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Oyster mushroom is an edible agaric mushroom belonging to the Oyster mushroom family. Another name is oyster mushroom plentiful. It looks like a shepherd’s horn. Found in the wild and artificially grown.
Where does oyster mushroom grow
Under natural conditions, it grows in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of Our Country and Ukraine, as well as in the North Caucasus, in Japan, and China. Mushrooms grow on the remains of deciduous trees, are found on elms. They love hard-to-reach secluded places: deadwood of maple and oak, dense thickets of shrubs, clearings, windbreaks.
It bears fruit from May to September, according to some sources – until November. Grows in groups of up to 15 pieces. Description and photos of oyster mushrooms are presented below.
Representatives of the species always grow in groups
What does oyster mushroom look like
The cap in adult specimens is elongated, has a funnel-shaped or horn-shaped shape, less often leaf-shaped with a bend upwards or tongue-shaped. In young people, it is tucked inward, convex. Diameter – from 3 to 10 cm. The surface is smooth, the color varies depending on the place of growth and age from almost white to grayish-ocher. The pulp of the mushroom is practically odorless or emits a slightly floury aroma, elastic, thick, white, fibrous, tough in old mushrooms.
The peculiarity of the appearance is a rather long leg, well separated from the cap.
The plates are white, rather rare, narrow, sinuous, descending, intertwined at the bottom with the formation of a pattern. Spore powder is white.
The length of the stem is from 3 to 8 cm, the thickness is up to 1,5 cm. It is pronounced, unlike other types of oyster mushrooms, well separated from the cap. It can be both central and lateral, tapering downwards, covered with descending plates to the very base. The color is whitish with a sandy tinge.
Is it possible to eat oyster mushroom
Refers to edible species. It can be eaten after heat treatment.
The taste of the mushroom
Horn-shaped oyster mushroom (pleurotus cornucopiae) belongs to the fourth category, the taste is average. The pulp has a not pronounced, rather pleasant smell. The taste is somewhat floury.
Benefits and harm to the body
Oyster mushrooms are rich in composition and low in calories (they contain four times fewer calories than chicken). Their protein has valuable amino acids, they contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, they replace meat, providing the body with energy resources. These mushrooms are rich in minerals and vitamins.
150 g of oyster mushrooms rich contains:
- 18% of the daily requirement of phosphorus, which is necessary for brain function;
- 11% iron, which is part of hemoglobin – an oxygen carrier to tissue cells;
- 18% zinc, necessary for the normal functioning of the thymus gland, which is responsible for the immune system;
- 18% of potassium, necessary for the health of the heart and blood vessels, is more in oyster mushrooms than in apples, tomatoes, carrots;
- 20% vitamin D – an important element in the process of calcium absorption, formation and maintenance of the skeleton and teeth;
- 30% of B vitamins, which have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, promote the growth and development of the body, prevent depression, insomnia, headaches, irritability;
- chitin, fiber contributes to the reproduction of colonies of beneficial bacteria;
- mushroom proteins replace meat;
- oyster mushroom carbohydrates are significantly different from vegetable ones, they do not contain glucose, but mannitol, which can replace sugar.
They are completely non-toxic, non-mutagenic, non-carcinogenic, they cannot be poisoned. They help maintain normal blood pressure, help fight atherosclerosis, improve metabolism and visual acuity, and lower blood sugar levels. Oyster mushrooms are suitable for dietary nutrition, they are indicated after a course of chemotherapy.
They have not only useful qualities, but also harmful ones. They belong to heavy food because of the content of chitin in them, for the digestion of which special enzymes are needed. With their lack, heaviness in the stomach and nausea may appear. Therefore, it is not recommended to abuse them. It is forbidden to eat them for pregnant women and children under 7 years of age. It is important to prepare them correctly. You can not eat raw, only after heat treatment.
Similar species
Oyster mushroom is similar to other related species. Most in common with oyster mushroom (whitish / beech / spring), which belongs to edible mushrooms. Distinctive features are the shape of the caps and the length of the stem. The latter does not have a horn-shaped hat, usually it is tongue-shaped or fan-shaped. In addition, the lung oyster mushroom does not have such a pronounced leg. The plates are thick, rather rare, descending. The cap is light, gray-white, may turn yellow with age, its diameter reaches 15 cm. The leg is often lateral, sometimes central. Grows in groups on weak living or rotten trees. Occurs from May to September.
Oyster mushroom has a short stalk
Collection rules
Oyster mushrooms never grow alone. They are found in groups – from 7 to 15 pieces. One such bundle weighs about 1 kg. They are of interest to mushroom pickers, since they can be collected quickly and in large quantities.
How to cook oyster mushroom
They can be eaten in any form: fried, boiled, stewed, salted, pickled. They are dried, ground into a powder that smells like rye bread, and added to sauces.
They need to be heat treated. Young specimens should cook for about 20 minutes, older ones take longer because they are tough.
Oyster mushrooms go well with meat and game, they are often used to make soups, mashed potatoes, stuffing for pies, spicy mushrooms in Korean, added to salads and pizza, fried with potatoes, baked in the oven and slow cooker.
Conclusion
Oyster mushroom is an edible mushroom that is grown artificially, but on a smaller scale than the common one. It can also be found in the wild and is distributed throughout Europe. Not a rare, but hardly noticeable mushroom, because it prefers to settle in hard-to-reach places.
