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Oak oyster mushroom is a rare conditionally edible mushroom of the Oysteraceae family. In several regions of Russia it is included in the Red Book.
Where does oak oyster mushroom grow?
Despite its name, it settles not only on the remains of oaks, but also on the dead wood of other deciduous trees, such as elms. Mushrooms are found in mixed and deciduous forests of the temperate zone of the European continent. Grows singly or in clumps, often multi-layered, and can completely cover a dead tree.
A description and photo of oak oyster mushroom is presented below.
What does oak oyster mushroom look like?
The cap has a shell-shaped or fan-shaped, convex or concave-prostrate shape. It reaches 5-10 cm in diameter, sometimes 15 cm. The edge curls inward.The surface is smooth, with pressed scales, white, cream, gray or brownish. The pulp is light, elastic, thick, and has a pleasant mushroom smell.
This mushroom grows singly or grows together with its roots into small bundles.
The plates are quite wide, frequent, branched, and descending. Their edge is smooth, wavy or finely toothed. The color is lighter than that of the cap, becoming yellowish with age. Covered with a white or light gray coating. White spore powder.
The height of the leg is from 3 to 5 cm, thickness is from 1 to 3 cm. It is eccentric, short, and tapers towards the base. The color is like a hat, sometimes a little lighter. The pulp is yellowish, hard and fibrous closer to the root.
The young oak oyster mushroom has a cover on its plates. It quickly ruptures and turns into white and brownish patches on the cap and a torn flake-like ring on the stem.
Is it possible to eat oak oyster mushroom?
It is considered conditionally edible. In some foreign sources it is described as an inedible species, in others - as a mushroom with good taste.
False doubles
Oyster mushroom, or common oyster mushroom. This species has a similar fruit body shape, size and color. Its main difference is the absence of a cover on the plates. The stalk is short, eccentric, lateral, curved, often inconspicuous, hairy at the base, and very hard in older specimens. It is classified as edible, grown on an industrial scale, and is the most cultivated species among oyster mushrooms. Unpretentious, adapts well to unfavorable conditions. Active growth is observed in September-October; fruiting can begin even in May. High yields are ensured by the fact that the fruiting bodies grow together, forming so-called nests.
Oyster mushrooms grown in artificial conditions can be bought in any supermarket
Oyster mushroom (whitish, beech, spring). The color of this mushroom is lighter, almost white. Another important sign is the absence of a filmy cover. The leg is lateral, less often central, hairy at the base, dirty white. Classified as edible. It grows from May to September on rotting wood, less often on living but weak trees. Under good conditions, the bases grow together into bundles. Occurs infrequently.
Oyster mushroom is white in color
Rules for collection and use
Oyster mushrooms can be harvested from July to September.
It is quite rare, and there is little information about its taste. There is an opinion that this one is not inferior in taste to its widespread relative - the oyster (ordinary). You can fry, stew, dry, prepare soups and sauces. As a rule, only the caps are eaten, since the legs have a fibrous structure and are rigid.
Before cooking, boil for 20 minutes in salted water. It is not recommended to salt or pickle for long-term storage as canned food.
Conclusion
Oak oyster mushroom is a rare conditionally edible mushroom. Its main difference from other related species is the presence of a veil on the spore-bearing layer, which in adult specimens breaks and presents remains in the form of flakes.
