White oak mushroom. White oak mushroom (Boletus reticulum)

Edibility ( edible mushroom with excellent nutritional characteristics)

Description

White mushroom oak by appearance It is very similar to an ordinary boletus mushroom, but differs from it in the cellular (“mesh”) texture of the surface.

hat

The cap of a mature summer porcini mushroom is very large (over 30 cm in diameter), which is generally quite large mushrooms. At first the cap is spherical, closed on a stalk, then it opens and becomes convex or takes the shape of a pad.

The color of the net boletus cap is all variations of light brown tones. It might even be a little grayish. There may be lighter areas on the cap compared to the rest of the tone. The surface is covered with a network of small cracks.

Leg

The leg of the reticulated boletus is tall and stocky (grows up to 7 cm in diameter and 25 cm in length). When young, these mushrooms have a barrel-shaped stalk, which with age transforms into almost cylindrical. The color of the leg, like the cap, is light brown. Its surface is also covered with a “mesh”.

Spore-bearing layer

The hymenophore of boletus is tubular. The tubular layer is adherent, but may be free. This layer is quite thick and can reach approximately 3.5 cm. In small specimens, the tubes are white and turn green with age. In old fruiting bodies, the tubular layer acquires a pronounced brown color.

Pulp

The boletus pulp is dense and thick; when cut, there is no change in color; it remains white. It is slightly yellowish only under the spore-bearing layer. The pulp smells like mushrooms and has a sweetish-nutty taste. Over time, the mushrooms become sponge-like. When pressed, it springs slightly.

Spore powder

The spores of the boletus reticulum are large (long), spindle-shaped, green-brown in bulk. Individually, the spores are yellowish.

Distribution and collection

This boletus forms mycorrhizae with oaks, chestnuts, lindens, beeches and hornbeams. Prefers deciduous forests. This species is widespread throughout almost all of Russia (including Karelia, Yakutia and Kamchatka), in the Scandinavian countries, and in Europe.

The reticulated boletus is the earliest porcini mushroom. It appears at the end of spring and grows until October. During this time, several generations (“layers”) are replaced.

Similar species

Oak porcini mushroom is similar to other varieties of porcini mushrooms, for example:

This is the same boletus mushroom that is considered the most edible mushroom. In principle, it does not have any special differences in appearance from oak, except for color nuances.
Its cap often has a reddish tint and can also crack, and its leg is covered in mesh.

1- White pine mushroom 2- White mushroom

Since the above varieties are edible and taste just as good, there is nothing wrong with picking one mushroom instead of another.

But there is also inedible mushrooms masquerading as white oak mushrooms, for example:

It is inedible and also poisonous. Externally, it is distinguished by its relatively small size (up to 10 cm), a black mesh on the leg and a pinkish tubular layer.

Even a test of gall fungus “on the tongue” can lead to cirrhosis of the liver after a few weeks (although the first symptoms appear in the first hours - dry mouth and dizziness). It is also not recommended to handle it, as you may accidentally introduce its toxins into your mouth. In addition, it is believed that the poison of this mushroom can be absorbed through the skin. The toxicity and pronounced bitter taste of this mushroom repels even insects - it is never wormy.

Edibility

White oak mushroom is eaten like a regular white mushroom: in salads in fresh, fried, stewed, dried, etc. The net boletus can also be marinated. The taste of the porcini mushroom is sweetish-nutty, the smell is intensely mushroom. When dried or salted, it remains white and beautiful.

Boletus mushrooms are widely known not only for their excellent taste; you can also find a number of interesting information about them:

Porcini mushrooms can grow to incredible sizes (the largest recorded white mushroom is 58 cm in diameter and 10 kg in weight).
White oak mushrooms have been used since ancient times to treat skin and lung diseases.

Boletus mushrooms tend to enhance the secretion of gastric juice, thus helping to improve the digestion of food. Moreover, this ability is no less pronounced in whites than in meat broths.
It is currently believed that porcini mushrooms have anti-carcinogenic properties.

As can be seen from the list above, eating boletus mushrooms (as well as all porcini mushrooms in general) is extremely useful.

We must remember that mushrooms are not indicated for children, allergy sufferers and people with chronic digestive disorders.

White oak mushroom has a mesh shape, which is why it is also called a reticulated porcini mushroom. Grows in deciduous forests with a predominance of oak and beech, very rarely at the junctions of deciduous and coniferous forests, in the southern regions in symbiosis with edible chestnut. As a rule, this type of porcini mushroom is characterized by several periods of growth. The first mushroom wave occurs from mid-May to the end of June, the subsequent ones begin only at the end of August.

The cap, up to 30 cm in diameter, is first grayish, then brown with a light coffee tint. It can be both smooth and wrinkled, slightly velvety and dry to the touch. In dry weather, the cap of an adult mushroom literally cracks into nets. Tubular layer in early age white, then turns greenish-yellow. The stem of the mushroom is barrel-shaped at the beginning of growth and eventually transforms into a cylindrical one. The leg is light brown over the entire surface and has a mesh pattern, with a white color at the top, and closer to the base the pattern turns brown. At the base of the leg the surface is pubescent. The pulp is white, hard (especially in young mushrooms), does not change color when broken or cut, and even when dried remains light. The aroma is typical mushroom, the taste is pleasant.

A very tasty edible mushroom with wide culinary uses.

It is similar to the edible, tasty white birch mushroom, which can be distinguished by its lighter color, mesh pattern occupying only 30% of the stem and a completely different distribution area.

Photos of oak porcini mushroom with reticulate shape

Description of a mesh-shaped porcini mushroom in pictures

You can clearly see what reticulated porcini mushrooms look like, how and where they grow in the video:

Taxonomy:

Division: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
Subclass: Agaricomycetidae (Agaricomycetes)
Order: Boletales
Family: Boletaceae
Genus: Boletus (Boletus)
View: Boletus reticulatus (Boletus reticulatus)

Other names:

Boletus net
White summer mushroom
White mushroom net shape

Description:
The cap is 8-25 (30) cm in diameter, initially spherical, then convex or cushion-shaped. The skin is slightly velvety; in mature specimens, especially in dry weather, it becomes covered with cracks, sometimes with a characteristic mesh pattern. The color is very variable, but most often in light tones: coffee, brownish, grayish-brown, leathery brown, ocher, sometimes with lighter spots.

The tubes are loose, thin, the edges of the tubes of young mushrooms are white, then yellow or olive green.

Spore powder is olive brown. The spores are brown, according to other sources, honey-yellow, 13-20x3.5-6 microns.

Leg 10-25 cm high, 2-7 cm in diameter, initially club-shaped, cylindrical club-shaped, mature age often cylindrical. Covered along the entire length with a clearly visible white or brownish mesh on a light walnut background.

The pulp is dense, slightly spongy when ripe, especially in the stem: when squeezed, the stem seems to spring back. The color is white, does not change in air, sometimes yellowish under the tubular layer. The smell is pleasant, mushroom, the taste is sweet.

Spreading:
This is one of the earliest types of porcini mushrooms; it appears already in May and bears fruit in layers until October. It grows in deciduous forests, especially under oaks and beeches, as well as with hornbeams, lindens, and in the South with edible chestnuts. Prefers warm climate, more common in mountainous and hilly areas.

Similarities:
Can be confused with others, some of which, for example, Boletus pinophilus, also have a stalk with a mesh, but it only covers top part. It should also be noted that in some sources Boletus quercicola (Boletus quercicola) is distinguished as a separate species of the white oak mushroom. Inexperienced mushroom pickers may confuse it with, which is distinguished by a black mesh on the stalk and a pinkish hymenophore. However, it is unlikely to intersect with this form of white, since it is an inhabitant of coniferous forests.

Grade:
This is one of the most best mushrooms , among others, the most fragrant when dried. Can be pickled or used fresh.

Video about the boletus reticulum mushroom:

Note:
The porcini mushroom has long been famous for its medicinal properties. Even in Rus', they were used to treat frostbite and ulcers, and tuberculosis. Hercinin, which is a good support for the heart, has been isolated from the mushroom. There is information about the anti-cancer effect of the fungus. In any case, it is useful to eat raw porcini mushrooms in various salads.

The porcini mushroom (lat. Boletus edulis) represents the most respected mushroom genus - boletus. If earlier he was called the “king of mushrooms,” today we can say about him that he is the undisputed leader of the mushroom rating. This hero has unparalleled taste. It is difficult to confuse the porcini mushroom with its doubles and inedible analogues - it is so beautiful and unique. Boletus is the most desired trophy of a mushroom picker.

What is another name?

It is called white for the ability of the pulp to retain color - boiled, fried or dried, it always remains light. This distinctive feature of boletus was reflected in the popular name. His also name is:

wood grouse;
cowshed;
bearcrawler;
barn;
belevik;
feather grass;
yellow and other names.

Features of porcini mushroom

Any type of boletus has a special mushroom aroma and piquant taste. They all have similar shapes, the differences are only in small details. Description of the external data of the most common variety of boletus - spruce (Boletus edulis):

hat. Color – brownish-brown. Diameter up to 30 cm. In some latitudes they can grow up to 50 cm. The upper skin is tightly adherent to the pulp. In drought it cracks, in rain it becomes covered with mucus.
Leg. Thick, massive, up to 20 cm high. Thick - up to 5 cm. Shape - cylindrical or club-shaped. Expands towards the base. Color – white, light brown. There is a mesh pattern on the leg. Deeply buried in the soil. There are no traces of a blanket on the leg - boletus mushrooms do not have a “skirt”, the leg is perfectly clean.
Pulp. In mature individuals it differs in density. Very juicy, white, fleshy, arouses appetite just by its appearance. When overripe, it has a fibrous structure and the color becomes yellowish or beige.
Tubular body. First white, then yellowish. Older specimens have a greenish appearance.
Controversy. Olive-brown powder. Size – 15.5 x 5.5 microns.

To determine the age of the mushroom, examine the cap - in young people it is convex, in old people it is flat. With age, its color darkens. Old mushrooms are not suitable for food.

The taste of boletus mushrooms is characterized by the softness of the pulp and the delicacy of the aroma. During heat treatment and drying taste qualities are only getting stronger.

When and where does it grow?

The distribution range of boletus mushrooms is amazing - they are found on almost all continents. The exceptions are Antarctica and Australia. Japan, Mexico, Mongolia, North Africa, the Caucasus - boletus grows everywhere. You won't find it except in Iceland. In Russia it grows almost everywhere - from the southern latitudes to Kamchatka. The spruce boletus is found in spruce and fir forests.

Each area has its own fruiting time. In warm zones, the mushroom begins to grow in May-June, and bears fruit until October-November. In the north, the growth period is from June to September. It has a long growth phase - it needs to grow for a whole week to reach maturity. Grows in families, rings. Having discovered one specimen, you need to carefully explore the nearby space - there will probably be several more there.

Prefers to grow in forests:

conifers;
deciduous;
mixed.

It grows most often under spruce, fir, pine, oak and birch trees. Where to look for them:

in places overgrown with lichen and moss;
loves old forests;
It can grow in the shade, but the sun doesn’t bother it either – it prefers warm areas.

It doesn't grow:

in wetlands;
in peat bogs.

The best weather for massive growth of boletus mushrooms is passing thunderstorms, warm nights and fogs.

Rarely found in forest-tundra and steppe. His favorite soils:

sandy;
sandy loam;
loamy.

Mushroom pickers tell how to find boletus mushrooms in forest-steppe conditions. They will reveal to you the secrets of mass collection, and where porcini mushrooms are hidden:

Varieties

Boletus mushrooms grow everywhere in the forests of Russia, and there are a great variety of them. It is clear that they are all from the same family. They are distinguished only by the nuances of their appearance. Everyone belongs to the first taste category, everyone has inedible double. Therefore, starting " quiet hunt", study carefully external signs those mushrooms that are found in your area.

Pine

Its external signs are almost identical to general description Boletus mushrooms What are the differences:

The cap is red-brown with a diameter of 8-25 cm. Shade – purple.
Pulp. Under the skin it is pink.
The leg is very thick, short - up to 15 cm. On top there is a light brown mesh.
The thickness of the tubular body is 2 cm. The shade is yellowish.

It has an early form, characterized by a lighter cap and flesh. Growth begins at the end of spring and continues until October. It settles under pine trees - hence the name. With them it forms mycorrhiza - a fungal root. Found on sandstones, alone and in families. Distribution area: Europe, America, the European part of Russia.

Birch

Its second name is spikelet. It is collected when earing of rye fields begins. Distinctive Features:

The hat is light yellow, with a diameter of 5-15 cm. The flesh does not have a distinct taste. It does not darken at the break.
The leg is barrel-shaped, with a light mesh.
The thickness of the tubular layer is 2.5 cm. The shade is yellowish.

Prefers to grow under birch trees. They grow singly and in groups. Favorite places are on the edges, near roads. Distribution area – Western Europe, Siberia, Far East. Collection season is June-October.

Dark bronze

Hornbeam or copper. Species differences:

Round, fleshy cap with a diameter of 7-17 cm. Dark shades. It may be covered with cracks.
The pulp is white. With a pleasant aroma and taste. In the rift the color changes.
It is distinguished by a massive leg - it is pinkish-brown. Covered with brown mesh.
Tubular layer 2 cm thick. Yellow, when pressed, it turns green.

Fans of edible delicacies value hornbeam boletus more than the “classic” porcini mushroom (spruce).

Grows in deciduous forests in warm climatic zones. Distribution: Europe, North America.

Other varieties

There are also the following varieties of porcini mushroom:

Reticulate. It has a brownish or light ocher cap. The leg is short, cylindrical in shape. Can be confused with moss fly. Prefers beeches and hornbeams. Grows in Europe North Africa And North America. It has a pronounced mesh on the leg. Fruiting time is June-September. Rarely seen.
Oak. The hat is grayish in color. Sometimes there are light spots on it. It differs from other boletus mushrooms in its more loose pulp. Prefers oak groves. Habitat: Caucasus, Primorsky Territory. It has a brown cap, very similar to the gall mushroom.
Semi-white mushroom. The color of the cap is light brown or clayey. The flesh is dense and smells like carbolic acid. Distribution area: Carpathian region, Polesie, southern Russia. There is no mesh pattern on the leg. The hat is light brown.

White mushroom reticulate

White oak mushroom

Semi-white type of porcini mushroom

Who can be confused with?

Boletus mushroom is usually confused with gall fungus (false boletus mushroom). Signs by which they can be recognized:

According to the color of the cut. In the gall fungus, the flesh becomes dark, acquiring a pinkish-brown color. The porcini mushroom has white flesh and does not change color.
The stem of the gall mushroom has a bright pinkish mesh; in real boletus it is white or yellow.
Gall mushroom bitter. The bitterness does not disappear even after cooking. But during pickling, if you add vinegar, it decreases.

Gall mushroom (gorchak) - poisonous false white mushroom

The porcini mushroom has another double - . But with it, confusion occurs less often. Experienced mushroom pickers immediately see the difference, and it is significant:

The color of the cap of the double is whitish to olive-gray.
The flesh at the break immediately becomes reddish or bluish.
The leg is covered with a mesh pattern. Its color is the main sign of a satanic mushroom. It is red-yellow on top, red-orange in the middle, and yellow-brown below. It's hard not to notice the difference!

Poisonous twin of boletus - satanic mushroom

The value and benefits of the mushroom

Boletus is the most valuable food product. The calorie content of raw boletus is 22 kcal per 100 g. Ingredients:

proteins – 3.1 g;
carbohydrates – 3.3 g;
fats – 0.3 g;
dietary fiber – 1 g;
water – 92.45 g;
ash – 0.85 g.

Boletus mushrooms are simply a storehouse of all possible vitamins, minerals and other useful substances. This is a most valuable product that combines taste and beneficial properties. Porcini mushrooms contain everything the body needs, including:

Selenium. There is so much of it in the pulp that consumption of mushrooms can resist cancer in the early stages.
Ascorbic acid – normalizes the functioning of all organs.
Calcium, iron, phosphorus and other vital elements.
Phytohormones– eliminate inflammation.
B vitamins– strengthen nervous system, contribute to normalization energy metabolism, improve memory and sleep, prevent infections, improve mood and appetite.
Riboflavin– normalizes the functioning of the thyroid gland, promotes hair and nail growth.
Lecithin– useful for patients with atherosclerosis and anemia. Clears blood vessels of cholesterol.
B-glucan– an antioxidant that protects the immune system, saves the body from fungi, viruses, and bacteria.
Ergothioneine– renews cells, restores liver and kidneys, benefits bone marrow, improves vision.

Harm

children;
pregnant women;
people with kidney disease and gastrointestinal diseases.

Porcini mushrooms are able to absorb harmful substances from environment. Do not collect them near businesses and industrial areas.

Boletus spores, like other mushrooms, can cause negative reactions in allergy sufferers. Main danger– eating its double – gall fungus. Therefore, you need to carefully study the signs of this inedible.

Use in food

Porcini mushroom is a low-calorie food product. Suitable for cooking, frying, drying, stewing, pickling. The cooked pulp is tender and has a mushroom smell.

Eating porcini mushrooms in dried form allows the body to absorb up to 80% of proteins. Nutritionists advise eating dried boletus mushrooms.

Dried porcini mushrooms have the strongest aroma, dried using the correct technology - it is important that the pulp loses moisture gradually. Mushrooms are considered a difficult food to digest. But it is dried boletus mushrooms that are the most easily digestible mushroom product.

Growing

White mushroom, despite its unsurpassed taste, is not grown in industrial scale– unprofitable. Usually, amateur gardeners are engaged in cultivation. There must be coniferous or deciduous trees. There should be no fruit trees, cultivated shrubs or vegetables nearby. The most difficult thing is to create conditions for the successful creation of connections between tree roots and mycelium.

It is desirable that the site is adjacent to the forest. If this is not possible, you need to have at least a few pine, aspen, birch, oak or spruce trees on your future “plantation.” Trees on the site must be at least 8 years old. There are two ways to grow porcini mushrooms – from mycelium and from caps.

Growing from mycelium

Cultivation begins with the purchase of planting material. You need to buy mycelium in specialized stores. Next, prepare the area and plant the mycelium:

The soil is exposed near the trunks. Top layer removed - approximately 20 cm. The diameter of the circle should be approximately 1-1.5 m. The removed soil is saved - it will be needed to cover the crops.
A layer of peat is applied to the area prepared for planting. Rotted compost can be used. The fertile layer should not be thicker than 2-3 cm.
Mycelium is placed on top. The interval between adjacent pieces is approximately 30 cm. The pieces are laid out in a checkerboard pattern.
The mycelium is covered with previously removed soil. Water generously. You need to pour about 3 buckets of water under one tree. Pour carefully so that the soil does not erode.
Next, mulch the watered soil with straw. The thickness of the layer is 30 cm. This is done to maintain the required humidity - so that the mycelium does not dry out. Crops need to be watered weekly. Be sure to add nutritious fertilizer to the water.

Before frost, areas with mushrooms are covered. For insulation you can use moss, spruce spruce branches, fallen leaves. With the arrival of spring, the insulation is raked using a rake.

A year will pass, and it will be possible to remove the first fungi. If you properly care for the mycelium, water and feed it on time, the mushroom “plantation” will bear fruit for up to 5 years.

Growing from caps

To implement this method, you will need to get a few mushroom caps. Find mature, or better yet, overripe boletus mushrooms in the forest. The diameter of the cap should be at least 10 cm. It is best that when broken, the cap has a greenish tint - this indicates the maturity of the spores.

When collecting caps, you need to remember what trees the mushrooms grew under. It will be necessary to sow spores under the same trees. If a boletus is found under a spruce, it is unlikely that it will take root under a birch or aspen.

The procedure for preparing the site and planting seed:

About a dozen caps are soaked in a bucket of water. It is advisable that the water be rainwater. Add one thing per 10 liters:
- alcohol – 3-5 tbsp. l.;
- or sugar – 15-20 g.
Mushrooms should be soaked no later than 10 hours after collection - otherwise they will spoil.
After 24 hours, you should mash the boletus caps. Knead until you get a mass similar to jelly. After straining it through cheesecloth, the water is separated from the mushroom tissue with spores.
Prepare a place for planting - exactly as in the previous version. But be sure to water peat or compost with tannins for disinfection. To prepare the solution take:
- black tea – 100 g;
- or oak bark - 30 g.
Tea is brewed in 1 liter of boiling water. The second option is to boil oak bark for 1 hour. Water the soil with the cooled solution - 3 liters for each tree.
Next, they begin planting - water containing boletus spores is poured onto the prepared fertile layer. The solution is stirred while pouring. The crushed caps are placed on top, the planting is covered with previously removed soil, and covered with straw.

Boletus mushrooms can reach a yield of up to 250 kg per 1 hectare. Under each tree, during the season, you can collect a bucket of porcini mushrooms.

All that remains is to take care of the crops - water them regularly, sparing no water. If the soil dries out, the mycelium will die before it has time to germinate. For the winter, the area is insulated with spruce branches or leaves. In the spring - they rake. The first mushrooms will appear next summer or autumn.