How to distinguish honey mushrooms from false ones. What edible honey fungus actually looks like

The forest is a green storehouse of nature's gifts. Berries, healing herbs, mycelium - what can you find in the dense, centuries-old plantings of our planet. Long after the heavy rains knowledgeable people rushed into the shady thickets to collect full basket various gifts with a hat. Honey mushrooms have always been favorites of mushroom pickers and end up in their baskets without delay. However, these forest inhabitants and false representatives, which can be quite difficult for an inexperienced connoisseur to recognize.

Useful gifts of the forest

Mushrooms are a favorite delicacy of many peoples. From generation to generation, experienced mushroom pickers passed on their secrets to their descendants. correct collection forest harvest and the nuances that made it almost impossible to put a false representative of one or another mushroom family in a basket.

Honey mushrooms or, scientifically, armilaria, of which there are about 30 varieties in nature, were no exception. A tasty and healthy representative of forest gifts has its own poisonous counterpart, who strives to introduce newcomers mushroom hunting misleading.

Eating poisonous false honey mushrooms leads to severe poisoning and fainting.

Despite the fact that the natural diversity of honey mushrooms is great, they are united by one quality - this mushroom family prefers to grow on living and dry wood and is rightfully considered the forest health worker. Lovers of stumps and dead wood recycle and decompose dead parts of trees, which helps renew green spaces.

Experts know more than 200 species of trees on which the honey fungus family likes to live. These include:

• birch;
• alder;
• pine.

Honey mushrooms can grow both on the tree trunk directly and on its stump or in the tree trunk area. Usually the mushroom family is numerous and consists of 40-50 pieces in a rosette. This forest dweller does not like loneliness and can grow on permanent place at least 15 years.

Varieties of honey mushrooms

The most common types of honey mushrooms in our country are:

• winter;
• summer;
• meadow;
• autumn;
• thick-legged.

Winter armilaria, as the name suggests, appears on wood during the cold season. Experienced mushroom pickers go hunting for this delicacy even in snowdrifts. The collection of such mushrooms begins after snow falls, and the mushroom families are usually located on old deciduous trees or stumps.

The cold-loving armilaria can be recognized by its characteristic brownish tint to the skin and the same stalk. The diameter of the winter honey mushroom cap usually does not exceed 10 cm, and its shape is flat.

Summer treat

Groups of summer mushrooms gather in the warm season. This association of armillaria prefers the trunks of fallen deciduous trees and their stumps. The species of the mushroom family is very small and the caps of such forest inhabitants do not exceed 6 cm in length, however, the rosette of the tree orderly is quite densely “populated” and can accommodate up to 40 of its representatives.

Typically, summer honey mushrooms have a golden-yellow color, which darkens with high humidity.

The caps of young mushrooms are curved. Mature representatives of this type of armilaria can be recognized by the characteristic tubercle in the center of the mushroom umbrella.

Meadow inhabitants

Meadow honey mushrooms are relatively early mushrooms; they are collected from May to October. Unlike its forest relatives, this armilaria chose grassy areas as its habitat. field areas. The color of tree inhabitants with a cap varies from light yellow to deep brown and is identical for both the stem and the cap.

The diameter of the umbrella is up to 9 cm, and the length of the stem sometimes reaches 10 cm. The mushroom support may even seem velvety in appearance and touch. The older the inhabitant of meadows and fields, the more characteristic the tubercle appears on the upper part of the umbrella.

Autumn harvest

The mycelium of autumn mushrooms prefers to settle on the trunks or stumps of elm and alder. Their family is numerous and one rosette can have up to 50 “inhabitants”. A characteristic feature of this armilaria is a large cap, the diameter of which sometimes reaches 17 cm, and a long scaly leg, rising 10 cm above the ground.

Thick-legged variety

The thick-legged honey fungus belongs to the category of those forest delicacies that not everyone will like. This is due to the fact that the mushroom has pulp with a cheesy smell, vaguely reminiscent of the “aroma” of Camembert and a slightly bitter taste.

The diameter of the umbrella of such a forest dweller is 2.5-10 cm, and the color of the mushroom itself varies from light brown and pinkish in young animals to dark tones in adult members of the family. A cap with scales, the number of which decreases towards its edge.

Poisonous doubles

Since honey fungus is almost the most popular delicacy among lovers of forest delicacies, the likelihood of a false representative of the mushroom family getting into the beginner’s basket is quite high. Most often, the following “inhabitants” of stumps and dead wood can be mistaken for edible armillaria:

• hypholoma (brick red, sulfur yellow);
• dung beetle

Brick-red false honey fungus, like its edible counterpart, forms numerous fungal families. The cap of each of the representatives of this type of hypholoma does not exceed 8 cm in diameter and in young representatives resembles a bell. The older the plant gets, the more its umbrella flattens. The stem of this poisonous mushroom reaches a height of 10 cm and is externally quite thick, its diameter is 1.2 - 1.5 cm.

The color of this forest dweller is bright and can be either brick-red or yellow-orange. Towards the edge of the umbrella the shade loses saturation and becomes both very light and white.

The description of the harmful effects on the human body varies among many specialists. Some argue that the mushroom is poisonous, while others are sure that the use of this representative of false honey leads to minor disorders digestive system.

False honey fungus sulfur-yellow

Hypholoma sulfur-yellow can also appear in the harvest of a newbie. This mushroom grows in groups with more than 10 “inhabitants”. In appearance, the false foam has a reddish-brown or yellowish-sulfur color.

The mushroom cap reaches a diameter of 7 cm, and the height of the thin stalk is 10 cm. The umbrella, like that of the reddish-brown hypholoma, is at a young age It has a bell shape, which straightens and flattens over time.

Sulfur-yellow pseudofoam is poisonous and leads to serious malfunction of the body.

dung beetle

A false honey fungus can also accidentally end up in a mushroom picker's basket. This inhabitant of dense green thickets is quite small in size. The dung beetle is able to mislead a forest hunter with the thin cobwebs on its cap, which, if not noticed, can easily be confused with the scales of an edible mushroom. This forest dweller also has a thin ring on the leg, but it is significantly different from the skirt of a real honey mushroom.

The dung beetle is unsuitable for food and is very poisonous.

Safety rules for mushroom lovers

When collecting mushrooms in a forest or meadow, experts recommend remembering the rules that will help you distinguish an edible mushroom from a poisonous one. You need to pay attention to:

• leg;
• color;
• hat;
• smell.

A characteristic distinguishing feature of edible honey mushrooms from their poisonous neighbors in the forest is the skirt on the leg. Only a truly useful member of the Armilaria has this “accessory”. Natural feature the mushroom gets from the parental blanket that protected it young body at an early stage of development.

It will help you understand what gift the forest offers to the mushroom picker and its color. It has been proven that nature has awarded all poisonous forest inhabitants with bright hats. The false honey fungus was no exception, since its representatives are usually painted in rich shades of various colors.

If the broken mushroom has brown flesh, then it cannot be eaten.

The cap of a mushroom can also tell a lot about it useful information. For example, edible honey mushrooms have scales on top of the umbrella, the number of which decreases with age, while their poisonous counterparts have such distinctive feature No. It is recommended to look under the mushroom cap and, having found there plates of a light cream or yellowish-white hue, you can be sure that the discovered trophy is edible.

If the forest harvest is collected correctly, then it can be safely prepared. Culinary experts know many dishes using mushrooms. Experienced honey mushroom hunters fry, boil, can and freeze them for the winter.

Preparing a dish from the forest harvest

The most common and popular dish among forest delicacy lovers is potatoes with mushrooms. The recipe for this culinary masterpiece is very simple. For it you will need:

• potato;
• honey mushrooms;
• oil;
• salt.

For 6 potatoes, you usually need 0.5 kg of mushrooms and 2 onions. After the honey mushrooms are washed and the onions are peeled and chopped, these ingredients are fried in oil. At the next stage, peeled, washed and chopped root vegetables are added to them. Then the contents of the frying pan are salted and brought to readiness.

When planning a forest hunt, you need to once again carefully study what edible mushrooms look like and show the drawing to the children so that they know who to look for. Remembering simple rules By distinguishing honey mushrooms from their poisonous neighbors, you can protect yourself and your family from unwanted health problems.

Honey mushrooms are popular among mushroom lovers. They are used for frying, pickling, pickling and freezing for the winter. Honey mushrooms are very easy to collect. They grow up in large families, closely located to each other. Finding such a family during mushroom season is not difficult. The most important thing is to distinguish real ones from false ones. How to do this?

Honey mushrooms are autumn mushrooms that grow in flocks and families. They can be found on stumps and old fallen trees, where they are located in whole clusters. Small mushrooms are considered the most valuable. They are used for frying, salting and pickling. Adult honey mushrooms look less attractive, so they are used to make mushroom caviar.

How to distinguish honey mushrooms?

The honey mushroom has a thin and flexible leg. It can reach 15 cm in length. The color of the leg can be different - light yellow and dark brown. It all depends on the age of the mushroom. On the leg you can see a skirt that rings it. But not all honey mushrooms have this sign.

The hat is neat, rounded at the bottom. It also differs in its shape, depending on age. Young mushrooms have a spherical cap with small scales. With age, it becomes like an umbrella and smoothes out. There are yellow, cream and even red caps.

These are hard workers; they love to grow on diseased and lifeless wood debris or depleted soil. They are capable of processing biomass into useful microelements, restore balance to the soil and make it fertile for healthy plant growth.

In ancient times, there was a sign: where a family of mushrooms settled, a treasure was buried. In addition, honey agaric was attributed medicinal properties. Its skin was used as an adhesive plaster to heal cuts and burns.

How to distinguish edible honey mushrooms: types of honey mushrooms

To know how to distinguish honey mushrooms from false honey mushrooms, you need to know that edible honey mushrooms come in several types.

1. Summer honey fungus is a mushroom that likes to grow in families on the stumps of deciduous trees. It is small in size, its leg reaches a length of no more than 7 cm. The leg is smooth on top, covered with dark scales below. The skirt is not always present; it may disappear with age. Young honey mushrooms have a convex cap; as they grow, it evens out and a bulge forms in the center. There are plates under the cap. This species appears from April and continues until November. The mushroom pulp is very tender with a pleasant smell of natural forest.
2. Autumn honey mushroom: how to distinguish summer honey mushrooms from autumn ones? Autumn has a longer leg up to 10 cm. At the bottom the leg widens slightly. It is yellow-brown above and becomes dark brown below. U autumn mushrooms the skirt is white with yellow trim. The first honey mushrooms appear at the end of August.
3. Winter honey fungus - grows on dead deciduous trees. The leg is from 2 to 7 cm long. The cap has a brown or red-brown tint. Unlike other species, the winter honey fungus does not have a skirt under its cap. Grows from autumn to spring.

Collecting honey mushrooms can be called a pleasant activity, as they grow in large groups and in just a few hours of searching you can collect several baskets of these gifts of the forest. Almost every experienced mushroom picker probably knows what honey mushrooms look like, but even if you have never picked mushrooms yourself, you are probably familiar with honey mushrooms from jars from the supermarket.

In today's article we will learn to distinguish edible species from false ones and learn the main characteristics of honey mushrooms with photos and descriptions.

What do honey mushrooms look like?

Edible honey mushrooms are one of the most popular and productive mushrooms. This family unites many species, among which there are both edible and inedible.

The difficulty is that they have very similar features, although they are still different. Therefore, it is so important to be able to distinguish an edible species from a similar false one.

By what criteria can you distinguish them from other mushrooms?

Many novice mushroom pickers do not know how to distinguish real species from false ones. To avoid adding to cart poisonous mushroom, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the distinctive characteristics of inedible and edible varieties (Figure 1).

The criteria described below will help novice mushroom pickers distinguish real forest gifts from false ones:

1. On the stem of the real one, a membranous ring is clearly visible, which is absent in inedible ones.
2. Edible ones have a characteristic mushroom smell, poisonous ones smell unpleasant.
3. The caps of real mushrooms are distinguished by an inconspicuous light brown color, while inedible ones are much brighter and more provocative.
4. The caps of young specimens of real varieties are covered with scales, which are absent in poisonous ones. However, as the fungus matures, the scales disappear, making differentiation difficult.

Figure 1. Characteristics of real and false species

In addition, the records on back side hats also have their differences. So, in poisonous ones they are yellow, sometimes green or even olive-black. The edible plates are colored cream or yellowish-white.

False honey mushrooms: photo

False species mean inedible, conditionally edible and poisonous, which in their own way appearance very similar to the real ones. They are also easy to confuse because they grow in the same places - on stumps, tree trunks.

However, if we're talking about about human health and life, a mushroom picker has no right to make mistakes. He must be absolutely sure that the collected mushrooms are edible. Therefore, experienced mushroom pickers always advise not to select the mushroom you like if you have the slightest doubt.

Peculiarities

The easiest way is to study and learn how to identify poisonous mushrooms from a photo. But we also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the distinctive characteristics that will help you determine what inedible and edible species look like (Figure 2).

All fake varieties have a number common features, distinguishing them from edible:

1. There is no ring on the stalk of the poisonous one, which is characteristic of real species. At the same time, the leg itself is too high. Real forest varieties reach a height of only 4-6 centimeters.
2. The smell of inedible ones is earthy and unpleasant, instead of a pronounced mushroom one.
3. The caps of poisonous ones have a bright color that catches the eye, for example, brick-red.
4. The plates on the back of the fake cap are painted in dark, almost black tones.
5. Taste is not an indicator of its edibility: very often poisonous mushrooms have a good taste.
6. Poisonous ones grow for some time in spring and autumn, while real ones can be found almost all year round.

Figure 2. Characteristics poisonous species

If the previous signs are not enough, you can check the reaction of the fungus when it comes into contact with water. If the cut turns blue or black, you are dealing with an inedible or poisonous specimen, so it would be better to get rid of it quickly.

Edible honey mushrooms: photo

Among more than three dozen species united under common name honey mushrooms, only 22 species have been scientifically described. Among them there are both edible and conditionally edible specimens, as well as inedible and poisonous ones. Most of all, mushroom pickers know such edible varieties as summer, winter, autumn, meadow.

All of these mushrooms grow mainly on deciduous trees or on the remains of their wood. In mountainous areas they are also found on trunks coniferous trees. Representatives of this family, under favorable conditions, weather conditions They bear fruit for almost a whole year.

Peculiarities

Although each type has its own characteristics, there are common features, inherent in all edible mushrooms of this family, and the easiest way to evaluate their distinctive characteristics is from a photo.

True varieties grow in large groups on stumps and protruding tree roots. Young specimens have semicircular caps, which become prostrate with age. The caps are colored in tones ranging from honey yellow to rusty brown. In addition, they are often covered with small scales, which partially disappear as the fungus matures. Typically, the diameter of the cap is from 4 to 10 cm, and the plates on its back side are light in color in young mushrooms, and yellowish or brown in mature ones.

U edible species the legs are thin, reaching a length of 5 to 15 cm, hollow inside. But the most important sign that the specimen can be eaten is the leathery ring located on the stem. It is formed from a blanket that protects the young mushroom. In fake varieties, such a ring is either absent or only small remnants of it are visible. The flesh of this specimen has a pleasant mushroom aroma and is colored light brown, which does not change when in contact with water.

How to distinguish honey mushrooms from false honey mushrooms

To all lovers quiet hunt It is necessary to be able to distinguish real mushrooms from inedible and poisonous ones, because the health of loved ones depends on this. The same applies to honey mushrooms, among which there are many inedible ones.

Note: For example, dangerous double The summer species is the poisonous brick-red false honey fungus. Its bulbous cap is bright orange, and its flake-like cover hangs from its edges. The autumn one has a double, very similar in appearance, the difference is only in the cap and leg of the bright yellow color. In addition, its surface is devoid of characteristic scales.

All poisonous varieties differ from real ones in the color of the plates under the cap (Figure 3). If the edible ones have plates painted in a light cream color, then the inedible ones have dark shades: sulfur-yellow or black-olive. You should also pay attention to the leg: in real ones, the leathery ring under the cap is clearly visible on the leg, which cannot be said about the false ones. Some poisonous species are classified as conditionally edible, but you should know that their safety for humans has not been proven.

What is the difference between a simple honey mushroom and a false one?

The difficulty in distinguishing between ordinary and false varieties is that they all grow in large groups in the same places: stumps, trunks of fallen trees, protruding roots. In addition, all species bear fruit at approximately the same time period. Of course, you can learn to distinguish between inedible and edible species from photos, but it is still necessary to know their distinctive characteristics.

Figure 3. Basic criteria for distinguishing poisonous and edible species

There are additional external signs that help distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible ones.:

• The hats of the fake ones are usually painted in bright, flashy colors: sulfur-yellow, brick-red, while the hats of the real ones have muted, light brown tones.
• Edible young specimens are characterized by scales located on the cap and stem. Over time, these scales partially disappear. Inedible mushrooms lack scales on their surface.
• On the back of the cap of any mushroom there are plates. In real ones, they are light cream or yellowish-white tones. Poisonous ones are greenish or olive-black.
• On the false legs, the leathery ring, which is characteristic of all edible species, is poorly visible or completely absent.

All edible specimens have a pleasant mushroom aroma, while poisonous ones are characterized by an unpleasant earthy odor.

You will find more information about the differences between false and real varieties in the video.

Meadow honey mushrooms: how to distinguish from false ones

Meadow species grow in groups on open spaces: forest edges, pastures, fields. They are easily recognized by their yellow cap with an almost transparent ribbed edge. At the same time, the shape of the cap of young mushrooms is bell-shaped, while that of mature ones is spread out with a wide tubercle in the center. In wet weather it darkens and becomes sticky.

Note: Meadow grasses have several similar species, among which are collibia and poisonous talker (Figure 4).

Collibia differs from meadow collibia in having more frequent white plates and a tubular-hollow stalk. In addition, it has a not very pleasant smell. Collibia settles in deciduous and coniferous forests, where it can be found from late spring to early winter.

Figure 4. Edible and inedible meadow varieties: 1 - real meadow honey mushrooms, 2 - collibia, 3 - whitish talker

The whitish talker, like the meadow honey agaric, prefers open, flat spaces, growing in groups. The main difference is the absence of a central tubercle on the mushroom cap, as well as a large number of plates running down the stem. The pulp of this poisonous mushroom has a floury smell.

More information about meadow honey mushrooms is in the video.

In addition to those types of edible mushrooms that are used in cooking, there are several specific options that are dangerous to humans. Outwardly, they are very similar to each other; they also grow on stumps and fallen trees. Their most important difference is that false mushrooms are poisonous, inedible (or, in extreme cases, conditionally edible). Only experts can accurately determine where false honey mushrooms and edible honey mushrooms are. But if you know their characteristics, an ordinary amateur mushroom picker will be able to distinguish a toadstool from a good mushroom.

It is important to remember the rule here: “If you’re not sure, it’s better not to take it!” You can only collect those mushrooms - edible honey mushrooms - that you are one hundred percent sure of. It is better to leave copies that do not inspire confidence where they were found. Even poisonous mushrooms must grow and multiply so as not to upset the balance, but you should not pick them and then throw them away.

What do they look like and where do they grow?

A specialist knows how to distinguish false honey mushrooms from real ones, although it is not at all difficult. The edible mushroom has a characteristic length and a fairly flexible stalk. It can reach 15 – 17 cm and has a honey or dark brown color. It depends on the age of the mushroom and where it grows. Edible honey mushrooms - although not all of them - have something like a skirt on the stem; this ring is usually located just above the middle. As for the cap itself, it may differ depending on the age of the plant.

In young mushrooms, the cap is hemispherical in shape and covered with small scales; as it grows, it becomes smoother, taking on the appearance of an umbrella. The color may vary slightly and can be a light cream shade or even reddish.

Even a child probably knows where to find it and what it looks like, because the name speaks for itself. Mushrooms grow primarily on damaged or weakened trees, stumps and protruding roots. Already rotted and dead trees are also a favorable environment. There is a separate species of spruce that grows exclusively on pine stumps.

There is one species - this is the meadow honey fungus - which, unlike the others, grows in open areas in the soil. It can be found in meadows, fields, and roadsides.

They grow in any forests, with the exception of permafrost areas. Has a beneficial effect on the population high humidity, but meadow mushrooms are often found in damp ravines. Mushrooms rarely grow alone, in most cases it is large families, clusters in one place. They can stretch in a chain up to several meters, especially under the bark of plants damaged by time. But autumn honey fungus is generally classified as a pest: they spoil the tree, creating favorable living conditions for themselves.

Beneficial features

Thanks to the characteristic germination in large areas at one time, you can collect a whole basket of tasty and healthy mushrooms. Yes, healthy ones, and, in addition, also low-calorie.

Honey mushrooms are included, like most others. edible mushrooms, includes a large number of different substances necessary for the body:

• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• iron;
• zinc;
• cellulose;
• amino acids;
• polysaccharides.

In addition, this variety is rich in vitamins B, C, PP and E, and also has such an amount of protein that it easily replaces meat. That's why this product It can be eaten by those who take care of their figure, as well as by those who do not eat meat.

In terms of phosphorus content, hemp mushrooms are not inferior to river and other types of fish. They are eaten to strengthen bones and as a preventive measure for disorders in the bone structure. Due to the content of important microelements (magnesium and copper, as well as iron), mushrooms have a positive effect on hematopoietic processes. For those suffering from anemia, these forest gifts are not just tasty food, but one of the the best means to raise hemoglobin.

Few people know that there are actually a lot of types of honey mushrooms, and each has its own composition. Some varieties have more of some vitamins, others have more calcium or potassium. Some varieties are so rich in retinol that they significantly improve the quality and strength of hair, while others strengthen the immune system and correct hormonal levels.

Constant consumption of honey mushrooms has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect on the body. They can prevent cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Differences between false honey mushrooms and real ones

The first most important feature by which poisonous specimens are distinguished is the well-known skirt. It remains after the mushroom germinates from under the protective blanket. False honey fungus does not have such a film, but it happens that over time the skirt disappears on edible mushrooms: it falls off and it becomes very easy to confuse the mushrooms.

Dangerous to humans and healthy mushrooms They also differ in smell, such honey mushrooms look different, they can also be distinguished by color and taste.

Aroma

Edible honey mushrooms produce oils that give a pleasant mushroom smell. Poisonous and false honey mushrooms have a very unpleasant and more earthy aroma. This smell is especially noticeable after heat treatment mushrooms But the autumn honey fungus emits a rich odor during the breeding season and in the rain.

Color

The smell of poisonous species is repulsive, but the color, on the contrary, attracts. Mushroom caps have a richer, brighter color. Good autumn mushrooms have a pale or creamy tint, sometimes darker, closer to brown. But false honey mushrooms, unlike edible ones, can be gray-yellow or an attractive brick red color. But it is also important to pay attention to the shade of the plates under the mushroom cap. In false ones they are yellow, in older but edible ones they can be green or even black. Only healthy honey mushrooms have cream or beige plates.

Appearance

Those mushrooms described earlier can be eaten without fear. Their caps are covered with small, barely noticeable scales. In false species it is smooth. But over time, even the scales of edible mushrooms smooth out, so that only young plants can be recognized by this feature.

Taste

Of course, you shouldn’t try every plant in a row to determine whether they can be eaten. However, false honey mushrooms have a bitter, unpleasant aftertaste, which cannot be said about healthy, edible varieties, for example, autumn honey fungus.

For a person who regularly picks mushrooms, likes to cook them, or simply understands forest gifts, it will not be difficult to distinguish poisonous or false honey mushrooms from edible honey mushrooms. Among safe mushrooms One can distinguish the autumn honey fungus, which grows on trees and destroys them. In dry weather, it can be confused with any mushroom, but in the rainy season, bunches appear characteristic features. So, even knowing what edible honey mushrooms look like, you can make a mistake.

Instead of tasting dubious sprouts, it is better to pay attention to the skirt and, even if it is no longer there, after looking closely, you can identify it by neighboring specimens, because they grow in groups and are different at different times emergence.
Experience comes with time, practice and years, and until there is confidence in the safety of the collected mushrooms, it is better not to risk either your own or the health of loved ones.

To be honest, it is very difficult to judge whether honey mushrooms belong to real or false honey mushrooms due to the species diversity of the group. Theoretically, many edible species are considered to be true, while most conditionally edible and inedible species are considered false. In practice, it turns out that in addition to relatively harmless conditionally edible “relatives,” many honey mushrooms also have more dangerous (including poisonous) counterparts outside the group. And if eating the former is quite acceptable after preliminary soaking and boiling, then the latter pose the same danger as death cap. Poisoning, by the way, can be caused by both unprepared false honey mushrooms and poorly washed or old specimens of edible species - real honey mushrooms. In mild cases, symptoms of poisoning are expressed in damage to the central nervous system - the appearance of headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. In more serious cases, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate and nosebleeds are possible, which without timely treatment medical care can lead to hemorrhage in the brain stem, coma and even death. As for the poisonous analogs of the toadstool, their toxic effect first manifests itself differently: arterial pressure decreases, pulse weakens, loss of consciousness is possible. More pronounced symptoms - constant vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal colic - appear in a person at least 6 hours after eating mushrooms, and, unfortunately, are extremely rarely treatable. In most cases, death occurs within 10 days from the moment of poisoning.

The most unpleasant thing about the Honey Mushroom group is that the mushrooms included in it do not have common, identical for all species, external signs, by which their edibility could be clearly determined. Moreover, some honey mushrooms tend to partially “change their appearance” depending on the weather or the type of wood on which they grow. Experienced mushroom pickers, of course, are already prepared for such “surprises”, so they pay attention to additional signs, but beginners, unfortunately, often ignore them. Considering that to determine a list of common characteristics of edible or inedible honey mushrooms problematic, a beginner, even before starting the “hunt” for these mushrooms, is strongly recommended to receive “visual consultation” about them and distinctive features twin mushrooms from an experienced mushroom picker. By the way, it is not at all necessary to study the entire group and counterparts of each species: it is enough to limit yourself to in-depth knowledge of at least one or two that are most common in your area. With regard to unstudied species, you will simply have to adhere to the rule “if you’re not sure, don’t take it.”

Novice mushroom pickers, as a rule, pay maximum attention to the most recognizable mushrooms - Winter honey agaric(Flammulina velutipes), summer honey mushroom (Kuehneromyces mutabilis) and autumn honey mushroom (Armillaria mellea). First of listed types differs from other honey mushrooms in that its fruiting begins late autumn(end of September) and maybe when favorable conditions last all winter. Flammulina grows on the stumps of deciduous trees or on dead wood and has a honey-brown smooth cap - hemispherical in young mushrooms and prostrate in adult specimens, which becomes slimy in wet weather. Due to the very late fruiting, this mushroom is quite difficult to confuse with other species, but you need to remember that it characteristic features is the cream color of the plates and pulp at the break, as well as the absence of scales and rings on a thin stalk typical of some edible honey mushrooms. Although flammulina (winter honey fungus) appears in the literature as a conditionally edible mushroom, many mushroom pickers consider it not only one of the most delicious among honey mushrooms, but also the best for growing at home. “Home” winter mushrooms, as a rule, have even better taste qualities than their forest counterparts, are easy to grow and, which is important for beginning mushroom pickers, remain completely safe.

Found in forests from April to late October. It grows on stumps and rotten wood of deciduous trees (mainly birch), and on coniferous trees only in mountainous areas. Externally, this honey fungus is easily recognizable in damp weather: its smooth, hygrophanic (swelling from dampness) sticky cap with a diameter of up to 8 cm acquires a pronounced two-color color with a light brown center and a dark (brown or brown) wide stripe along the edge. In young specimens the cap is small, convex and covered with a film-veil in the lower part. Gradually it grows, becomes flat-convex, and the remains of the veil form an expressive membranous ring on the stem, which in very old specimens may disappear over time. In dry weather, the cap of the summer honey fungus becomes dry and acquires a uniform honey-yellow color, so the mushroom has to be identified by additional features: a ring and small scales on the stalk, creamy-brown plates, as well as a brown layer of spore powder, which is often sprinkled on old specimens » mushroom caps of the lower tier.

From spring to early summer deciduous forests Other openings may also occur - spring(Collybia dryophila) and white slimy(Oudemansiella mucida), which are very easy to distinguish from summer honey fungus. Spring honey fungus can grow on rotten wood and on litter, and white slimy honey fungus can grow both on dead wood and on living deciduous trees (maple, beech), along the trunks of which it sometimes “climbs” all the way to the crown. The first species also has a two-color hygrophanous cap, but with the exact opposite color - darker in the center and lighter at the edges; it is missing the ring and scales on the stalk, and the spore powder is creamy white. Although the white mucous honey fungus has a clearly defined ring on the stalk, in appearance it bears little resemblance to the summer honey mushroom: the mushroom is almost all white (cream-gray), slippery in any weather and has no scales on the stalk or cap. Unlike the summer honey fungus, which is characterized by good taste and pleasant smell, both of these species have a special nutritional value are not represented and are usually used in dishes as a “meaty” addition to other mushrooms. In the literature, the spring honey fungus appears as a conditionally edible mushroom, and the white mucous mushroom - as an edible one, but most mycologists do not consider either of these species false honey mushrooms are not considered or called dangerous.

The danger when collecting summer honey mushrooms can be represented by weakly poisonous or inedible honey mushrooms from the genus Hypholoma (Hypholoma capnoides) and sulfur-yellow honey mushrooms (Hypholoma fasciculare). The first type is very similar to the summer honey fungus with a hygrophanic cap, which can also change color saturation (from pale yellow to rusty brown with light edges) and become sticky depending on the weather. But unlike summer honey mushrooms, the sulphurous honey fungus has neither a ring nor scales on its stem. In addition, with age, the plates of this mushroom change color from white-yellow to a characteristic poppy-gray, and its fruiting begins only in mid-summer, which already excludes the possibility of confusing it with the summer honey fungus during the spring harvest. The most noticeable difference can be considered that the sulfur-plated false honey fungus prefers to grow mainly on dead wood, stumps, rotting roots and even on litter, but completely “neglects” deciduous trees. Therefore, collecting summer honey mushrooms only in deciduous forests makes it possible to eliminate as much as possible the possibility of it accidentally ending up in the basket. It is interesting that, despite the name, sulfur-plated false honey fungus both in the literature and among mushroom pickers is considered quite edible mushroom with white-yellow flesh and a pleasant aroma. However, it is indicated that it should be eaten only after preliminary boiling, and try to avoid old specimens, which acquire a musty, rotten-damp unpleasant aftertaste.

U Sulfur-yellow false fungus The beginning of fruiting occurs in the spring, as with the summer honey fungus, and this mushroom is also found in large groups on dead wood and rotting stumps, mainly of deciduous trees. Like young summer honey mushrooms, its young specimens have rounded caps with a private veil, but they are usually colored in more “flashy” yellow-olive shades. As the mushroom grows, the cover remains on it not in the form of a ring on the stem, but in the form of rags (cobweb fringe) along the edge of the cap that disappear over time. Main distinctive features sulfur-yellow false fungus can be called the absence of a ring and scales on the stalk, as well as the color of the plates, which gradually changes from yellow-green (in young mushrooms) to dark violet-brown (in old ones). The yellowish pulp of this mushroom has an unpleasant heavy odor and bitter taste, and the mushroom itself is listed in encyclopedias as mildly poisonous or inedible, which should already speak volumes to a conscious mushroom picker.

There is also a noticeable resemblance to the summer honey fungus. False foam Candoll(Psathyrella candolleana), which was previously classified in the literature as a poisonous mushroom, but has now moved into the group of conditionally edible mushrooms. This mushroom grows in large groups from May to autumn on stumps and living wood of deciduous trees, mainly in shady places. It can be distinguished from the summer honey fungus by the remnants of the blanket (transparent flakes, film) on the edges of the “changeable” cap, which can change color from almost white to yellow-brown, and in adult specimens it becomes very prostrate and very brittle. The Candol honey mushroom also does not have a ring on its leg, and the color of its plates changes from a grayish tint to dark brown. In comparison with previous species, this false fungus is less known, since it is much less common and is ignored by many mushroom pickers. However, eating it is quite acceptable, albeit after preliminary processing (soaking and cooking).

Mushroom pickers unanimously call the poisonous mushroom a very dangerous false double of the summer honey mushroom. Galerina bordered(Galerina marginata). In size, the galerina is slightly inferior to the honey mushroom (the cap is no more than 4 cm in diameter, the stalk is no higher than 5 cm), but otherwise - the presence of a smooth, prone to “variability” hygrophanic cap of brown-ocher color, a cover in young mushrooms and a ring on the stalk in adults - the resemblance to summer honey mushrooms is simply frightening. This poisonous mushroom is found from early summer to mid-autumn in different forests, but grows in small groups mainly on rotten coniferous wood. In addition to this feature, the most noticeable difference between the fringed galerina and the summer honey fungus can be considered only the fibrous (and not scaly!) surface of the stalk below the ring. Eating this mushroom is fraught with serious consequences, since its pulp contains deadly amatoxins contained in toadstool. Therefore, in order to minimize the likelihood of collecting deadly false doubles During a “quiet hunt”, it is strongly recommended to collect summer honey mushrooms only on the remains of deciduous trees, and even better - exclusively on birch stumps.

Autumn honey fungus has its own conditionally edible counterparts, with which it can be confused. The greatest similarity is typical for Honey fungus thick-legged(Armillaria gallica) and Common scale (Pholiota squarrosa), the fruiting period of which also occurs in late summer - autumn. The first type is often perceived by many mushroom pickers simply as a variety of autumn honey fungus, since it has similar soft colors, scales and a ring on the stem. However, the thick-legged honey fungus extremely rarely grows on living wood and stumps, more often it lives on the forest floor (even spruce) and bears fruit not in waves, like the autumn honey fungus, but constantly. In addition, thick-legged honey mushrooms never grow together into very large bunches, like autumn honey mushrooms, and have a characteristic tuberous thickening in the lower part of the legs. The honey fungus is considered an edible mushroom, but because the flesh of the stems is too hard, mushroom pickers prefer to use only the caps for cooking and pickling.

(Pholiota squarrosa) differs in appearance from the autumn honey fungus, perhaps only in larger scales. It also grows in large groups on both living and rotten wood, mainly of deciduous trees, and has a ring on a thin stalk, “typical” for autumn mushrooms, and a relatively large (up to 10 cm in diameter) cap. Biologists have different opinions regarding the edibility of this mushroom, since in different literary sources it is called edible, conditionally edible, and even inedible. In practice, many domestic mushroom pickers use common flakes for pickling, but only after mandatory preliminary boiling. Please note: you can distinguish the scaly mushroom from the autumn honey fungus not only by its large scales, but also by the tougher flesh of the cap, which is not typical for a real honey mushroom.

A similar “scaly” appearance, but with a rich yellow-orange-red tint, has another species from the genus Honey fungus, or yellow-red row (Tricholomopsis rutilans), which in late summer - early autumn is found in small groups (3 - 4 ) on dead wood and stumps, mainly in coniferous (usually pine) forests. In addition to its place of growth and “screaming” color, the row differs from the autumn honey mushroom in its smaller size (the cap is no more than 7 in diameter) and in that it does not have a ring on the stem, so an attentive mushroom picker is unlikely to be able to put it in a basket instead of the autumn mushrooms. This mushroom is considered conditionally edible in the fourth category, but due to the bitter taste, which is removed only after soaking and pre-boiling, many mushroom pickers try not to collect it at all.

During the period of mass autumn collection, honey mushrooms often mistakenly include (Hypholoma sublateritium) in the baskets of mushroom pickers. This fungus is found more often in light, well-ventilated deciduous forests (on dead wood and stumps), and much less often on the wood of coniferous trees. Externally, this false mushroom is perhaps more similar to the summer honey fungus, since it has a smooth, slightly velvety brick-red cap without scales, but the absence of a ring and scales on the stem, as well as the presence of remnants of a cover along the edge of the cap, clearly indicate that it belongs to the false honey fungus . Since the brick-red false honey fungus bears fruit in August - October, and the size of its cap in diameter can reach 12 cm, it is often mistaken for autumn honey fungus. In the literature, this mushroom appears either as inedible or as poisonous, so it is better to avoid collecting any “red-tinged” honey mushrooms in the fall, out of harm’s way.

It is interesting that the song invented by mushroom pickers, in which “the edible honey mushroom has a ring of film on its leg,” is completely unsuitable for identifying edible species of “atypical” honey mushrooms - representatives of the genus Negnyuchnik (Marasmius) - which never grow on wood (deadwood, stumps ). The most famous of them are considered Garlics(common, large, oak) and meadow honey fungus. Garlics are found in late summer - autumn in forests different types on dry forest floor and are characterized by small caps (no more than 5 cm), the color of which can vary from completely white to brownish. In adult mushrooms, the caps are often very spread out, even slightly inverted, and the legs are very thin (up to 0.5 cm), usually hard and colored dark (from brown to black). Despite the fact that garlic mushrooms do not have the scales and rings on their legs that are “typical” for many edible honey mushrooms, they are considered absolutely edible lamellar mushrooms, which can be eaten fresh, pickled and dried. During a “quiet hunt” they are easy to identify by their characteristic garlic smell, the absence of a skirt on the leg and relatively rare wavy plates of white or cream color. Theoretically, due to the well-defined garlic smell, these mushrooms are difficult to confuse with other mushrooms, but if beginners, according to the well-known “mushroom picker’s song,” look for mushrooms with skirts on the litter, then with a high probability real pale toadstools may end up in their baskets.

Unlike all of the above, honey mushrooms (Marasmius oreades) grow on grassy soil in open meadows, pastures, along roadsides, in gardens, in forest clearings and forest edges. The mushroom is very small: the cap is only up to 5 cm in diameter, the height of the stem is on average no more than 6 cm. The meadow honey fungus bears fruit very abundantly from the beginning of summer to the end of October, forming entire rows and so-called “witch circles” in the grass. The cap of the meadow honey agaric is hygrophanous and resembles in color wood-loving collibia with a creamy-brown center and light edges, but unlike it, the meadow mushroom has a very pleasant taste and aromatic mushroom smell, therefore, even despite its small size, it is quite popular among mushroom pickers. Like the representatives of the Negniyuchnik genus described above, this honey mushroom does not have a ring on the leg and the white-cream plates are located relatively sparsely, which is why they often look wavy.

Amateur mushroom pickers often confuse the meadow honey fungus with the wood-loving collibia described above and with A whitish talker(Clitocybe dealbata). But if the first, as a rule, does not pose a serious danger, then the second is deadly false mushroom, since its pulp contains more muscarine poison than any red fly agaric. The worst thing is that this poisonous double and bears fruit in the same period, and grows in similar conditions, and is similar in size to the meadow mushroom. The talker's hat is usually colored White color with a gray or ocher tint and in rainy weather it becomes slimy, but unlike the honey agaric, it does not have a convex center and looks rather flat or depressed. In addition to this sign, a talker can be identified by its more frequent characteristics than those of meadow honey fungus, plates that are usually light yellow in mature specimens.

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