastrointestinal diseases.
- Feoklavulina beautiful – a large coral mushroom that grows in deciduous forests from late summer to mid-October. The fruit body grows up to 20 cm and is painted in several colors: pink, whitish and ocher. The pulp is dense, fleshy, turns red when mechanically damaged. The taste is bitter, the pulp is absent. This specimen is poisonous, when eaten it causes intestinal poisoning.
- Feoclavulina rigid – inedible, but not poisonous specimen. The coral-shaped fruiting body is colored light yellow or brown. The dense pulp has a pleasant aroma. In cooking, the mushroom is not recommended for use because of the bitter-bitter pulp. The species is rare, grows in the Far East and in the European part of Our Country, in deciduous and coniferous forests. Prefers to settle on rotten wood, stumps or on a deciduous substrate surrounded by small shrubs.
Conclusion
Feoclavulina fir is an inedible representative of the mushroom kingdom. It grows in spruce forests, on a dry, needle-like substrate. It enters fruiting in the fall, like many forest “inhabitants”. Therefore, in order not to confuse it with edible counterparts, you need to know the external description and view the photo.