What does a porcini mushroom look like under a hat. What are the types of porcini mushrooms: photo and description. Gall mushroom: inedible or poisonous
2017-10-26 Igor Novitsky 
The boletus mushroom is familiar to most of our compatriots. It is incredibly tasty and highly nutritious, which has made it very popular with gourmets. Experienced and novice mushroom pickers love to go out on a quiet hunt in search of this particular wonderful mushroom. It is not difficult to find it in any more or less wild forest. The main thing is to learn to distinguish it from toadstools and poisonous "relatives". In addition, boletus can be grown artificially.
What does a boletus mushroom look like?
At the very beginning, it should be explained how the boletus differs from white. Strictly speaking, in scientific terminology "boletus" is a genus of mushrooms, which includes about three hundred species, among which there are both poisonous and edible. However, in everyday life, only one species is called boletus - a porcini mushroom. Therefore, further in the article we will use the term "boletus" as a synonym for "porcini mushroom".
The main difficulty in describing the appearance of this mushroom is that it is highly variable. Since the white boletus is found almost everywhere in the forests of the northern hemisphere, its appearance can change significantly. Some scientists distinguish up to 18 subspecies of boletus, depending on color, size and ripening time.
Nevertheless, a generalized description of the boletus can be given. This is a rather large mushroom with a cap diameter of a mature specimen ranging from 7 to 30 cm (sometimes up to 50 cm). The shape of the cap is convex, hemispherical. Older mushrooms may have a slightly flattened cap, but almost never spread out.
The skin on the cap is dry (matte or shiny) in clear weather, and becomes a little slimy when wet. Skin color ranges from reddish brown to beige. Moreover, the older the boletus boletus, the darker the skin. Sometimes there are lemon yellow, orange and purple color options. The skin grows together with the pulp, so it is impossible to separate it.
The pulp is quite dense, fleshy, becomes fibrous with age. The color of the flesh of young mushrooms is white, then gradually turns yellow, but still remains light. When describing the boletus mushroom, the emphasis is always made on the fact that the flesh does not change color at the cut site. This is the key distinguishing feature of this fungus. True, in rare cases, there may be a slight blue discoloration or pink discoloration of the incision. The taste of the mushroom is soft, slightly mushroom. The raw pulp has almost no smell, but a rich mushroom smell appears during the cooking or drying process.
Even a not very large boletus has a very impressive leg: 7-24 cm long (usually no more than 13) and 5-7 cm thick. In shape, it resembles a barrel or mace. With age, the leg stretches, becoming cylindrical with a thickened base. The surface is either much lighter than the cap, or the same color, but a lighter shade. Almost always, the stem is covered with a dense net of light veins, especially pronounced closer to the cap.
The layer of tubules at the bottom of the cap is easily separated from the rest of the flesh, is white in young specimens and yellow or olive green in older specimens. There are never any remnants of the "blanket" on the stem, which is also very different from this mushroom.
In general, we can say that boletus is a beautiful mushroom that is hard to miss when walking through the forest.
Despite the fact that every student knows what a boletus mushroom looks like, inexperienced mushroom pickers can still confuse it with similar inedible and even poisonous mushrooms.
Most of all, a gall mushroom looks like a boletus. According to the scientific classification, it stands far enough from the porcini mushroom, but according to its external characteristics it is quite close to it, for which it received the nickname false boletus. The gall mushroom is not poisonous, but due to its very bitter taste, it is still impossible to eat it. You can distinguish it from boletus by the following features:
- the diameter of the cap rarely exceeds 10 cm, while the porcini mushroom is usually larger;
- the pulp turns red when cut, which is uncharacteristic for boletus;
- since the pulp is very bitter in taste, the mushroom never turns worm;
- the mesh pattern is noticeably darker than the main color of the leg (dark brown or even blackish), while the white mushroom has a lighter mesh.
Another false boletus, the photo of which you see, is a satanic mushroom. Here he is just a close relative of the white man, as he belongs to the same genus - "Boroviki". At the same time, the satanic mushroom is very toxic, so it cannot be eaten in principle. In most cases, the Satanic mushroom is easy to identify, but sometimes it can look great like a real porcini mushroom. The main differences are:
- The color of the cap is never brown. It is usually white, grayish, or olive gray.
- The flesh of the cap is white, it turns blue or reddened noticeably on the cut. In the leg of the inedible boletus, the flesh is initially reddish.
- Old mushrooms have a distinctly unpleasant odor.
- The stem of a young fungus is ovoid or spherical and never becomes cylindrical with age. The maximum is barrel-shaped or rep-shaped with tapering towards the top.
- The main distinguishing feature is the color of the leg. It is usually red or orange. Moreover, the color of the leg is always more saturated and darker than the color of the cap, while the opposite is true for the porcini mushroom.
White boletus: food qualities and eating traditions
The nutritional value of porcini mushrooms is not exceptional. Other edible mushrooms are comparable in composition and nutritional value to boletus, or even surpass it. The value of the porcini mushroom lies in its excellent taste and ability to stimulate the digestive system.
Since the boletus boletus is found everywhere in Europe and northern Asia, all peoples of this natural area have culinary traditions associated with this mushroom. Moreover, an interesting detail. Since we are talking mainly about Christian states, where meat is not allowed during religious fasts, but mushrooms are allowed, boletus has become the main substitute for meat products. Many researchers believe that Europeans developed the habit of eating mushrooms mainly due to boletus, which replaced meat.
In the countries of Eastern Europe, including Russia, one can even speak of a kind of culinary cult in relation to the porcini mushroom. Unlike Western Europe, where there are few forests left, and most people have no idea what boletus looks like, we still have a lot of places where wild mushrooms will give birth in abundance. In the pre-industrial era, almost every village family stored tens of kilograms of dried and pickled mushrooms for the winter. And the lion's share of them were boletus.
Today in Russian villages they continue to dry and pickle porcini mushrooms, although in much smaller quantities. But in cities where three quarters of the population live, this tradition has practically been abandoned. Of course, yellow boletus is still very popular, but it is eaten mainly fried and boiled. Only a few townspeople make small stocks of pickled mushrooms for the winter.
Boletus mushrooms: what dishes can you cook
If you have young boletus at your disposal, you can use them whole. But older specimens usually have a rather stiff and fibrous stem that is difficult to chew. However, even it can be used: dry and grind into powder for use in sauces, or fry / boil, and then grind in a meat grinder, to then add to soup and gravy.
Since edible boletus species belong to the first category of mushrooms, they can be eaten in absolutely any form, that is, even raw. For example, Italians add raw boletus to salads. But, of course, fried or boiled mushrooms are still tastier.
Since this is not a culinary site, we will limit ourselves to only a general description of several of the most popular recipes:
- Mushroom julienne. Coarsely chopped boletus, whatever they are - small or large - are fried with onions in butter until half cooked, and then sour cream and spices are added to them. After that, the slightly stewed sour cream-mushroom mixture is poured into a pot, covered with grated cheese and briefly sent to the oven. Serve as a separate dish or in combination with meat or mashed potatoes.
- Milk and mushroom soup. Finely chopped, grated, or minced mushrooms and potatoes are first stewed for a short time in a pan, while milk and water are boiled in parallel in equal proportions. Then the boletus mushroom and several types of vegetables are added to the milk-water mixture, where they are cooked as a milk-mushroom soup. In this case, you can add simply chopped and separately fried mushrooms, as well as a little semolina.
- Buckwheat porridge with porcini mushrooms. Coarsely chopped porcini mushrooms are placed in a pan with pre-fried bacon and onions. The mixture is fried a little and water, buckwheat and spices are added to it. The dish is stewed until the water is completely boiled away. The finished porridge can be softened with a couple of tablespoons of butter.
- Marinated mushrooms. Mushrooms boiled in salted water are poured with boiled marinade consisting of mushroom juice, wine vinegar, sugar, salt and spices.
For more information on cooking methods, see boletus video.
Boletus boletus: growing technologies
Although the technologies for growing porcini mushrooms have developed so much that they allow obtaining more or less stable results, according to reviews, boletus mushrooms are not suitable for commercial cultivation. Taking into account the time and resources spent, they are much inferior to conventional crops in terms of profitability, therefore, they are of interest only as a hobby for amateur gardeners.
The reasons for the low productivity of porcini mushrooms lie in their strong dependence on trees. Only by establishing a strong symbiosis with the root system of the tree, the mushroom colony can bring a good harvest. Thus, in order to get a serious result, you need to plant porcini mushrooms either in a garden with a lot of trees, or in groves and forest plantations. The best symbionts for porcini mushrooms are oaks, pines, spruces and birches.
In order to plant boletus or porcini mushroom (there is no difference between them), choose an unshaded, moderately moist area. Moreover, the mushroom must be planted strictly under the same species of wood, under which the planting material was collected. It is also important to make sure that no hoofs and ferns grow nearby.
In order to get a good harvest of mushrooms in the fall, the landing site must be periodically moistened, not allowing it to dry out, but not getting carried away too much. Watering is carried out once a week. Beautiful fleshy boletus mushrooms, as in the photo and in the description, will appear at the end of summer.
There are two ways to plant mushrooms - by seeds (spores) and mycelium.
We plant boletus with spores (seeds)
A ripe forest mushroom is taken as a planting material. Wormy and dried specimens will do quite well. You can determine a suitable mushroom by breaking the flesh of the cap. If it has a slightly greenish tint, then the mushroom is ripe for planting.
As follows from amateur photos and descriptions of boletus, the caps must be thoroughly kneaded until smooth, so that as many spores are released as possible, and soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per bucket). Also, a little sugar (5-6 tablespoons) should be added to the water, which will create a breeding ground. In this form, the mushrooms should stand for several hours, preferably a day.
In the meantime, we are preparing the landing site. It should be located about a meter from the tree, but in a place where many of its roots run. Trying not to damage the root system, remove about 15 cm of the topsoil. Planting material is poured directly onto the roots at the rate of 300-400 gr. 20-30 sq. see Then the landing site is covered with loosened soil and watered abundantly. If the soil in the area itself is wet, 5-6 buckets of water will be sufficient for planting. If the site is moderately dry, the planting site needs to be watered periodically, but not very abundantly. Simply wetting the surface layer will be sufficient. If you overdo it with watering, the spores will simply wash away from the roots, so when watering it is recommended to pour water onto the tree trunk.
Sow boletus better at the end of summer, or at the beginning of September, which coincides with the natural cycle of these mushrooms.
Planting mycelium
An alternative way is to plant a "seedling", in the role of which is a fragment of a mycelium dug in the forest.
A shaded area is selected for the landing site, as in the photo boletus mushroom. On it, about a month before the planned landing, you need to dig a hole 25-35 cm deep and about 2 m wide, which you will immediately have to fill with a nutrient mixture. The mixture is made from fallen oak leaves collected in the spring, rotted oak wood and pure manure (preferably horse manure). The leaves are laid in layers of about 20 cm, between which thin strips of wood and manure are made. The pit filled in this way must be watered with a 1% solution of ammonium nitrate, and after a week, completely shoveled, forming a homogeneous mass.
Boletus is a genus of mushrooms that belongs to the Boletov family. This family contains edible mushrooms that are considered to be some of the most valuable to eat. But this family of mushrooms also includes inedible poisonous species. Eatable boletus has been used as food since ancient times, making it a popular ingredient in many types of dishes.
Where do boletus grow and what they look like
These mushrooms can be easily distinguished by a swollen stem, which has a thickening in the base area or in the middle, often covered with a kind of mesh. The mushroom cap has the shape of a hemisphere or pads. The hat has a dry and smooth surface and a little velvet to the touch. Each type of boletus has its own distinctive features.
Boletus are cosmopolitan mushrooms that are found on all continents except Antarctica and Australia. Certain species (for example, porcini mushroom) are not afraid of cold climates, and therefore grow on the borders of Iceland and Chukotka. Only boletus is more hardy to low air temperatures. This species was introduced to New Zealand, Africa and South America along with conifers. Northern Europe, Africa and America are natural habitats.
Certain types of fungus are listed in the Red Book. For example, the royal boletus is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. Now this species is rare, like lipoviks and some other species.
Why does boletus have such a name
Borovik got its name because of its place of growth. In order to find this mushroom, you need to go to the forest. In fields or meadows, these fungi cannot be found, because they form mycosis together with the root system of deciduous or coniferous trees. This can be called a mutually beneficial neighborhood, since an active metabolism is carried out, which is beneficial to both parties.
Edible boletus mushrooms and description
Those types of boletus that are edible are of great value to people as a food product. All edible varieties of boletus have certain differences, but they all have excellent taste. Let's take a closer look at the description and photos of boletus mushrooms.
Bronze boletus
The bronze boletus mushroom has a dark brown skin, but over time it can turn almost black. The hat has a diameter of 7 to 17 cm, and the diameter of a bronze leg with a red or white mesh can be up to 4 cm.The height of these mushrooms is not very large - up to 12 cm.
Bronze boletus is a rather rare species that grows on humus soils with a high content of nutrient organic substances in mixed forests or pine forests. In Russia, this species is found in the southern part, growing in one specimen or 2-3 pieces.
Boletus net (boletus boletus)
This is a mushroom with a large spherical cap, which eventually becomes convex or cushion-shaped. The diameter of the cap is from 8 to 25 cm, and in humid and warm weather it can reach 30 cm. Below is a photo of a boletus mushroom. The surface of the skin is slightly velvety; over time, it cracks and acquires a pattern in the form of a kind of mesh. The color can be of different variations, but usually it is expressed in light tones of ocher or coffee color.
Maiden boletus
The hat of this type of boletus is pubescent, velvety to the touch. Over time, the velvety disappears and the cap becomes smooth. The diameter of the cap is from 7 to 20 cm, and the color can be brown with a red, yellow or brown tone. The leg has a cylindrical or clavate shape. The diameter of the leg is from 2 to 3 cm, and the height is from 6 to 12 cm. The leg is covered with a net that disappears by old age.
This species is not easy to find. It grows in a temperate climatic zone in mixed or deciduous forests, sometimes it can grow under fir trees. As noted by many mycologists, maiden boletus grows well in lime grants.
Birch white mushroom
This species is popularly called the spikelet, due to the fact that its fruiting time falls on the ripening of rye. White birch mushroom grows under birch trees near paths or on the edges, often in small groups.
The shape of the mushroom cap is cushion-shaped, but over time it becomes flatter. The diameter of the cap is from 5 to 15 cm. The mushroom is characterized by a light yellow color of the skin. The height of the leg is from 5 to 15 cm. Its shape is barrel-shaped. A white mesh is visible on the upper part of the leg.
The species is widespread near Murmansk. In addition, it is found in the Far East, Siberia, as well as in the western part of Europe.
Two-color boletus
This mushroom is found in North America. The mushroom cap is pink, as is the base at the stem. The upper part of the leg is yellow, which is why the mushroom is called "two-color". This species has a craving flesh that turns blue when cut.
Boletus white
This species can be safely called the most famous among the boletus. He is often called the king of mushrooms by the people. Everyone knows what kind of boletus mushroom of this species tastes great. The hat has a diameter of 8 to 30 cm. Its color is usually light brown, but you can also find dark or vice versa white shades. The skin of the mushroom is smooth and dry, but in cloudy weather it becomes moist and shiny. As a rule, the height of this species is no more than 12-15 cm, but in rare cases this figure can reach 25 cm.
Inedible and poisonous boletus species
Not all boletus species are edible. Among them there are mushrooms that are unsuitable for food, and there are even poisonous ones, which, when consumed, can cause poisoning.
Rooted
This mushroom does not pose a health hazard, but its pulp has a very bitter taste. And even after heat treatment, the unpleasant taste does not disappear, and therefore the mushroom is not used in cooking. The diameter of the mushroom cap reaches 20 cm and has a gray color. The height of the mushroom is not more than 8 cm, but in rare cases there are specimens up to 12 cm. Rooting boletus grows in Europe and America. The fungus grows in deciduous forests, which are well warmed by the sun's rays.
Beautiful-legged
This boletus mushroom has a two-colored leg: closer to the ground its color is red-brown, and under the cap is a lemon-colored leg with a white mesh. The cap of the mushroom contrasts strongly with the stem, as its color is usually light gray or brown or olive. Despite its attractive appearance, the mushroom has a bitter taste, which is why it is considered inedible. You can meet this species in lowland forests under spruce trees or in mountainous areas.
Le Gal
This beautiful species of boletus, which got its name in honor of the mycologist, has a light pink cap, the diameter of which is from 5 to 15 cm. The mushroom leg is swollen. The height of the mushroom ranges from 8 to 16 cm. This boletus mushroom is widespread throughout European territory, growing next to oak, hornbeam and beeches.
Borovik the Beautiful
In the composition of this mushroom there are substances toxic to the human body that cause upset of the gastrointestinal tract. But at the same time, this disorder does not cause significant harm to health and does not lead to death. This boletus has a reddish or brown hat. There are fluff on the surface of the cap. The height of the leg reaches 15 cm. The most characteristic signs of the fungus are the bloody color of the pores, as well as the fact that when cut, the pulp of the mushroom turns from yellow to blue-blue. The species is most common in the western United States under conifers.
Satanic mushroom
This poisonous mushroom is found in southern Europe and Russia. It grows in Primorye and the North Caucasus. The mushroom has a plump stem, with a height of 5 to 15 cm. The diameter of the mushroom is up to 10 cm. The stem of the mushroom is reddish, as is the pulp. The color of the hemispherical cap can be olive, gray or white. Its diameter can reach 30 cm. Young specimens of the fungus have a weak aroma, and old mushrooms have an unpleasant odor, reminiscent of rotten meat or onions.
In forest glades, near the well-known porcini mushrooms, their false counterparts are often found. Mushroom pickers often call them "Satan", or Satanic mushrooms. Finding a clearing with porcini mushrooms is quite difficult, but confusing them with satanic ones is easy.
The satanic mushroom belongs to the boletus class and is very similar to it
The satanic mushroom belongs to the boletus class and is very similar to it. But unlike him, it is poisonous. It has a hemispherical hat. In mature form, it becomes widespread and is large in size - from 8 to 30 cm in diameter. The leg is reddish in color, up to 15 cm high and up to 10 cm in diameter. It has the shape of a barrel, narrowed upwards. Below, the leg is brown-yellow with a gradual transition to yellowish-red. When cut, the pulp begins to acquire a bluish tint, it may turn white or yellow. Older specimens are characterized by an unpleasant odor.
The satanic mushroom is found in deciduous forests that are well lit by the sun. As a rule, it grows between oaks, hornbeams, hazel, chestnuts and lindens. Ripening reaches its peak at the end of September. And germination begins in early June.
Features of the satanic mushroom (video)
How Edible The Satanic Mushroom Is
This species is very poisonous when raw. Despite this, in many European countries, it is considered conditionally edible. Numerous studies have proven that even after a long heat treatment, "Satan" retains its toxicity. Therefore, even the most experienced mushroom picker needs to remember that this species is poisonous.
Similar species
In order not to bring a false white or satanic mushroom in the basket, you need to clearly know how to distinguish it from other species.
False Satanic Mushroom
The cap grows up to 10 cm in diameter. Sometimes it has a sharp or blunt edge. The top layer of the cap has the color "milk coffee", which, with the maturation of the mushroom, can change to brown with a pinkish tinge. The surface is dry with a felt bloom. When fresh, the pulp is light yellow, but if cut off, it turns blue. The older the individual, the more pronounced its smell - specific with sourness.
Despite the fact that "Satan" is very good at disguising himself, he cannot store and change the chemical composition of the fruiting body. This is characterized by the fact that even a slight blueing of the pulp, with clear signs of similarity, indicates that there is a poisonous double in front of you.
White mushroom
This inhabitant of the basket belongs to the boletus. The leg reaches a height of 25 cm and a diameter of up to 10 cm. It has the shape of a regular barrel ... With maturation, it can change and acquire a cylindrical shape. The surface of the leg is white, sometimes brown or reddish. In the upper part, a translucent mesh of white veins can be observed.
The cap is fleshy and reaches sizes up to 30 cm in diameter. The surface of the cap is slightly wrinkled. If grown in dry conditions, the cap is often dull and slightly cracked. In a humid environment, the cap is slightly sticky with a white or brown color. There were cases when mushroom pickers found porcini mushrooms with a yellowish or orange cap. In any case, the older he is, the more the hat darkens.
The pulp of this representative is dense, fibrous, white in color without a pronounced odor.
Boletus whitish
The cap reaches 5-15 cm in diameter and has the shape of a hemisphere with soft and dry skin. If you press on the surface, it starts to turn blue. The leg reaches a height of 8 cm and has a diameter of 3-5 cm. It is cylindrical, thickened in shape, turns blue at the incision site. It grows in oak forests from September to January and is considered one of the earliest mushrooms to appear immediately after the first rains. Boletus is whitish - not edible, since its flesh is very bitter. Long-term heat treatment is not able to remove bitterness. It does not belong to poisonous mushrooms and has no resemblance to them.
Boletus pink-skinned
This species is poisonous and belongs to the bolet family. This mushroom is extremely rare, therefore it is still little studied by mushroom pickers. The diameter of the cap is 7 to 20 cm in the form of a hemisphere. During maturation, it gradually opens and becomes like a pillow. The skin on the surface is smooth, sometimes velvety. The flesh of the boletus is dense with a weak smell and taste. Adults can reach 20 cm in height with a diameter of up to 6 cm. The stem is initially cylindrical, but becomes tuberous when ripe. The color is yellowish lemon, gradually changing to dark red.
Pink-skinned boletus grow in deciduous forests under chestnuts, lindens, oaks, beeches and hazel. The mushroom is poisonous both raw and cooked.
Olive brown oak tree
The hat has an olive-brown color, which explains the name of the oak tree. At a young age, it is dull and smooth, but during maturation it can become velvety. The shape is cushion-shaped with a diameter of 5.5 to 20 cm. The flesh of the mushroom is dense and thick, yellowish in color. In the place of the cut, it gradually acquires a bluish tint. It grows from May to November in deciduous forests among oak trees. In most cases it is edible, and is often used to prepare various sauces. Boil the mushrooms for at least 60 minutes before cooking.
Similarities and differences with the pale toadstool
Pale toadstool in most cases is similar to mushrooms and russula. The similarities with the satanic mushroom are practically nil. The only similarity is that both species are very poisonous. The pale toadstool has a light olive color and a thin leg, the top is covered with a thin sticky film.
Satanic mushroom poisoning
Since the satanic mushroom can often fall under the descriptions of boletus, it is quite easy to confuse it with a real porcini mushroom. Therefore, he often finds himself in a basket of inexperienced mushroom pickers. Besides the fact that "Satan" is not edible, it is also very poisonous. Its pulp contains colloids - toxins that are extremely dangerous for the human body.
The most poisonous mushrooms (video)
In order for poisoning to occur, only 1 gram is enough. The degree of poisoning depends on the conditions in which it developed and grew. Therefore, the general clinical picture of poisoning by "Satan" has not yet been compiled. However, as with any poisoning, the organs of the central nervous system suffer first of all, which is an indicator of the presence of a hallucinogenic effect due to the penetration of poisons into the body. Symptoms of acute poisoning are also expressed, which manifest themselves as follows:
- nausea and vomiting;
- upset stomach and diarrhea;
- leg and arm cramps;
- sharp headache;
- lack of coordination;
- hallucinations;
- partial loss of consciousness;
- Sopor.
We can safely say that the satanic mushroom is very poisonous, moreover, it is little studied. Which makes me very attentive to picking mushrooms in the forest. Since the description of this species is quite similar to the common porcini mushroom, it is easily confused and cooked for food. The use of the poisonous "Satan" can be fatal. To avoid poisoning and remove toxins from the body as quickly as possible, it is necessary to seek medical help in the first 20-30 minutes after the onset of symptoms.
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Boletus (pain, boletus) (Boletus) is a genus of mushrooms that belong to the kingdom of mushrooms, the department of basidiomycetes, the class of agaricomycetes, the order of the boletus, the family of boletus. The name literally translates as "mushroom growing in coniferous forests." White mushroom, one of the most common species of the bolet family, is often called boletus.
Boletus mushroom - description and photo. What does boletus look like?
The boletus has a massive body, consisting of a cap and a very thick leg. The rounded boletus cap is often pillow-shaped. It can be velvety to the touch or completely smooth. The stem of the mushroom has a characteristic thickening at the bottom or in the middle. The surface of the stem is fibrous or covered with a mesh of scales, sometimes even. The flesh of boletus is white or lemon-colored, often turns blue when cut, very rarely red or remains white.
The pores of the fungus are yellow, red, sometimes white. The spore powder has a brown color of various tones.
What is the difference between porcini mushroom and boletus?
Borovik is a genus of mushrooms.
The porcini mushroom is a type of mushroom that belongs to the boletus genus. Below are photos of edible porcini mushrooms from this genus.
Where does boletus grow?
These mushrooms are found all over the globe. Boletus grow both in coniferous and deciduous forests under oaks, hornbeams, beeches, chestnuts, pines, spruces. They meet both singly and in groups.
Growing boletus
Cultivation of boletus is a painstaking occupation that requires patience and special conditions. Due to its biological properties, the fungus needs a close connection with the root system of trees. For successful cultivation, it is necessary to plant spruce, pine or birch on the site, then you can start breeding boletus in any of three ways:
- Crushed boletus is soaked in water for a day, mixed and filtered. The finished infusion containing boletus spores is carefully distributed under the trees.
- Separate plots of land containing mycelium are dug in the forest. Under the trees in the garden, small depressions are made in the soil, where the mycelium is placed and covered with forest soil. The mycelium needs moderate watering.
- The caps of overripe boletus are cut into small slices and mixed with moistened soil, and then laid out under the trees.
With timely watering for the next year, you can get a harvest: first, individual boletus, then whole families.
Boletus mushroom: useful properties
Thanks to its extremely useful composition, the boletus mushroom is actively used in medicine. Boletus contains a large amount of vitamins A, B1, C and D, as well as riboflavin, which promotes the growth of nails and hair.
Boletus pulp is rich in calcium and iron, which are essential for bones and joints. Powder made from boletus is used to prevent osteoporosis, treat anemia, and maintain normal heart muscle function.
Used as a dietary supplement, boletus increases the hemoglobin content in the blood and improves immunity. Lecithin contained in boletus prevents cholesterol deposition. Due to the high content of vitamins, the mushroom is used for vitamin deficiency and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Traditional medicine advises the use of boletus tinctures for sleep disturbances and increased nervous excitability.
Types of boletus
The boletus genus includes about 300 species, many of which are edible and even delicious:
- boletus bronze ( Boletus aereus)
an edible mushroom with a bright brown, brown or almost black cap, up to 17 cm wide. The spherical cap at the beginning of growth becomes almost flat over time. This type of boletus grows in deciduous forests. The dense stem of the mushroom, in the shape of a barrel or cylinder, may be reddish in color. The pulp is white, does not change color. The mushroom grows from late spring to October in deciduous forests of European territory and in North America;
- boletus girlish ( Boletus appendiculatus)
an edible mushroom with a brownish-golden or reddish flat cap, 7-20 cm wide. The lower part of the mesh leg is strongly pointed. The pulp is light yellow and has a bluish tint; it turns blue on the cut. This boletus grows in mixed European forests from early summer to October;
- white oak mushroom, boletusreticulate (Boletus reticulatus)
an edible mushroom with a large velvety cap up to 25 cm, brown, brown or yellow in color. A thick, fleshy, smooth leg of a young individual is covered with thin veins in maturity. Grows from May to mid-autumn in deciduous and mixed forests under beeches, oaks, chestnuts, hornbeams;
- white birch mushroom, or spikelet, (Boletus betulicola)
edible mushroom, diameter of the cap is 5-15 cm, the skin is smooth or slightly wrinkled, the flesh is white and does not change color when cut. The leg is barrel-shaped, has a whitish-brown color and a white mesh in the upper part;
- boletus Burroughs (Boletus barrowsii)
edible mushroom. The cap is convex or flat, the flesh is white and does not change color when cut. The leg is white, clavate, with a whitish mesh. Grows in North America in deciduous and coniferous forests;
- boletus bicolor (Boletus bicolor)
edible mushroom. The hat is pink-red in color, the flesh is yellow and blue at the cut. The leg is in the color of the cap. Grows in the eastern part of North America;
- White mushroom (Boletus edulis)
edible mushroom. The diameter of the cap is 7-30 cm, usually convex. Skin color from white to reddish brown. The pulp is white, turns yellow with age, does not change color when cut. The leg of the porcini mushroom is clavate or barrel-shaped, whitish or brownish in color;
- Borovik Fechtner (Boletus fechtneri)
edible mushroom. The diameter of the cap is 5-15 cm. The pulp is white, it can turn blue in the air. The flesh of the leg may have a reddish tint. The leg is yellow, has a mesh;
- Semi-white mushroom, yellow stone (Boletus impolitus)
edible mushroom. The diameter of the cap is 5-15 cm. The flesh is white or light yellow. When cut, the color of the pulp does not change. The leg has a thickening at the bottom, rough to the touch. The top of the leg is straw-colored, the bottom of the leg may have a reddish tint.
Poisonous boletus - varieties
Among the 300 known species of boletus, there are inedible, as well as hazardous to health representatives, similar to edible boletus:
- boletus purple ( Boletus purpureus)
a poisonous mushroom with a characteristic convex cap with uneven edges, covered with black spots. The pulp on the cut turns blue, and after a while it turns red. The fungus grows on the calcareous soil of deciduous forests;
- boletus Le Gal ( Boletus legaliae)
a poisonous, toxic mushroom, characterized by a smooth pinkish-orange head. There is a pronounced red mesh on the upper half of the leg. The pulp is white or light yellow, turns blue on the cut. Grows in deciduous forests of Europe;
- boletus boletus(beautiful) (Boletus calopus)
an inedible mushroom, with a wrinkled, dry, matte cap. The pointed leg is lemon yellow at the top, red in the middle, turning into brown. The pulp has a bitter taste and turns blue on the cut. It is found everywhere in the mixed forests of the European part of Russia;
- boletus beautiful ( Boletus pulcherrimus)
poisonous mushroom. The hat is hemispherical and has a reddish or olive brown color. The pulp is yellow, turns blue on the cut. The leg is reddish brown, has a dark red mesh below;
- satanic mushroom ( Boletus satanas)
poisonous mushroom. The hat is hemispherical, the flesh is yellowish or white, it turns red or blue on the cut. The leg is barrel-shaped, tapering downward. The color of the leg is red-yellowish above, bright red or orange in the middle, brownish-yellow below. The satanic mushroom grows in deciduous forests.
The most valuable find of any lover of "quiet hunting" is the white mushroom, because it has a dense pulp, attractive appearance and high taste. There is a misconception that he has no counterparts, but this point of view is erroneous. The satanic and gall mushrooms look very similar to ordinary boletus mushrooms, but there are some differences between them.
If you doubt your ability to distinguish real porcini mushrooms from false ones, we recommend that you read this article. It not only describes the main external differences of these species, but also provides bright colorful photos that will help distinguish edible specimens from poisonous ones. In addition, you will find out what symptoms are accompanied by poisoning with false boletus and you will be able to take timely measures to eliminate them if you nevertheless accidentally eat a poisonous specimen.
False white mushroom: photo and description
The most common poisonous counterpart of boletus is bile, which is popularly called gorchak. He got this name because of the strong bitter taste of the pulp, which not only does not disappear, but even intensifies during heat treatment.
Figure 1. External differences between the fruiting body and the pulp of the poisonous twin Outwardly, it is really very similar to white, but there are still certain differences between them. If you know them for sure, the poisonous twin will never end up in your basket (Figure 1).
How to distinguish a gall mushroom from a white one: description and photo
To learn how to correctly identify the bitter pot, you need to know its external features (Figure 2).
Among the main characteristics of the poisonous twin are the following:
- The diameter of the cap is from 4 to 15 cm, and in young specimens it is hemispherical, and in mature ones it is more open and rounded.
- The color of the outer part of the cap can range from light brown to brownish yellow, and most often the color is light, which is also typical for edible boletus.
- The flesh is white, but becomes pinkish with aging. Fibers are clearly visible in it, and the pulp practically does not have a pronounced mushroom smell.
- The stem is cylindrical, slightly swollen at the base, and as it grows, it becomes covered with a characteristic mesh of small gray or brown fibers.
Figure 2. External differences between bitter (photos 1 and 2) and edible boletus (photos 3 and 4) But the main difference is that when cut, the pulp of the bile immediately begins to darken, acquiring a brown tint. Some mushroom pickers advise to lightly lick the flesh of the suspect specimen. You will immediately feel intense bitterness. But in order to avoid possible health risks, it is better to learn how to distinguish poisonous specimens from edible ones in appearance.
How to distinguish a gall mushroom: description and photo
Gorchak is most often confused with boletus, because these species have a lot of common external characteristics. At the same time, if you are careful and carefully examine the prey, you will be able to notice certain differences.
First, the bitterness leg is shaped like a mace or a cylinder due to the swollen base. Secondly, the color of the leg is yellowish or gray-brown, and a dark or creamy yellow mesh is clearly visible in its upper part. All these features are not typical for ordinary boletus.
In addition, false boletus can be distinguished by the color and structure of the pulp: its fibers are not just white, but smoothly turn to pink or gray-pink color.
How the gall mushroom differs from the boletus
It is believed that gorchak cannot cause severe poisoning. This is due to the fact that its pulp is so bitter that it will not be possible to eat it voluntarily. But nevertheless, in order not to risk it, it is best to study in advance the external signs by which the bitterness can be distinguished from the boletus (Figure 3).
The characteristic differences between these species include:
- The bile species has a pronounced bitter taste, which not only does not disappear, but also intensifies during heat treatment. The boletus has not the slightest hint of bitterness.
- When cut, the flesh of the bitterness quickly darkens and takes on a pinkish or brownish tint. Boletus pulp does not change color. The only exception can be considered a Polish mushroom, which becomes dark with any mechanical damage to the pulp.
- A gray or brown mesh is always present on the leg of the bitter pot, which the ordinary boletus does not have. The boletus has a leg covered with small scales, which make it look like a birch trunk.
- The flesh under the cap also has significant differences. For example, in bitterness, it is white with a slight pink tint. In boletus, it is white, yellowish or grayish, and in boletus it is from white-gray to brown, depending on age.
Figure 3. External features of gorchak Also, false whites are never wormy. This is due to the strong bitterness of the pulp, which is felt not only by people, but even by animals, birds and insects.
Where do false porcini mushrooms grow?
One of the most effective ways to avoid collecting false porcini mushrooms is to know where they are most often found.
Note: In general, gorchak is widespread, and is found in the coniferous and deciduous forests of Russia, Europe and North America.
As a rule, the mycorrhiza forms mycorrhiza with the roots of oak, birch and some conifers. It is noteworthy that, unlike the usual boletus, which appears in late summer and autumn, bittersweet can be found already from the beginning of summer to October. In addition, unlike boletus, which are found in sunny areas protected from the wind, bitterns prefer to grow near rotten stumps or on the roots of old trees. Like cepes, bile mushrooms can be found both singly and in whole families.
Despite the fact that bitterness is considered inedible, it is used in folk medicine for the preparation of drugs with a choleretic effect.
False white mushroom - satanic: description and photo
Another dangerous double of boletus is the satanic mushroom, which can also cause symptoms of serious food poisoning. He has a rather large hat, the diameter of which can reach 30 cm.Its surface is smooth and velvety, but, unlike the usual boletus, the cap of which is painted in different shades of brown, the satanic one can be white, grayish, or have green or yellow-pink blotches ( Figure 4).
Figure 4. Fruiting body of the Satanic mushroom, whole and in section When cut, the flesh of a satanic appearance turns red or blue, and in adult specimens it also has a very unpleasant, pronounced odor. But the main feature that distinguishes this poisonous species from the edible is in the color of the leg. Closer to the cap it is red-yellow, in the middle it is red-orange, and closer to the base it becomes yellow-brown. It is the color of the leg that allows you to quickly identify a poisonous specimen and bypass it.
Poisoning with false porcini mushrooms
Despite the fact that false boletus is not considered deadly, they can still provoke unwanted health effects. For example, satanic poisoning is accompanied by severe digestive disorders (diarrhea and vomiting), and dizziness is also observed. The first symptoms begin to appear within 30 minutes after use, therefore, in most cases, a person has time to provide medical assistance. Deaths from satanic mushroom poisoning are extremely rare.
It is extremely difficult to get poisoned with bittersweet because of its pronounced bitter taste. Even a small piece of raw, boiled or fried pulp, put on the tongue, will cause an intolerable burning sensation, so it is unlikely that you will be able to voluntarily eat gorchak. The only possible poisoning option may be if the bitter mushroom has been salted or pickled with ordinary boletus, and the person simply will not feel its bitter taste due to salt, vinegar and seasonings. At the same time, the toxins contained in these poisonous counterparts cause very characteristic symptoms. Within a day, dizziness and severe general weakness appear. This indicates that the toxin has already begun to be absorbed into the bloodstream. These signs pass quickly, but you should not ignore them, since toxic substances will begin to be absorbed into the bloodstream and manifest themselves with even more negative consequences in a few weeks. In particular, they act on liver cells, preventing the outflow of bile. In especially severe cases, when eating a large number of gall fungi, a person may develop cirrhosis of the liver. To avoid such consequences, you need to carefully examine all collected or purchased specimens, and before salting, it is advisable to lick the pulp to make sure that the harvest is safe.
The author of the video tells how to distinguish a false boletus from a real one by external signs.
