Anyone who does not understand mushrooms is limited to buying them in the supermarket. After all, champignons and oyster mushrooms grown under the artificial sun inspire more confidence than unknown natural gifts. But true mushroom pickers will not be able to be satisfied with the taste of fruits that have not smelled of pine needles and have not been washed with morning dew. And it’s very difficult to deny yourself forest walks on a clear weekend. Therefore, let's take a closer look at the external signs of popular edible mushrooms in our region.

Main characteristics of edible mushrooms

It is simply impossible to cover all the biological and ecological diversity of fungi on a planetary scale. This is one of the largest specific groups of living organisms, which has become an integral part of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Modern scientists know many species of the mushroom kingdom, but today there is no exact figure in any scientific source. In different literature, the species number of mushrooms varies from 100 thousand to 1.5 million. It is characteristic that each species is divided into classes, orders, and also has thousands of generic names and synonyms. Therefore, it is easy to get lost here, just like in the forest.

Did you know? The most unusual mushroom in the world, contemporaries consider plasmodium, which grows in central Russia. This creation of nature can walk. True, it moves at a speed of 1 meter every few days.

Edible mushrooms are considered to be those specimens that are approved for consumption and do not pose any risks to human health. They differ from poisonous forest fruits in the structure of the hymenophore, the color and shape of the fruiting body, as well as the smell and taste. Their peculiarity lies in their high gastronomic properties. It’s not for nothing that among mushroom pickers there are parallel names for mushrooms - “vegetable meat” and “forest protein”. It has been scientifically proven that such gifts of nature are rich:

  • proteins;
  • amino acids;
  • mycosis and glycogen (specific mushroom sugar);
  • potassium;
  • phosphorus;
  • gray;
  • magnesium;
  • sodium;
  • calcium;
  • chlorine;
  • vitamins (A, C, PP, D, all group B);
  • enzymes (represented by amylase, lactase, oxidase, zymase, protease, cytase, which are of particular importance because they improve the absorption of food).

 Many types of mushrooms in their nutritional value compete with potatoes, vegetables and fruits traditional for the Ukrainian table. Their significant drawback is the poorly digestible shells of mushroom bodies. That is why the greatest benefit to the human body bear fruits dried and ground into dust.

Did you know? Of the entire mushroom kingdom, the rarest specimen is considered to be the mushroom Chorioactis geaster, which translated means “devil’s cigar.” It is found in isolated cases only in the central zones of Texas and on some islands of Japan. A unique feature of this natural miracle is the specific whistle that is heard when the mushroom releases spores..

Soviet scientists, based on the nutritional characteristics of mushrooms, divided the edible group into 4 varieties:

  1. Boletuses, saffron milk caps and milk mushrooms.
  2. Birch boletus, aspen boletus, oak boletus, buttercup, trumpet mushroom, white mushroom and champignon.
  3. Moss mushrooms, valui, russula, chanterelles, morels and autumn honey mushrooms.
  4. Rowers, raincoats and other little-known, rarely collected specimens.

 Today this classification is considered a little outdated. Modern botanists agree that dividing mushrooms into food categories is ineffective and the scientific literature provides an individual description of each species. Beginning mushroom pickers should learn the golden rule of “quiet hunting”: one poisonous mushroom capable of ruining all the forest trophies in the basket. Therefore, if you find any inedible fruit among the harvested crop, do not hesitate to throw all the contents into the trash. After all, the risks of intoxication cannot be compared with the time and effort spent.

Edible mushrooms: photos and names

Of the entire variety of edible mushrooms known to mankind, there are only a few thousand. At the same time, the lion's share of them went to representatives of fleshy micromycetes. Let's look at the most popular types.

Did you know? Real mushroom giants were found by Americans in 1985 in the states of Wisconsin and Oregon. The first find was striking with its 140-kilogram weight, and the second with the area of ​​the mycelium, which occupied about a thousand hectares.

In botanical literature this forest trophy is designated as or ( Boletus edulis). In everyday life it is called pravdivtsev, dubrovnik, shirak and belas.
The variety belongs to the Boletaceae genus and is considered the best of all known edible mushrooms. In Ukraine it is not uncommon and occurs from early summer to mid-autumn in deciduous and coniferous forests. Often, boletus can be found under birch, oak, hornbeam, hazel, spruce and pine trees.

It is characteristic that you can find both squat specimens with a small cap, and broad-legged ones, in which the leg is four times smaller than the upper part. Classic variations of boletus mushrooms are:
  • a cap with a diameter of 3 to 20 cm, a hemispherical, convex shape, brown in color with a smoky or reddish tint (the color of the cap largely depends on the place where the fungus grows: under pine trees it is purple-brown, under oak trees - chestnut or olive green, and under birch trees - light brown);
  • leg from 4 to 15 cm long with a volume of 2-6 cm, club-shaped, cream-colored with a grayish or brown tint;
  • white mesh on the top of the leg;
  • the flesh is dense, juicy, white, and does not change when cut;
  • fusiform spores of yellowish-olive color, about 15-18 microns in size;
  • a tubular layer of light and greenish tones (depending on the age of the mushroom), which is easily separated from the cap;
  • The smell at the cutting site is pleasant.

Important! Boletuses are often confused with bitterlings. These are inedible mushrooms that are distinguished by pinkish spores, a black mesh on the stem and bitter pulp.


 It is worth noting that the skin of true porcini mushrooms is never removed from the cap. In Ukraine, industrial harvesting of these forest trophies is carried out only in the Carpathian region and Polesie. They are suitable for fresh consumption, drying, canning, salting, and pickling. Traditional medicine advises introducing belas into the diet for angina, tuberculosis, frostbite, loss of strength and anemia.

Volnushka

These trophies are considered conditionally edible. They are used for food only by residents of the northern regions of the globe, and Europeans do not recognize them as food. Botanists call these mushrooms Lactárius torminósus, and mushroom pickers call them tormentos, decoctions and rubellas. They represent the Russula family of the genus Mlechnik, and are pink and white.

Pink waves are characterized by:
  • cap with a diameter of 4 to 12 cm, with a deep depression in the center and convex, pubescent edges, pale pink or grayish in color, which darkens when touched;
  • leg about 3-6 cm high with a diameter of 1 to 2 cm, cylindrical in shape, powerful and elastic structure with specific pubescence on a pale pink surface;
  • cream or white spores;
  • the plates are frequent and narrow, which are always interspersed with intermediate membranes;
  • the pulp is dense and hard, white in color, does not change when cut and is characterized by abundant, sharp-tasting juice secretion.

Important! Mushroom pickers should pay attention to the fact that mushrooms are characterized by variability, which depends on their age. For example, the caps can change their color from yellow-orange to light green, and the plates can change from pinkish to yellow.

White waves are different:
  • a cap with a diameter of 4 to 8 cm with white, densely pubescent skin (in older specimens its surface is smoother and yellower);
  • stem with a height of 2 to 4 cm with a volume of up to 2 cm, cylindrical in shape with slight hairiness, dense structure and uniform color;
  • the pulp is slightly aromatic, white, with a dense but brittle structure;
  • white or cream-colored spores;
  • the plates are narrow and frequent;
  • white milky juice, which does not change when interacting with oxygen and is characterized by causticity.

 Most often they grow in groups under birch trees, on forest edges, and rarely in coniferous forests. They are collected from early August to mid-autumn. Any cooking requires careful soaking and blanching. These mushrooms are used for preservation, drying, and pickling.

Important! Edible volnushki can be easily distinguished from other milky mushrooms by the hairiness on the cap.

But in the latter version, the pulp becomes brown, which does not look aesthetically pleasing. Undercooked specimens are toxic and can cause digestive tract disorders and irritation of the mucous membranes. In salted form they are allowed to be consumed no earlier than an hour after salting.

The variety also represents the Russula family of the Mlechnikov genus. In scientific sources, the mushroom is designated Lactárius résimus, but in everyday life it is called real.
Externally, this mushroom is characterized by:

  • a funnel-shaped cap with a diameter of 5 to 20 cm with highly fleecy edges turned inward, with a wet, mucous skin of a milky or yellowish color;
  • stalk up to 7 cm high with a volume up to 5 cm, cylindrical in shape, yellowish in color, with a smooth surface and hollow interior;
  • firm white pulp with a specific fruity smell;
  • yellow spores;
  • plates frequent and wide, white-yellow;
  • milky juice, pungent in taste, white in color, which changes to dirty yellow in the cut areas.
The milk mushroom season occurs from July to September. For them to bear fruit, +8-10 °C on the ground surface is sufficient. The mushroom is common in the northern part of the Eurasian continent and is considered completely unsuitable for food purposes in the West. Most often found in deciduous and mixed forests. In cooking it is used for pickling. Beginning mushroom pickers may confuse the trophy with a violin, a white wave and a loader.

Important! Milk mushrooms are characterized by variability: old mushrooms become hollow inside, their plates turn yellow, and brown spots may appear on the cap.

This bright mushroom with a peculiar shape is found on postage stamps of Romania, Moldova, and Belarus. The true chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) is a member of the genus Cantharelaceae.
Many people recognize her by:

  • cap - with a diameter of 2.5 to 5 cm, which is characterized by asymmetrical bulges at the edges and a watering can-shaped depression in the center, a yellow tint and a smooth surface;
  • stem - short (up to 4 cm in height), smooth and solid, identical in color to the cap;
  • spores - their size does not exceed 9.5 microns;
  • plates - narrow, folded, bright yellow in color;
  • pulp - is dense and elastic, white or slightly yellowish, with a pleasant aroma and taste qualities.
Experienced mushroom pickers have noticed that true mushrooms, even overripe ones, are not spoiled by the wormhole. Mushrooms grow quickly in a humid environment; in the absence of rain, the development of spores stops. It is not difficult to find such trophies throughout Ukraine; their season starts in July and lasts until November. It is best to go searching in moss-covered, damp, but well-lit areas with weak grass cover.

Important! Real chanterelles are often confused with their counterparts. Therefore, when harvesting, you need to pay special attention to the color of the trophy pulp. In pseudo-chanterelles it is yellow-orange or pale pink.

Please note that this species is not found on forest edges. In cooking, chanterelles are usually consumed in fresh, pickled, salted and dried forms. They have a specific aroma and taste. Experts note that this variety exceeds all mushrooms known to mankind in terms of carotene composition, but is not recommended in large quantities because it is difficult to digest in the body.

In the scientific literature, oyster mushrooms are simultaneously called oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatu) and belong to the predatory species. The fact is that their spores are capable of paralyzing and digesting nematodes living in the soil. In this way, the body compensates for its nitrogen needs. In addition, the variety is considered wood-destroying, since it grows in groups on stumps and trunks of weakened living plants, as well as on dead wood.
It can most often be found on oaks, birches, rowan trees, willows, and aspens. As a rule, these are dense bunches of 30 or more pieces, which grow together at the base and form multi-tiered growths. Oyster mushrooms can be easily recognized by the following characteristics:

  • the cap reaches about 5-30 cm in diameter, very fleshy, rounded ear-shaped with wavy edges (in young specimens it is convex, and in mature age becomes flat), smooth glossy surface and unstable peculiar tonality, which borders on ashen, violet-brown and faded dirty yellow shades;
  • mycelial plaque is present only on the skin of mushrooms that grow in a humid environment;
  • leg up to 5 cm long and 0.8-3 cm thick, sometimes almost invisible, dense, cylindrical in structure;
  • the plates are sparse, up to 15 mm wide, have bridges near the legs, their color varies from white to yellow-gray;
  • spores are smooth, colorless, elongated, up to 13 microns in size;
  • The pulp becomes more elastic with age and loses its juiciness, it is fibrous, has no smell, and has an anise flavor.

Did you know? In 2000, a Ukrainian mycelium hunter from Volyn, Nina Danilyuk, managed to find a giant boletus mushroom that did not fit in a bucket and weighed about 3 kg. Its leg reached 40 cm, and the circumference of the cap was 94 cm.

Due to the fact that old oyster mushrooms are characterized by rigidity, only young mushrooms whose caps do not exceed 10 centimeters in diameter are suitable for food. In this case, the legs are removed from all trophies. The oyster mushroom hunting season begins in September and, under favorable weather conditions, lasts until the New Year. This species cannot be confused with anything in our latitudes, but for Australians there is a risk of putting the poisonous omphalotus in the basket.

This is the popular name for a certain group of mushrooms that grow on living or dead wood. They belong to different families and genera, and also differ in their preferences for living conditions.
Autumn honey mushrooms are most often used for food purposes. ( Armillaria mellea), which represent the Physalacriaceae family. According to various estimates by scientists, they are classified as conditionally edible or generally inedible. For example, honey mushrooms are not in demand among Western gourmets and are considered a low-value product. And in Eastern Europe, these are one of the favorite trophies of mushroom pickers.

Important! Undercooked honey mushrooms cause people allergic reaction and severe eating disorders.

Honey mushrooms are easily recognizable by their external features. They have:
  • the cap develops up to 10 cm in diameter, is characterized by a convexity at a young age and a flatness at a mature age, it has a smooth surface and a greenish-olive coloring;
  • the leg is solid, yellow-brown, from 8 to 10 cm long with a volume of 2 cm, with small flocculent scales;
  • the plates are sparse, white-cream in color, darkening with age to pinkish-brown shades;
  • spores are white, up to 6 microns in size, have the shape of a wide ellipse;
  • the pulp is white, juicy, with a pleasant aroma and taste, on the caps it is dense and fleshy, and on the stem it is fibrous and rough.
The honey mushroom season begins at the end of summer and lasts until December. September is particularly productive, when forest fruits appear in several layers. It is best to look for trophies in damp forest areas under the bark of weakened trees, on stumps, and dead plants.
They love the wood left after cutting: birch, elm, oak, pine, alder and aspen. In particularly fruitful years, there is a night glow of stumps, which is emitted by group growths of honey mushrooms. For food purposes, the fruits are salted, pickled, fried, boiled and dried.

Important! When collecting honey mushrooms, be careful. The color of their cap depends on the soil in which they grow. For example, those specimens that appear on poplar, mulberry and white acacia are distinguished by honey-yellow tones, those that grow from elderberry are dark gray, those from conifers are purple-brown, and those from oak are brown. Edible honey mushrooms are often confused with false mushrooms. Therefore, only those fruits that have a ring on the stem should be placed in the basket.

Most mushroom pickers prefer green moss mushrooms (Xerócomus subtomentosus), which are the most common of their kind. Some botanists classify them as boletus mushrooms.
These fruits are characterized by:

  • a cap with a maximum diameter of up to 16 cm, a cushion-shaped convexity, a velvety surface and a smoky olive color;
  • the leg is cylindrical, up to 10 cm high and up to 2 cm thick, with a fibrous dark brown mesh;
  • brown spores, up to 12 microns in size;
  • The pulp is snow-white; upon contact with oxygen it may acquire a slight blue tint.
To hunt for this species, you should go to deciduous and mixed forests. They also grow along the edges of roads, but such specimens are not recommended for consumption. The fruiting period lasts from late spring to late autumn. The harvested fruit is best eaten freshly prepared. When dried it turns black.

Did you know? Although fly agarics are considered very poisonous, they contain much less toxic substances than the toadstool. For example, to obtain a lethal concentration of mushroom poison, you need to eat 4 kg of fly agarics. And one toadstool is enough to poison 4 people.

Among the edible varieties of boletus, white, swamp, yellow, Bollini, and larch species are popular. In our latitudes, the latter variation is especially popular.
She is characterized by:

  • cap up to 15 cm in diameter, convex in shape, with a bare sticky surface of lemon yellow or rich yellow-orange color;
  • the stem is up to 12 cm high and 3 cm wide, club-shaped, with granular-mesh fragments at the top, as well as a ring, its color exactly matches the tone of the cap;
  • spores are smooth, pale yellow, ellipsoidal, up to 10 microns in size;
  • the flesh is yellow with a lemon tint, brownish under the skin, soft, juicy with hard fibers; in old mushrooms, the cuts turn a little pink.
The season lasts from July to September. The species is very common in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere. Most often found in groups in deciduous forests where the soil is acidic and enriched. In cooking, these forest trophies are used for making soups, frying, salting, and pickling.

Did you know? Truffles are considered the most expensive mushrooms in the world. In France, the price per kilogram of this delicacy never falls below 2 thousand euros..

This mushroom is also popularly called blackhead and. In botanical literature it is designated as Léccinum scábrum and represents the genus Obabok.
He is recognized by:

  • a cap with a specific color that varies from white to gray-black;
  • club-shaped leg, with oblong dark and light scales;
  • white pulp that does not change when in contact with oxygen.
Young specimens are tastier. You can find them in summer and autumn in birch thickets. They are suitable for frying, boiling, pickling and drying.

Represents a family and includes about fifty species. Most of them are considered edible. Some varieties have a bitter aftertaste, which is lost with careful pre-soaking and cooking of forest products.
Of the entire mushroom kingdom, russula stands out:

  • the cap is spherical or prostrate (in some specimens it may be in the form of a funnel), with rolled, ribbed edges, dry skin of different colors;
  • a cylindrical leg, with a hollow or dense structure, white or colored;
  • the plates are frequent, brittle, yellowish in color;
  • spores of white and dark yellow tones;
  • the pulp is spongy and very fragile, white in young mushrooms and dark, as well as reddish in old ones.

Important! Russulas with caustic, burning pulp are poisonous. A small piece of raw fruit can cause severe irritation of the mucous membranes, vomiting and dizziness..

Fruiting for these representatives of the Obabok genus begins in early summer and lasts until mid-September. They are most often found in damp areas under shady trees. Rarely can such a trophy be found in coniferous forests. Boletuses are popular in Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Western Europe and North America.
The signs of this forest fruit are:

  • a hemispherical cap, up to 25 cm in circumference, with a bare or fleecy surface of a white-pink color (sometimes there are specimens with brown, bluish and greenish shades of the peel);
  • the leg is club-shaped, tall, white with brown-gray scales that appear over time;
  • brown spores;
  • the tubular layer is white-yellow or gray-brown;
  • the pulp is juicy and fleshy, white or yellow, sometimes blue-green, upon contact with oxygen it very soon acquires a bluish tint, after which it turns black (it turns purple in the stem).
Most often collected for marinades, drying, as well as for frying and boiling.

Did you know? It has been scientifically proven that mushrooms existed about 400 million years ago. Which means they appeared before the dinosaurs. Like ferns, these gifts of nature were one of the most ancient inhabitants of the globe. Moreover, their spores were able to adapt to new conditions for thousands of years, preserving all ancient species to this day.

These edible representatives of the Russula family have captivated all mushroom pickers with their specific taste. In everyday life they are called ridz or, and in scientific literature - Lactarius deliciosus.
The harvest should be done between August and October. Often such trophies are found in damp forest areas. In Ukraine, these are Polesie and the Carpathian region. Signs of saffron milk caps are:

  • cap with a diameter of 3 to 12 cm, watering can-shaped, sticky to the touch, gray-orange in color, with clear concentric stripes;
  • the plates are deep orange and begin to turn green when touched;
  • spores are warty, up to 7 microns in size;
  • the stem is very dense, exactly matches the cap in color, reaches up to 7 cm in length, and up to 2.5 cm in volume, becomes hollow with age;
  • the flesh is yellow in the cap and white in the stem; when exposed to oxygen, the cut areas turn green;
  • The milky juice is purple-orange (it turns dirty green after a few hours) and has a pleasant smell and taste.
In cooking, saffron milk caps are boiled, fried, and salted.

Did you know? A natural antibiotic, lactarioviolin, was found in saffron milk caps..

In France they call absolutely all mushrooms. Therefore, linguists are inclined to think that the Slavic name of a whole genus of organisms from the Agarikov family is of French origin.
Champignons have:

  • the cap is massive and dense, hemispherical in shape, which becomes flat with age, white or dark brown, up to 20 cm in diameter;
  • the plates are initially white, which turn gray with age;
  • leg up to 5 cm high, dense, club-shaped, always having a one- or two-layer ring;
  • the pulp, which comes in all sorts of shades of white, when exposed to oxygen becomes yellow-red, juicy, with a pronounced mushroom smell.
In nature, there are about 200 types of champignons. But they all develop only on a substrate enriched with organic substances. They can also be found on anthills and dead bark. It is characteristic that some mushrooms can grow only in the forest, others - exclusively among grasses, and still others - in desert areas.

Important! When collecting champignons, pay attention to their plates. This is the only important sign by which they can be distinguished from poisonous representatives of the Amanitov genus. In the latter, this part remains invariably white or lemon throughout their lives..

In the nature of the Eurasian continent, there is a small species diversity of such trophies. Mushroom pickers should only beware of yellow-skinned (Agaricus xanthodermus) and variegated (Agaricus meleagris) champignons. All other types are non-toxic. They are even mass-cultivated on an industrial scale.

Outwardly, these fruits are very unattractive, but in terms of their taste they are considered a valuable delicacy. In everyday life they are called “earth heart”, since they can be located underground at a depth of half a meter. They are also the “black diamonds of cooking.” Botanists classify truffles as a separate genus of marsupial fungi with an underground fleshy and juicy fruiting body. In cooking, the Italian, Perigord and winter varieties are most valued.
They mainly grow in oak and beech forests in Southern France and Northern Italy. In Europe, specially trained dogs and pigs are used for “silent hunting”. Experienced mushroom pickers advise paying attention to flies - in places where they swarm, there will probably be an earthen heart under the foliage.

You can recognize the most valuable fruit by the following signs:

  • the fruiting body is potato-shaped, with a diameter of 2.5 to 8 cm, with a weak pleasant odor and large pyramidal protrusions with a diameter of up to 10 mm, olive-black in color;
  • the flesh is white or yellow-brown with clear light veins, tastes like fried sunflower seeds or nuts;
  • ellipsoidal spores develop only in humus substrate.
Truffles form mycorrhizae with the rhizomes of oak, hornbeam, hazel, and beech. Since 1808, they have been cultivated for industrial purposes.

Did you know? According to statistics, the world's truffle harvest is decreasing every year. On average, it does not exceed 50 tons.

This is a species of edible mushroom from the genus Lentinula. They are very widespread in the area East Asia. They got their name from growing on chestnut trees. Translated from Japanese, the word means “chestnut mushroom.” In cooking, it is used in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai cuisines as a gourmet spice. In oriental medicine there are also many recipes for treatment with these fruits.
In everyday life, the mushroom is also called oak, winter, black. It is characteristic that in the world market shiitake is considered the second important mushroom that is cultivated industrially. It is quite possible to grow a delicacy in climatic conditions Ukraine. To do this, it is important to acquire an artificial mushroom substrate.

When collecting shiitake, you need to focus on the following characteristics mushroom:

  • a hemispherical cap, up to 29 cm in diameter, with a dry, velvety skin of coffee or brownish-brown color;
  • the plates are white, thin and thick, in young specimens they are protected by a membrane covering, and when squeezed they become dark brown;
  • the leg is fibrous, cylindrical, up to 20 cm high and up to 1.5 cm thick, with a smooth light brown surface;
  • white ellipsoidal spores;
  • the pulp is dense, fleshy, juicy, cream or snow-white in color, with a pleasant aroma and a pronounced specific taste.

Did you know? The increased interest in shiitake on the world market is due to its antitumor effect. The main consumer of this delicacy is Japan, which annually imports about 2 thousand tons of the product.

The mushroom belongs to the Boletaceae family. In everyday life it is called bruise, poddubnik, dirty brown. The fruiting period begins in July and lasts until late autumn. August is considered the most productive. To search, you should go to forest areas where there are oaks, hornbeams, beeches, and birches. They also prefer calcareous soil and well-lit areas. These forest fruits are known in the Caucasus, Europe and the Far East.
The signs of the mushroom are:

  • cap with a diameter of 5 to 20 cm, semicircular in shape, with olive-brown velvety skin that darkens when touched;
  • the pulp is dense, odorless, with a mild taste, yellow in color (purple at the base of the stem);
  • the plates are yellow, about 2.5-3 cm long, green or olive in color;
  • the leg is club-shaped, up to 15 cm high with a volume up to 6 cm, yellow-orange in color;
  • spores are olive-brown, smooth, fusiform.
Experienced mushroom pickers advise paying attention to the color of the oak mushroom cap. It is highly variable and can vary between red, yellow, brown, brown and olive tones. These fruits are considered conditionally edible. They are prepared for marinades and drying.

Important! If you eat undercooked or raw oak, severe poisoning can occur. It is strictly contraindicated to combine this product to any degree. culinary processing with alcoholic drinks.

Edible varieties of these fruits must undergo thorough boiling. They differ from poisonous specimens in their bright color and not too tart odor. Most often used for filling pies, and also consumed freshly prepared.
Experienced mushroom pickers advise going on a “quiet hunt” from the beginning of July to the second half of October. To improve the taste of talkers, only the caps of young fruits are used for food. You can recognize them by:

  • a bell-shaped cap with a circumference of up to 22 cm, with folded edges and a tubercle in the middle, a smooth surface of a matte or red color;
  • stem up to 15 cm high, with a dense structure, cylindrical shape and corresponding cap color scheme(there are darker shades at the base);
  • medium thick brown plates;
  • The pulp is fleshy, dry, with a weak almond aroma, white in color, which does not change when cut.

Important! Pay attention to the skin of the talker's cap. Poisonous fruits always have a characteristic powdery coating on it.

Many novice mushroom pickers are always impressed by the appearance of bigheads. These trophies stand out very favorably against the background of their counterparts due to their impressive size and shape.
They have:

  • fruiting body large sizes, can develop up to 20 cm in diameter, non-standard club-shaped, which hardly fits into generally accepted ideas about mushrooms;
  • the leg can also reach 20 cm in height, it can be larger or smaller than the cap, its color is in harmony with the top;
  • The pulp is loose, white in color.
Only young fruits, which are distinguished by light shades of the fruiting body, are suitable for culinary purposes. With age, the cap darkens and cracks appear on it. You can harvest bigheads in any forest area. Some young mushrooms are very similar to puffballs. But such confusion is not dangerous to health, since both varieties are edible. The mushroom season begins in the second decade of July and lasts until the coldest weather. It is better to dry the collected trophies.

Did you know? Mushrooms can survive at an altitude of 30 thousand meters above sea level, withstand radioactive radiation and pressure of 8 atmospheres. They also take root easily even on the surface of sulfuric acid.

He is a representative of the Borovikov family. In everyday life it is referred to as the yellow gill or yellow boletus. Very common in Polesie, Carpathian region and Western Europe. It is considered a heat-loving variety of Boletaceae. It can be found in oak, hornbeam, and beech plantings with high air humidity and clay substrate.
Externally the mushroom is characterized by:

  • a cap with a diameter of 5 to 20 cm, a convex shape, which becomes flat with age, with a smooth matte clay-colored surface;
  • heavy pulp, with a dense structure, white or light yellow color, which does not change when cut, with a pleasant, slightly sweet taste and a specific smell, reminiscent of iodoform;
  • leg with a rough surface, up to 16 cm high, up to 6 cm in volume, club-shaped, without mesh;
  • tubular layer up to 3 cm in size, yellow in early age and olive-lemon - in mature;
  • spores of yellow-olive color, up to 6 microns in size, fusiform and smooth.
Semi-white mushrooms are often prepared for preparing marinades and drying. It is important to thoroughly boil the harvested crop before use - then it disappears. bad smell.

Did you know? The history of mushrooms records a fact when Swiss mushroom pickers accidentally stumbled upon a huge trophy that had been growing for a thousand years. This giant honey fungus measured 800 m in length and 500 m in width, and its mycelium occupied 35 hectares of the local national park in the city of Ofenpass.

Basic rules for picking mushrooms

Mushroom hunting has its risks. In order not to be exposed to them, you need to clearly understand that it is extremely important to be able to collect mushrooms and understand their varieties.
To safely harvest forest trophies, you need to follow these rules:

  1. To search, go to environmentally friendly areas, away from noisy highways and production assets.
  2. Never put items in your cart that you are not sure about. In this case, it is better to seek help from experienced mushroom pickers.
  3. Under no circumstances should samples be taken from raw fruits.
  4. During a “silent hunt,” minimize touching your hands to your mouth and face.
  5. Do not take mushrooms that have a white tuberous formation at the base.
  6. Compare found trophies with their toxic counterparts.
  7. Visually evaluate the entire fruit: stem, plates, cap, pulp.
  8. Do not delay cooking the harvested crop. It is better to immediately carry out the planned processing, because every hour the mushrooms lose their value.
  9. Never drink water in which mushrooms have been boiled. It may contain many toxic substances.
  10. Remove copies damaged by the wormhole, as well as those that have any damage.
  11. Only young fruits should fall into the mushroom picker’s basket.
  12. All trophies should be cut, not pulled out.
  13. The best time for “silent hunting” is considered to be early morning.
  14. If you go mushroom picking with children, do not lose sight of them and explain to the kids in advance about the potential danger of forest gifts.

Did you know? Soft mushroom caps can break through asphalt, concrete, marble and iron.

Video: rules for picking mushrooms

Mushroom poisoning is indicated by:

  • nausea;
  • vomit;
  • headache;
  • abdominal cramps;
  • diarrhea (up to 15 times a day);
  • weakened heartbeat;
  • hallucinations;
  • cold extremities.
Similar symptoms can occur within one and a half to two hours after eating mushrooms. When intoxicated, it is important not to waste time. It is necessary to immediately call an ambulance and provide the victim with plenty of fluids. Allowed to drink cold water or cold strong tea. It is recommended to take activated carbon tablets or Enterosgel.
It also wouldn’t hurt to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract with an enema and gastric lavage before the doctor arrives (drink about 2 liters of a weak solution of potassium permanganate to induce vomiting). With adequate treatment, improvement occurs within a day. During the “silent hunt”, do not lose your vigilance, carefully inspect the trophies and, if you have doubts about their edibility, it is better not to take them with you.

Video: mushroom poisoning

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The most dangerous and “popular” mushrooms include all types of fly agarics and death cap. They are capable of destroying the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, nervous systems, and completely affect the brain. And no heat treatment will help neutralize the substances contained in these mushrooms. deadly poisons. However, there are other poisonous mushrooms that are no less dangerous. This article will teach you how to recognize inedible mushrooms.

The most common poisonous mushrooms

“The meat of the earth,” as mushrooms are sometimes called, truly has a unique taste, which attracts lovers of quiet hunting to look for it again and again. mushroom places. Experienced “hunters” of nature’s delicacy are well aware that the most common and dangerous poisonous ones include the following:

  • brick-red false foam;
  • gray-yellow false honey fungus;
  • stinking fly agaric;
  • satanic (false white);
  • panther fly agaric;
  • false value;
  • false chanterelle;
  • pale grebe.

It is important to know about the existence of conditionally edibles that act on the body selectively in accordance with the circumstances. In the worst case, such mushrooms can cause moderate and moderately severe poisoning. These include:

  • violins;
  • pushers;
  • rows;
  • Gorkushi;
  • valui;
  • waves;
  • milk mushrooms

This category of mushrooms contains poisonous resins that have a detrimental effect on the condition. digestive system. Appropriate treatment can play the role of an antidote: long-term soaking in water, which needs to be changed periodically, salting and standing for at least 1.5 months.


Characteristic signs of poisonous mushrooms

Neither in the world of animals nor plants there are “doubles” with similar external signs, but completely different in character. But this is exactly what happens with mushrooms. For example, the same species is divided into harmless and poisonous, and it is very difficult to distinguish them if you do not know the main false signs.

Each type of poisonous mushroom growing in Russia has its own characteristics, which should be known to those who are not ready to exclude independently collected mushrooms from their diet. In order not to make a fatal mistake, you need to study in detail and remember the description of mushrooms harmful to health and life.

Look carefully appearance mushroom, the color of the cap and plates, the shape of the stem, the condition of the pulp when cut - the main rule.

This is the most famous poisonous mushroom in the world; it has a second name - green fly agaric. Appears from mid-summer to late autumn, can grow in groups or alone. Loves pine and deciduous forests, especially at the edges. It is found in Russia, in many European countries and even in America.

At the first stage of development, the cap looks like a bell, then it becomes convex. Its surface attracts with its velvety and perfect smoothness. The diameter of the cap is 4-11 cm. The under-hat plates and stem are white.

To distinguish it from an edible mushroom, you need to be extremely careful. The pale grebe is first covered with a solid white film. Then, over time, it is rejected and a rim is formed around the leg, and there is also a basal sheath in the form of a sac-like thickening.

The danger of toadstool is not only the presence of deadly toxins, but also the fact that it is extremely similar to everyone’s favorite champignons or russula. Populations of both are observed in similar places; they have the same color and stem shape as edible mushrooms.


And, unfortunately, they are often confused, dooming oneself to severe poisoning, after which not everyone manages to get out alive. After all, the poisons contained in toadstool are heat-resistant and dissolve in water without losing their destructive properties. It is enough to consume 50 g of toadstools, and death is guaranteed.

There is a type of toadstool that is exactly like a champignon. It has a pure white color, which makes it interesting. But if you take a closer look, it will become clear that this is another trick of these half-living, half-plant creatures. The plates under the cap are the same white and merge with the whiteness of the mushroom. In champignons, they are pinkish at first, and darken during ripening.

Exist medications, capable of eliminating the effects of the strongest toxins contained in toadstool. But, unfortunately, the symptoms of poisoning by this fungus are hidden for a long time (up to 2 days), which most often becomes the cause of death when precious time is lost to save the victim.

Pale toadstool does not have the usual mushroom aroma. It is not for nothing that they call it smelly.

This giant looks very similar to or, and is just as attractive. Often found in oak or mixed forests Russia. It can be found in the middle zone and European countries. The period of active growth occurs from June to September.

The hat of this “monster” can reach 25-30 cm, its color is gray or with an olive tint. The leg with a mesh pattern gradually changes its shade - at first it is yellow, then becomes yellow-red. Its height is from 5 to 15 cm, thickness – up to 10 cm.

The plates under the cap also change color depending on the stage of development of the fungus: first greenish, then yellow, orange, red, brown-red.

False chanterelles

They are distinguished by the gray-green color of the inside of the cap, and there is no rim on the stem. They are also given off by an unpleasant odor, which is extremely far from mushroom.

To avoid confusion gall mushroom with boletus or white, its suitability is also determined by the state of the cut. The gall will show a pinkish tint, the white will not change, and the boletus will darken.

They have difficult to recognize differences from conditionally edible and russula. The poisonous ones are equipped with a cone-shaped or flat cap, with a small sharp tubercle in the middle. The color of the cap ranges from smoky gray, green to bright yellow. If an incision is made, a pink color appears.

It lives in coniferous forests, is very similar to the honey mushroom, but differs from it in the absence of a ring on the leg.

Features of poisoning

When eating any poisonous mushrooms a person experiences the following symptoms:

  • Acute pain in the abdominal area (stomach and intestines).
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • My head is spinning.
  • Consciousness weakens or is lost.

When certain types of inedible mushrooms enter the body, other symptoms may occur. For example, death cap causes a condition that can be divided into 3 phases:

  1. Hidden lasts from 60 minutes to 1.5-2 days.
  2. Damage to the digestive system – from 1 to 2 days.
  3. Impaired kidney and liver function – the next day.

The first stage is dangerous due to the absence of symptoms. The second entails severe vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and severe weakness. During this period, it is necessary to take urgent measures that can guarantee the salvation of the patient. The last phase is the appearance of tar-like stool, the skin turns yellow, blood is found in the urine, vomit looks like coffee grounds. At this stage, it is very difficult to save the patient’s life; most often, death is likely.

Satanic mushroom is one of the most insidious, because the human body does not give any signals of poisoning for 12 hours. During this time, deadly toxins manage to infect the internal organs of the victim. Only half a day later the first signs appear: vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness. These symptoms include yellowness of the skin, eyeballs, and irregular heartbeat. Urine the color of dark beer, a noticeable enlargement of the liver, clouding of consciousness - this is a critical condition when it is almost impossible to save a person from death.

Causes severe cutting pain in the peritoneum, loose stools, heavy sweating, excessive salivation, lacrimation, pupils are constricted to the limit. The poisoned person experiences high fever, increased agitation, hallucinations, and slurred speech.

This video provides visual information about the main features, similarities and differences between inedible and edible mushrooms:

First aid for poisoning

Gastric lavage is the most important thing to do at the first suspicion of poisoning with inedible mushrooms. This procedure can be done at home. It must be repeated up to 5 times. The victim should drink at least 5-6 glasses of water, and then artificially vomit. To do this, take a spoon and press on the root of your tongue.

After these manipulations, the patient is sent to bed, his limbs are covered with warm heating pads, and he is given strong black tea. At the first stage (shortly after eating poisonous mushrooms), in the absence of diarrhea, mild laxatives are given. It is necessary to monitor your blood pressure to prevent a sharp drop, which laxatives can lead to by dehydrating the body.

2017-07-12 Igor Novitsky


Those who studied well at school remember that mushrooms are a separate group of living organisms that do not belong to either plants or animals. Although there are many varieties of mushrooms, the average person associates the term “mushrooms” almost exclusively with wild mushrooms. Among them there are many edible species that form an important part of the Russian culinary tradition.

Nutritional value of edible mushrooms

Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals, and therefore their taste has nothing in common with either plant foods or meat. Edible mushrooms have their own unique taste, which is called “mushroom”. In terms of nutritional value, they are more likely to be closer to meat than to plants. Mushrooms are rich in protein, carbohydrates and various microelements. They also contain special enzymes that promote digestion and better absorption of nutrients.

If we do not take into account the general taxonomic classification of all mushrooms in general, then there is no single world classification of edible mushrooms. This is due not only to differences in culinary traditions among different nations, but also with the climatic characteristics of individual countries, affecting the species composition of mushrooms in a particular region. In addition, the names of edible mushrooms usually combine several individual species with different external characteristics, which also complicates the classification.

In Russia, they mainly use the Soviet scale of nutritional value for edible mushrooms, according to which all types are divided into four categories:

  1. The first category includes types of edible mushrooms that have maximum value and a rich, rich taste. For example, boletus, yellow milk mushroom, real saffron milk cap.
  2. The second category includes slightly less delicious mushrooms with significantly less nutritional value - boletus, boletus, champignons.
  3. The third category includes edible mushrooms of Russia with mediocre taste and mediocre nutritional value - green flywheel, russula, honey fungus.
  4. The fourth category is mushrooms with minimal nutritional value and questionable taste. These are, for example, variegated moss mushroom, puffball, oyster mushroom.
  • Edible mushrooms. They do not require mandatory temperature treatment and are theoretically suitable for consumption even in raw form without any risk.
  • Conditionally edible mushrooms. This category includes mushrooms that are not suitable for consumption raw due to toxins or unpleasant taste, but are edible after special processing (boiling, soaking, drying, etc.) This also includes mushrooms that are edible only at a young age, or that can cause poisoning in combination with other products (for example, dung mushroom should not be consumed with alcohol).
  • Inedible mushrooms. They are completely safe for the human body, but due to poor taste, hard pulp or other reasons, they are not of culinary interest. Often in other countries they are described as edible mushrooms or conditionally edible.
  • Poisonous mushrooms. This group includes those types of mushrooms from which it is impossible to remove toxins at home, and therefore their consumption as food is extremely dangerous.

For Russians, mushrooms are not only a tasty dish, always relevant both on the festive table and on weekdays. Mushroom hunting is also a favorite outdoor activity for many. Unfortunately, most city dwellers and even many villagers have forgotten the centuries-old experience of their ancestors and are completely unable to determine which mushrooms are edible and which are not. That is why every year dozens and even hundreds of inexperienced mushroom pickers throughout Russia die from poisoning by poisonous mushrooms, mistaking them for edible ones.

It’s worth noting right away that there are no single universal rules on how to distinguish edible mushrooms from their poisonous doubles. Each type of mushroom has its own patterns, which often do not apply to other species. For this reason, you should adhere to the general rules of conduct recommended by experts.

So, if, looking at a fly agaric, you are not entirely sure whether the mushroom in front of you is edible, then before you go on a “quiet hunt”, listen to the following recommendations:

  • If possible, take an experienced mushroom picker with you to supervise the mushroom picking process. Alternatively, the “trophies” can be shown to him for control after returning from the forest.
  • Study as thoroughly as possible one or two (no more!) types of the most common edible mushrooms in your region. Moreover, it is advisable to find out what edible mushrooms look like by seeing them in person, and not on a monitor screen. Memorize well their differences from all possible doubles. When you go to the forest, collect only these mushrooms that you are familiar with and no others.
  • Do not take mushrooms that cause you the slightest doubt about their species.
  • Having discovered a “family” of mushrooms, take a closer look at the largest specimens. Firstly, it is easier to determine the species from them, and secondly, if they are wormy, then the mushrooms are edible. There are no worms in deadly poisonous mushrooms. True, they can easily end up in falsely edible mushrooms with an average level of toxicity.
  • Until you gain experience, collect only tubular mushrooms - porcini, boletus, boletus, boletus. There are very few poisonous mushrooms in this group, which cannot be said about the lamellar varieties of edible mushrooms.
  • Never taste raw mushrooms. He won't tell you anything, but if you come across a poisonous mushroom, you can easily get poisoned.

The most common mushrooms are edible and inedible

The porcini mushroom, or boletus mushroom, is the best representative of the group of undoubtedly edible mushrooms of the first nutritional category. Although it has a fairly characteristic appearance by which it is easily recognized, the boletus has an inedible twin - the gall mushroom or mustard. Edible porcini mushrooms can be identified by their thick cylindrical stem and reddish-brown cap. The flesh of the boletus always remains white, while the gall mushroom is distinguished by the fact that when broken, its flesh acquires a pink tint, and the mushroom itself is very bitter.

Red boletuses are also very popular edible among Russians Forest mushrooms. They have a dense brown-red cap. They can be easily distinguished from other mushrooms by their pulp, which quickly turns blue at the cut site. Despite the name, they can grow not only next to aspens, but also with other deciduous trees (never next to conifers). But for safety, it is better to collect such mushrooms only under aspen and poplar trees. However, it is quite difficult to confuse boletus with other mushrooms, since it does not have false doubles.

Maslyata are very loved and popular in Russia. They can be recognized by the yellow color of the stem, and the cap is covered with a sticky brown skin that can be easily removed with a knife. Under the cap is a characteristic tubular structure. As a rule, when they talk about edible tubular mushrooms, they mean butter mushrooms. Adult mushrooms are almost always rich in worms, which is also a good sign.

Chanterelles have a rather unusual appearance, which makes them easy to identify among other edible mushrooms in the forest. However, they have a very similar double, which you identify by a more saturated orange hue (the edible mushroom is lighter), a hollow stalk (the real one is dense and solid) and white discharge on the cap.

Honey mushrooms are edible mushrooms known for their characteristic rich taste. Since in fact, several types of mushrooms are called honey mushrooms at once, it is sometimes difficult to give them a single description. For safety, it is recommended to collect only those honey mushrooms that grow exclusively in the roots, on stumps and on fallen trunks. They have ocher-colored caps with scales on them and a white ring on the stem. False honey mushrooms are also several types of mushrooms. Honey mushrooms should be avoided if they grow on the ground; their cap is yellow or brownish-red and lacks scales. While the cap of real honey mushrooms is equipped with whitish plates, those of false honey mushrooms are olive, dark gray or brownish. Also, there is no ring on the leg of the honey fungus.

Russulas are widespread edible mushrooms in the middle zone. This name is used for several species at once, the differences of which from inedible relatives lie in the presence of easily removable skin on the caps.

We have already noted earlier that, for safety, a novice mushroom picker should limit himself to a detailed study of one or two edible mushrooms, for which he goes into the forest. But information about edible mushrooms is not all you need to know. You should also read the description of the main most common poisonous mushrooms, which you will probably encounter during a “quiet hunt”.

Of the one and a half hundred poisonous mushrooms found in Russia, only a few species are deadly poisonous. The rest cause either food poisoning or lead to nervous system disorders. But since this can hardly be considered a mitigating circumstance, every mushroom picker should know how to distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible ones. And this is impossible without a good knowledge of the poisonous mushrooms themselves.

Statistics show that most often Russians are poisoned by toadstool. This is one of the most poisonous and at the same time most widespread mushrooms in the country. Inexperienced mushroom pickers mistake it for champignons, russula and other edible lamellar mushrooms. The toadstool can be recognized by the yellow-brown, dirty green, light olive and often snow-white (young mushrooms) color of the caps. Usually the center of the cap is a little darker and lighter at the edge. On the underside of the cap there are white soft plates. There is a ring on the leg.

False honey fungus can be found on the roots and stumps of trees, which is why beginners confuse it with real honey fungus and other edible mushrooms on trees. The mushroom causes food poisoning and is therefore not as dangerous as toadstool. It can be distinguished from real honey mushrooms by its color (not brown, but light orange or yellowish) and the absence of a ring on the stem (real honey mushrooms have it right under the cap).

Amanita mushrooms in our minds are synonymous with poisonous mushrooms. At the same time, an ordinary city dweller imagines a typical picture - a large fleshy mushroom with a bright red cap with white speckles and a white stem. In fact, only one of more than 600 species of fly agarics looks like this. By the way, the pale grebe formally also refers to fly agarics. So, in addition to the well-known red fly agaric and toadstool, you should also be wary of the green fly agaric, stinking fly agaric, panther fly agaric and white fly agaric. Externally, some of them are very similar to edible mushrooms in September. The probability of meeting them in the forest is quite high.

The satanic mushroom is found mainly in the south and Primorye. It is toxic, although it rarely causes death. The mushroom is quite large, has an irregularly shaped cap and a massive stalk. The leg can have different shades of red. The color of the cap also varies: mushrooms with a white, dirty gray or olive cap are most often found. Sometimes it can be very similar to some edible mushrooms of the Primorsky Territory, in particular the boletus mushroom.

Thin mushroom is a harmful, although not deadly, mushroom. For a long time Experts did not have a unanimous opinion as to whether the mushroom was an edible mushroom or not. Only about 30 years ago it was finally removed from the list of edibles, as it was proven that it destroys the kidneys and causes food poisoning. It can be recognized by its fleshy, flattened cap with a curved edge. Young individuals have an olive-colored cap, while older individuals are gray-brown or rusty-brown. The stem is olive or gray-yellow and slightly lighter than the cap, or similar in color.

Mushrooms are delicious and useful product. It contains proteins, vitamins and some fat. Unfortunately, every year the mushroom season is overshadowed by sad events - poisoning. To avoid tragic troubles associated with silent hunting, you need to clearly know how to distinguish poisonous mushrooms from edible ones.

Where you shouldn't pick mushrooms

It is known that edible species found almost everywhere: in any copse, in the middle of a field, near houses, on city lawns, in parks and even in landfills. It is worth remembering that mushrooms have the ability to accumulate harmful and toxic substances from the environment.

It is not recommended to collect them in city squares and parks, near roads and railways, or near landfills. An edible specimen grown in an ecologically polluted area can become dangerous to human life and health due to the accumulated toxic products. You cannot take spoiled and worm-eaten ones, as they can form deadly cadaveric poison. Quiet hunting is best done away from the city, in unpolluted areas.

Edible, inedible and poisonous

In addition to their excellent taste and benefits, some mushrooms can cause irreparable damage to human health and even lead to death. Anyone who collects them in nature or buys them in dubious places should understand how to distinguish poisonous species from edible ones.

  • Edible, grown in clean environment, are completely safe, they can be safely eaten, subjected to only a short heat treatment (boletus, champignon, boletus, oyster mushrooms, boletus, boletus, chanterelles).
  • Conditionally edible ones can be eaten after certain processing, for example, prolonged boiling and changing the water (milk mushrooms, winter honey mushrooms, pepper mushroom, raincoat, wolf's boletus, black chanterelle).
  • Inedible ones are not suitable for food due to an unpleasant taste or too hard fruiting body (red trellis, thick pigwort, root boletus, false puffball, woody boletus).
  • Poisonous ones contain toxic substances dangerous to human health and life; their consumption even in small quantities can lead to death (pale toadstool, fly agarics, false mushrooms, yellow-skinned champignon, whitish talker).

How to differentiate

Anyone who is still poorly versed and cannot yet distinguish a good sample from a bad one should go into the forest with an experienced friend. Mushroom identification is a science, and mistakes can be costly!

Many people rely on “true” signs that make it easy and simple to identify bad specimens. They say that the poison curdles milk and makes... There are many folk methods for testing mushrooms for toxicity during cooking, for example: changing the color of onion and garlic heads. These are all myths, and there are practically no universal ways to check! There is one truly reliable way to test mushrooms for toxicity or edibility: you need to know them!

Common Misconceptions

It is almost impossible for an inexperienced mushroom picker to test collected mushrooms for toxicity at home. Often, various signs and folk methods that everyone knows can be misleading.

  • Dangerous varieties have an unpleasant odor and a frightening appearance. No, they can smell nice and look beautiful (fly agaric).

    • Insects and worms do not live on poisonous specimens, because they will be poisoned. No, any experienced assembler knows that this is not true. Some poisonous species are eaten even by large animals.

    Young poisonous specimens can be eaten. In no case! The same pale grebe is deadly at any age.

    Onions and garlic cooked together with bad mushrooms will turn blue. No, these vegetables do not react at all to mushroom poison.

    A silver spoon dipped into the broth turns dark. No, silver darkens not at all from toxicity, but due to contact with sulfur contained in the decoction.

​If you have even minimal doubts, consult with an experienced person; you can identify a dangerous mushroom only by knowing well the features of its structure.

A huge danger is posed by poisonous and inedible varieties that are very similar in appearance to their edible counterparts - the so-called doubles.

  • Champignon can be confused with toadstool(a type of fly agaric), and this is a poisonous mushroom, the mortality rate from accidental consumption of toadstool is about 90%. Unlike champignons, toadstool plates do not darken when damaged, and it does not have a characteristic film under the cap. The toadstool prefers to grow in the shade among trees, while the champignon prefers to grow in open areas.
  • Borovik has several doubles. These are inedible samples such as gall mushroom, satanic and inedible boletus, they are similar in shape, but differ in color from real white.
  • Summer honey fungus is confused with deadly dangerous looking- bordered with a gallery. How to distinguish edible honey mushrooms from galerina? It does not grow in clumps, like honey mushrooms; even if the fruiting bodies are nearby, the bases of the legs never grow together. The poison of the galerina is comparable in danger to the pale grebe.
  • The real chanterelle is distinguished from the false chanterelle by its corrugated cap at the edges, as well as by its coloring. The false color is brighter, orange-red.
  • Butterflies can also be false. In real ones, the cap is slimy and sticky, as if smeared in oil; the cap is always spongy, without plates. False ones have a dry cap that changes color when broken.

It happens that the double is capable of misleading even an experienced assembler. When doubt arises about a found specimen, some mushroom pickers, in order to determine its toxicity, taste a cut of the raw fruiting body; if it is bitter, they throw it away. Almost all species with a sponge cap are edible, with the exception of satanic mushroom, but it looks so bright that its very appearance arouses suspicion.

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than cooking for yourself))

Content

How many lovers are waiting for the start of the season to walk through the forest in search of saffron milk caps or saffron milk caps. Fry chanterelles, pickle milk mushrooms, marinate boletus to taste at the festive table in winter. Unfortunately, not everything ends well if you don’t know what you have collected. Arm yourself with useful knowledge of how to distinguish inedible species, every mushroom eater is obliged.

How to distinguish poisonous mushrooms from edible ones

You should not go into the forest if you do not know how to determine whether a mushroom is poisonous or not. Ask an experienced person to take you on a quiet hunt. In the forest thicket he will tell you about edible varieties and show what they look like. Read books or find information on websites. This is the only way to protect your loved ones and yourself from mortal danger. Even one inedible specimen in a basket can lead to disaster if you do not distinguish it and cook it with others.

Inedible species are dangerous because they can cause food poisoning, cause disruption of the central nervous system, and lead to death. Experienced mushroom pickers recommend following the following rules when collecting:

  • don’t taste it – you can get poisoned instantly;
  • do not take if in doubt;
  • do not cut dry, overripe specimens - it is difficult to determine their identity;
  • do not collect everything in the hope of sorting it out at home;
  • visit the forest with experienced people;
  • do not collect specimens with a thickened stem at the bottom;
  • Before departure, refresh your knowledge about the characteristics of the species.

What do edible mushrooms look like?

Experienced lovers of quiet forest hunting know how to distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible ones. You can’t go wrong, you can put the copy you like in the basket, and then cook it if:

  • there is a “skirt” on the leg;
  • under the cap there is a layer of a tubular appearance;
  • it gives off a pleasant smell;
  • the caps have a characteristic appearance and color for their variety;
  • insects were noticed on the surface - bugs and worms.

There are varieties that are very famous and popular in the middle forest zone. They are known and collected, although among them there are specimens that have dangerous doubles. To obtain a unique taste, different cooking methods are required. Among your favorite types you can distinguish:

  • white - boletus;
  • milk mushroom;
  • saffron milk cap;
  • boletus;
  • honey fungus;
  • boletus;
  • oiler;
  • wave;
  • fox;
  • Russula.

What mushrooms are poisonous?

How to distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible ones? Poisonous varieties are often recognized by the following characteristics:

  • color – have an unusual or very bright color;
  • sticky cap in some varieties;
  • change in the color of the leg - when cut, an unnatural color appears;
  • absence of worms and insects inside and on the surface - they do not tolerate mushroom poison;
  • smell - it can be fetid, medicinal, chlorine;
  • absence of a tubular layer under the cap.

Inedible varieties contain toxic substances. It is necessary to carry out the collection very carefully, to know special features dangerous specimens to distinguish them:

  • pale grebe - fatally poisonous, has a greenish or olive-colored cap, a thickened stem at the bottom;
  • satanic - differs from white in color in red tones;
  • red fly agaric - has a bright cap with white dots, provokes the destruction of brain cells;
  • thin pig – has hallucinogenic properties when interacting with alcohol;
  • fly agaric smelly - has the smell of chlorine, is very poisonous.

How to distinguish mushrooms

Among the variety of species, you can find poisonous specimens - doubles, similar to species suitable for consumption. How to distinguish between edible and inedible mushrooms in this case? The similarity can be distant or very close. The edible varieties of twins are:

  • white – satanic, bilious;
  • moss mushrooms, boletus - pepper;
  • chanterelles - false chanterelles;
  • milk mushrooms - waxy talkers;
  • mushrooms - fly agaric;
  • honey mushrooms - false honey mushrooms.

How to distinguish a false white mushroom

Inexperienced mushroom pickers may confuse a strong boletus with false species, although they are not very similar. A true white specimen is strong, dense, and grows in groups, sometimes forming a path. Distinguished by its hat, the bottom is exclusively olive, yellow, and white. Its flesh is firm, dense, and has a pleasant smell. If you make a cut, it will be white.

There are two types of false:

  • Gall - has a pinkish tint. There is a dark mesh on the surface of the leg.
  • Satanic - with a strong smell of rotten onion, distinguished by a velvety cap and yellow or red flesh. The leg is thickened at the bottom. It has a very bright color that varies in height from rich red to shades of green and yellow.

How to recognize the false chanterelle mushroom

How to determine edible and inedible mushrooms, if both look bright and elegant? How are chanterelles similar and by what characteristics can they be distinguished? Characteristics of an inedible variety are:

  • a bright, velvety, orange hat;
  • smaller diameter - about 2.5 cm;
  • pulp with unpleasant smell;
  • leg tapering downwards;
  • a hat that looks like a funnel with smooth edges;
  • absence of worms - contains chitinmannose - an anthelmintic substance.

Edible chanterelles grow in groups in mixed, coniferous forests. Often have large specimens with a hat up to 10 cm. They are distinguished by:

  • a thick, dense leg that is never hollow;
  • the hat is lowered down, has lumpy edges, the color is dim - from light yellow to pale orange;
  • the plates are dense, descending to the stem;
  • The flesh is red when pressed.