Hericium: a detailed description of the edible mushroom. Edible mushroom hedgehog: description, varieties, preparation Cooking Hericium yellow

Hericium yellow did not find much fame among mushroom pickers and is not very well known to most people, although it has good taste and is a close relative of such a popular mushroom as the chanterelle. They are usually harvested from July to August, giving preference to young mushrooms. However, you need to be careful in this - mushrooms are very fragile and brittle, and often it is not so easy to bring the "harvest" home.

Undoubtedly, the main advantage is that the yellow hedgehog has no counterparts harmful to humans, which means that there is no need to fear that a "false" mushroom will accidentally appear in the basket during collection.

Beneficial features

It is surprising how many useful properties such mushrooms have. So, blackberry have an antibacterial effect and actively fight against staphylococci, as well as other similar bacteria. They improve the functioning of the endocrine glands of the body, which has a positive effect on the condition of nails, hair and even skin, and also increase the tone of the whole body.

In China, these mushrooms are widely used in alternative medicine: various tinctures and compresses are made from them. So, for example, a tincture of a yellow barnyard is a good remedy to combat long-term depression.

Due to their beneficial properties, these mushrooms do an excellent job with improving the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract, nervous and even respiratory system and increase immunity.

Cooking use

Although this mushroom is not very popular among mushroom pickers, it has also found use in cooking. The most important property of the yellow hedgehog is that when frying, it almost does not decrease in size due to its fleshy and very dense texture.

The pulp of the mushroom has a pleasant sourness in terms of taste. However, only young mushrooms are suitable for use, since they do not have the bitterness characteristic of a mature barnyard.

Many dishes can be prepared from mushrooms. They are great for frying, boiling, salting, and can be dried for the winter.... In our country, they are especially popular in fried form with onions and sour cream. However, in Europe, more precisely in France, hedgehogs are used in so many delicious dishes: they are served both as a main course and as a side dish, for example, for meat or fish, combined with various sauces, and also added to salads and soups.

The benefits of the yellow barnacle and treatment

The usefulness of black hairs has been known for many years and even centuries. Thanks to their unique enzymes, these wonderful mushrooms have found their application not only in folk, but also in traditional medicine and science. They are successfully used in the treatment of many diseases associated primarily with problems of the nervous system.

Regular consumption of black man's mane promotes blood renewal and hematopoiesis, strengthens the body.

Ointment made from barnacles is used to treat certain skin diseases, and a light and jelly-like mushroom mushroom is often applied to the skin as a cosmetic mask, which has a tonic and nourishing effect.

Harm of yellow hedgehog and contraindications

One might say, the black man's men do not bring harm. They have no poisonous counterparts and it is difficult to confuse them with mushrooms hazardous to health. However, adult mushrooms have a bitter taste, which is alarming for many. In addition, inexperienced mushroom pickers, out of ignorance, often consider them to be toadstools, and therefore trample and break. Of course, like any other mushrooms, yellow hedgehogs accumulate toxins and other harmful substances in themselves, so it is better to collect them in ecologically clean areas. It is contraindicated to consume such mushrooms for young children, since such a product is considered difficult for the child's body.

Hericiums or blackberries are called mushrooms, which were previously assigned to the Gidnum family, but today they are referred to different families and genera. There are many types of hedgehog. The most common ones will be discussed in our article.

Are the barnacles edible?

Not all types of black mans are of interest to mushroom pickers. Among the many varieties, there are edible, conditionally edible, and inedible. They do not contain toxic substances. Taste qualities of all black-haired women are not very high. To taste, they somewhat resemble honey mushrooms or chanterelles. These mushrooms are best consumed at a young age.

Types of mushrooms and their description

Check out the descriptions and photos of various varieties of the hedgehog, as well as recommendations for their use.

Edible

Among the edibles, the most common are six. Below you will find their brief description. Alpine. Mushrooms of this type reach in size from 5 to 30 cm. They are light, but over time they darken and acquire a dirty shade. They are many twigs with thorns in the form of cones, 2 cm long, placed on a low stem. Usually, representatives of the alpine species live on fir, but they can coexist with other conifers. Most often found in mountainous areas from mid-summer to mid-autumn.
White. White heron's mane is often confused with another species - the yellow sheer man's, because it looks like its small copy, only with a white or yellowish hat. It has a diameter of 5 to 12 cm. In young specimens, it is slightly convex, with ends bent downwards. In old age, it becomes open with a notch in the middle. On the lower part there are short whitish or pinkish spines.

They come on a leg that reaches a height of 6 cm and a width of 3 cm. It is painted white. The pulp is white, pleasant in taste and smell, and has fruity notes. It is tougher than that of the yellow hedgehog. Appears in almost all types of forests in North America, Eurasia. Forms mycorrhiza with conifers. It grows only on calcareous soils, suitable for cooking, frying, salting, drying.
Comb-shaped. The representative of this species has an interesting appearance, thanks to which it cannot be confused with any other mushroom - the fruit body is formed in the form of a set of falling scallops up to 25 cm long in beige, cream, yellow, white colors. Its weight reaches two kilograms. The shape is round or irregular. The pulp is fleshy, colored white. During the "quiet hunt" the fungus comes across very rarely. It can be seen on tree trunks, in rifts in the Crimea, the Far East and China.
Time of appearance - late summer-mid-autumn. Due to its original appearance, it has many other names - lion's mane, monkey head, mushroom noodles, grandfather's beard. It is used in Chinese traditional medicine to strengthen the immune system and treat gastrointestinal diseases, as well as an antiseptic. This is one of the most delicious representatives of the black man's. Its taste is somewhat similar to shrimp or crab meat. In the food industry it is used as a flavoring additive.

Did you know? Experts are constantly studying the antitumor effect of the Hericium Erinaceus. In Russia, this is being done by employees of the State Institution Research Institute for the Research of New Antibiotics. GF Gauze RAMS and the Institute of Organic Chemistry. N. D. Zelinsky. Experiments on laboratory mice have proven that an aqueous extract of the fungus is able to inhibit tumor growth and prolong the life of animals.

Yellow. The most common representative of the Black Wort. It has a cap, reaching a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. At a young age, it is colored in light shades of red or orange. In mature it becomes darker. At first it is convex, and by the end of life it is flat with the edges drooping downward. The inner side is covered with spines. The leg of a yellow hedgehog is in the shape of a cylinder, from 2 to 8 cm high, smooth, yellow in color. The pulp crumbles heavily. Painted in yellow tones. The taste is fruity.

In older specimens, the flesh is hard and bitter. It grows on the Eurasian continent and in the countries of North America. Shown from mid-June to late October. Fruiting before the first frost. It is harvested for the purpose of eating fried, boiled and salted. Especially appreciated by the French. Requires preliminary soaking to eliminate the bitter taste. It is also advisable to get rid of the thorns before cooking. Coral. The fruit body of this variety is similar in appearance to a coral branch. It has many branches in white. The flesh of young representatives of the species is white. As soon as the mushroom matures, it turns yellow. Grows on dead trees. The mushroom is considered edible, but its collection is prohibited due to its protected status - it is recorded in the Red Book of Russia as a rare species.

Antennae. This mushroom forms accrete cap fruit bodies of white or pink color, in old age - yellow, with blunt or sharp edges, sometimes with fringes. On the upper part there are dense, long (up to 1 cm) white spines, which become brown as they grow older. The flesh is white or pink, soft. It can be eaten only in young specimens. In old mushrooms, it is tough, tasteless. The barnacle hedgehog is widely represented in the Northern Hemisphere. Appears in July, ends fruiting in early autumn.

Conditionally edible

Most of the representatives of the barnacle are ranked as conditionally inedible or inedible mushrooms.

Reddish yellow. This variety has a smooth, orange-red, irregularly shaped cap with rolled edges. On the lower part there are many papilla-shaped spines passing to the pedicle. The leg is thick and dense, yellowish in color. The pulp is fleshy. Has a creamy color. When squeezed, it turns orange. The mushroom bears fruit in the fall. Found in mixed and coniferous forests.
Motley. Hericium is variegated or tiled, scaly has a brown or gray cap with dark scales arranged in a circle. At a young age, its shape is convex with raised edges, in mature it becomes concave or funnel-shaped with curved edges. The leg of this variety reaches 6-8 cm in height. It is thick, smooth, slightly fibrous, in the form of a cylinder, thickening towards the bottom. The color is in harmony with the hat - brown or gray. The pulp is white or gray, juicy, with a pleasant mushroom smell.
The old representatives smell of rot. The period of appearance of representatives of this species is late summer-mid-autumn. It grows in Eurasia, in areas with moderate climatic conditions. The variegated Hericium is considered to be of low quality mushrooms. It is not recommended to use it without heat treatment, especially the gray hedgehog - poisoning is possible. At a young age, the mushroom can be used for pickling or as a seasoning after boiling for 8-10 minutes.

Did you know? Norwegians use old speckled hedgehogs to create a bluish green dye for dyeing sheep's wool.

Another name for this variety is ice mushroom. His hat resembles a fan or tongue with curled edges. It grows 7.5 cm in diameter. There are spines on its lower part. The upper part is painted in white, gray tones. In adulthood, it becomes dark. The leg has a height of up to 5 cm. However, it may not be there. The pulp is gelatinous, translucent. Has a resinous smell and taste. Found on three continents - Eurasian, North American, Australian.

Inedible

Many sources claim that all types of black hairs are harmless to humans and do not contain poison. They are classified as inedible only because of the lack of taste or too bitter taste, as well as an unpleasant aroma. There are much more inedible species of hedgehogs than those that can be eaten.

Striped. This hedgehog is not a frequent visitor to the mixed forests of the Far East and Siberia, and belongs to a rare species. In appearance, it is very similar to a two-year-old dry house. It has a large reddish-brown cap with light stripes measuring 10 cm in diameter. The leg is red, thin. Fruiting in early autumn. Unsuitable for food.

Finnish. This variety catches the eye of mushroom pickers very rarely. Its cap grows up to 15 cm in circumference. In young representatives, it is convex, irregular in shape, in old ones, it is prostrate. Painted in brown tones. On its lower part there are dense spines 0.3-0.5 cm long. The leg is short - up to 5 cm in length. To the bottom it becomes narrower. It comes in different colors. The dense pulp smells good, but the taste is very unpleasant, with a bitter taste. This hedgehog lives in coniferous and mixed forests at the beginning of the autumn period.

The black. This representative of inedible hedgehogs can be found in pine and mixed forests from mid-summer to late October, but quite rarely. He has a large cap, reaching a diameter of 3-8 cm. Immediately after emergence, it has a bright blue color, as it grows gray, and at the end of life it turns black. The cap merges with a thick and short black leg. The flesh is firm, also black. The hymenophore is spiny blue and then gray.

Rough. This species is also called dirty, unkempt. It got its name due to the structure of the hymenophore with thorns and the presence of protruding scales on the cap, because of which it seems that it is cracked and unkempt. Gray-pink thorns from the lower part of the hymenophore extend onto the pedicle. The hat has an irregular shape with a wavy edging. Its top is flat-convex with a notch in the center, painted in light brown tones, scales are dark brown.

The leg is in the form of a cylinder, narrowed towards the bottom. Its base is blue or gray-green. Its entire surface is dotted with pink scales. The mushroom pulp is bitter with a sharp specific aroma. It is white with a pink tint. Hericium gruffaceous grows in symbiosis with conifers and deciduous trees from mid-summer to mid-autumn. The mushroom can be recognized by its flat-convex or convex cap. In shape, it can be in the form of a semicircle or a fan. In color - white, brown, orange. Its lower part has spines 0.8 cm long. They are white or orangey. The climacodon has no legs. The pulp is white, fibrous. She has practically no taste and smell. Most often, this variety comes across in the tropics and subtropics on dry trees or on dead wood.

An easily recognizable mushroom, because it grows in a bizarre way - several light plates in the form of leaves or tongues grow together at the base and are located one above the other. Each cap grows in diameter from 10 to 30 cm. Their edges are wavy. Mushrooms can grow together and reach a mass of 30 kg. The pulp is dense, firm, pubescent, with a sharp aroma. The hymenophore is spiny. Spines up to 2 cm long. Grows on weak deciduous crops. Fruiting from mid-summer.

Fused (phellodon). This mushroom has a black irregularly shaped hat with a diameter of 4 cm. On its lower part, white spines are formed. The hat is placed on a short thin leg of black color with a felt coating. It grows from late summer until the first frost in sandy soils in conifers and mixed forests.

Where to look for black man's men: ecology and distribution

The area of distribution of black hairs is Eurasia, North America, Australia, mainly in areas with moderate climatic conditions, but also in cool regions, such as the Far East, Siberia, the Urals. They usually choose sandy soils in coniferous and mixed forests, grass and moss for fruiting. Almost all hedgehogs form mycorrhiza with conifers, therefore, most often they can be found near pines, spruces, and are also found near birches.

Some species settle on old, dead trees, stumps. They can grow both singly and in groups. When placed in a group, their hats practically merge into one, sometimes they form "witch circles". The fruiting period begins in early summer and lasts until mid-autumn. Mass fruiting occurs in August and early September.

Is it possible and how to grow mushrooms in the country?

Hericiums can be grown in suburban conditions. Wooden sticks with spores can be purchased at horticultural stores. Mushrooms can be planted outdoors from April to October, indoors at any time of the year. They are sprouted in wood, for example, on freshly cut logs, cleaned of shoots. They should be 15-20 cm in diameter and 1 m long.
Before placing the mushroom sticks, the wood should be soaked in water and holes 4 cm long and 0.8 cm in diameter drilled into them every 10 cm. After the mushroom sticks are immersed, the logs are covered with foil and placed in a warm and dark room. They will need to be watered twice or three times every seven days.

Important! It is necessary to work with mushroom sticks with well-disinfected hands or protected with sterile gloves.

The logs are brought out into the light after the mycelium appears. The harvest should be expected after six months. For the winter, you will need to make shelters for the logs. Fruit bodies should be cut at a young age.

Rules for storing black man's

You can keep the Hericiums in the refrigerator. However, not too long - up to three days, due to the appearance of rigidity and bitterness. Without a refrigerator, they are usable for only two to three hours, then they turn dark. Before storage, they should be washed, soaked in salted water, and dried. Store in a tightly closed bag. Hericiums are suitable for drying, but with this method of preservation, they become tough. Dried mushrooms are used as a basis for soups, broths, dressings, sauces, gravy.

Their shelf life is two to three years. Before drying, the mushrooms are not washed, but only cleaned and wiped with dry material. Then they are cut into thin slices of 0.5 cm. They are laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment so that they do not come into contact with each other. Then they are placed in an oven preheated to 45 degrees. After the plates are slightly dry and can easily come off the parchment, the temperature is raised to 70 degrees. Drying is carried out with the oven door slightly open. It is carried out in several stages over two days. The finished mushrooms should bend, but not break. Mushrooms can also be salted.

To do this, they should be sorted out, cleaned and soaked in a saline solution for three to four hours. Then they should be cut into pieces of 4-6 cm. One kilo of mushrooms will require 40-50 g of salt, dill, onion, garlic, horseradish. The pieces will need to be boiled until cooked in salted water, rinsed and placed in a colander. Sprinkle with spices and salt, put in a bowl, which is pressed down with a load. The product should be sent to a cold place for six to eight days. The mushrooms can then be used for pickling, soups and main courses. The best storage method is to freeze fresh young mushrooms. At a temperature of -12 degrees, their shelf life is three months, at -18 - six months, at -25 - a year.

How to cook black sheep's men

In cooking, black man's feet are rarely used. Unless the French cook various dishes from them and classify them as the best mushrooms. The calorie content of the product is low - 100 grams contains 30 kcal. In terms of nutritional value, there are 3.7 grams of protein, 1.7 grams of fat and 1.1 grams of carbohydrates.

Important! Since hedgehogs accumulate harmful substances from the environment in the fruit bodies, you should only eat mushrooms collected in ecologically clean areas.

There are a few tips on how to cook a barbecue. So, before cooking, be sure to remove the spines. There are some specimens that require cooking in order to remove the bitterness. The same varieties as comb, antennae, coral, do not require boiling. They can be fried or salted right away.

Frying

In order to carry out frying mushrooms, they must be washed and the remnants of the mycelium removed. Those varieties that require pre-processing should be boiled or soaked. Chop the mushrooms. Then pour vegetable oil into a preheated frying pan and place the barnacles on it. Frying must be done over low heat. When the mushrooms become a little soft, you need to add onion cut into thin rings or half rings to them and salt.

If all the juice has evaporated during frying, cover the pan with a lid. Mushrooms are considered cooked when they have darkened, emitted a pleasant aroma, and softened. To add spice and make them even softer, add sour cream a couple of minutes before cooking. It needs to be placed only on the surface of the mushrooms, it should not touch the bottom. By the way, unlike other mushrooms, there are varieties of hedgehogs that do not shrink when they are fried.

Cooking

Before boiling mushrooms, soil residues and thorns are removed from the fruit bodies. They are washed under running water. Place in cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. For the soup, it is advisable to use an assortment of mushrooms, only with a hedgehog the dish will not be so fragrant. Hericium is a mushroom that is not very much appreciated by mushroom pickers.

They often refuse to take it because they consider it inedible, or they do not want to fool their heads with thorns that pollute the basket and other mushrooms on the way home. However, some of its types are used for frying, cooking and salting. The most delicious are yellow, white and crested hedgehogs. Mushrooms are used in cooking only at a young age, since old specimens tend to be bitter and have hard flesh. Certain varieties lend themselves to cultivation in suburban conditions.

But only a few people dare to collect them. It's scary to put a toadstool in the basket by mistake! Mushroom pickers who know these mushrooms sometimes do not take the black man's because the brittle outgrowths-needles on the back of the cap quickly crumble and stain the rest of the mushrooms. It is better to collect edible hedgehogs when they are young.

Hericium yellow, photo from Wikipedia

Description of yellow or champlevé (Hydnum repandum)

Hat. The "visiting card" of the black man is his matte-cream hat. More precisely, the underside of the cap, strewn with pointed outgrowths-needles with glasses that break off easily. They are the same color as the cap, sometimes a little lighter. The size of the cap (usually from 3 to 12 cm in diameter) is up to 20 cm. It is tough, but brittle.

The caps of young mushrooms are convex in shape, they open with age, after which they become depressed and acquire a certain depression in the central part. It is not uncommon to see mushrooms with an irregularly shaped cap. The edges of the old hedgehogs are bent inward. In young mushrooms, the cap has a dense flesh with a pleasant aroma. In old mushrooms, the flesh becomes reddish. A layer of plaque or slight pubescence is noticeable on the skin of the cap of herringbones. In some places, you can find yellow hercules not with whitish-creamy flesh, but with dirty-rusty ones.

Leg. The leg of the yellow hedgehog is rather thick (up to 2.5 cm), sometimes it is elongated (up to 6 cm). Sometimes its base (near the ground) is expanded. Monochromatic leg of a hedgehog is usually lighter than the cap,

Yellow Hericiums grow on any soil in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. Sometimes mushrooms form "witch circles". The first black hairs are harvested at the beginning of summer, usually with. Mushrooms grow until autumn frosts, more often before.

Description of variegated hedgehog (Hydnum imbricatum, Sarcodon imbricatum)

The variegated Hericium is another edible species that appears more often in pine forests. This mushroom is referred to as autumn, as it grows closer to autumn (in -). In some areas, the black-headed blackberry is called "elk" or "chicken".

Motley hedgehog, photo from Wikipedia

Hat. The variegated Hericium has a rather large (up to 20 cm and more) brownish cap of an impressive appearance. From above, it is densely covered with large growing scales, which are "laid" according to the principle of tiles. Tiny mushrooms have a dark cap, which then turns brownish and then brownish-black. The lower part of the cap is covered with whitish spines, which acquire a brown or rusty-gray color with age.

Leg. The coloration of the leg of a variegated hedgehog is the same color as the cap. You can find mushrooms with a purple stem.

Motley Hericium is good only at a young age. At this time, the grayish pulp of the mushroom has a pleasant tart smell. As it ages, it looks more and more like a cork. Bitterness appears, which spoils the taste of variegated hedgehog.

In our forests, one more species is occasionally found - the rough hedgehog. It is not necessary to collect it because of the pungent taste. This mushroom is easily distinguished by its reddish-brown stem.

Cooking hedgehogs

Hericium is not the most popular mushroom, therefore it is rightly referred to as a little-known mushroom. Many authors of reference books and guides recommend the yellow black man's man as a very tasty mushroom, and the variegated black man's man (which is sometimes sentenced as "conditionally edible mushroom") is recommended to be collected only at a young age. It is curious: the yellow hedgehog with its dense pulp practically does not decrease in size when frying.

The flesh of the yellow and variegated blackberry is dense, with a slight sourness. She deserves attention only at a young age. Before putting the mushroom in a saucepan or pan, it is advisable to remove all spines. Otherwise, they will surely fall off and turn mushroom soup or roast into some kind of porridge.

Hericiums can be dried. Fresh, they are often prepared not separately, but together with other mushrooms.

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Little-known, but tasty and nutritious hedgehog grows in different parts of our country. He has more than a dozen species, many of which are listed in the Red Book. In this article, you can familiarize yourself with the description of each mushroom, read where it grows, see what it looks like, get acquainted with the characteristics and find out whether it is edible or not.

This genus of mushrooms stands out from the rest in that it has hymenoforms in the form of conical spines. Because of this distinctive feature, they were assigned to the same genus Gidnum, but later they were divided into different families.

Alpine Hericium

People call it alpine, in science Hericium alpestre. It belongs to the edible species. It has one common short leg, from which branches grow. At the end of each branch, many hanging conical spines up to two centimeters long are grouped. It grows from five to thirty centimeters. During ripening it has a pure white color, with aging it darkens to light ocher shades.

The harvesting season starts in August until mid-autumn. Grows in mountainous areas and on the foothills, the favorite tree is fir, rarely found on the wood of other conifers.

Hericium white

In biology, it is called Hydnum albidum. Due to the great similarity with the yellow and red-yellow hedgehog, they are described without dividing them.

Hericium white has a strong leg up to six centimeters long and up to three centimeters in diameter, without voids at any age of the fungus. The cap is more often white, sometimes it is found with shades of yellow and gray, or in the form of washes. It grows to large sizes of 15-20 centimeters or even more, but more often it is from 5 to 12 cm. Small mushrooms have a convex cap with edges bent down, as it grows it becomes concave in the center. The dense hymenophore grows in the form of conical spines, elastic in young fungi and crumbling in adults.

Edible. You can harvest from July to October. It grows exclusively on calcareous soil in mixed and deciduous forests, in conifers it loves pine.

Hericium crested

The scientific name is Hericium erinaceus. It has no legs at all, the sedentary fruiting body is attached directly to the tree trunk and consists of many hanging spines from two to five centimeters. The older the mushroom, the more yellow the tips of the thorns.

This species grows in the Crimea and the Caucasus, in the Amur region, Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories. The mushroom is classified as edible, but is listed in the Red Book.

Hericium yellow

In Latin, Hydnum repandum. Very similar to a chanterelle, both in appearance and taste. The leg slightly widens at the base near the cap, grows up to 2.5 centimeters in diameter and up to 6 centimeters in length. The hat can be from pale white to bright yellow, almost orange, has an irregular shape with edges bent down to 15 centimeters. Flesh with a pleasant smell, firm and white.

This edible mushroom can be harvested from mid-summer to mid-autumn, with peak season in August. The yellow urchin grows in mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests in mossy places.

Coral Hericium

In biology, it is called Hericium coralloides and received for the similarity with sea corals. This edible hedgehog has a beautifully shaped fruiting body. It grows like a bush, from one leg there are many branched branches, with hanging spines at the ends. It can grow up to 20 centimeters. An overgrown mushroom has a tough pulp that is not suitable for consumption.

The harvesting season is from late July to the first month of autumn. Grows in deciduous forests on stumps and dead wood. It is very rare and is listed in the Red Book.

Hericium reddish yellow

Or in another way, Hydnum rufescens. He loves mossy places and meadows with low grass in mixed forests, rarely found in our country.

A red hat fades in the heat, has a wavy shape with fragile edges, grows up to 5-7 cm in diameter. The leg is about 4 cm, also with a red tint. The pulp without a pronounced taste, as the mushroom grows, hardens, especially the leg. Spore powder is white or creamy.

Edible, but in adulthood has a pronounced bitterness.

Harvesting time from mid-summer to early autumn.

Motley Hericium

The Sarcodon Imbricatus cap grows up to 25 cm in diameter, its surface is velvety with scales. The pulp with a pleasant smell, dense and thick. The leg is solid, the same color as the cap, rarely purple, up to 8 cm high.

Grows in coniferous forests, on sandy soils. You can collect it from late summer until late autumn. Hericium is variegated edible, has a spicy taste.

Hericium striped

In biology, it is called Hydnellum concrescens, rarely found in nature. Unsuitable for food and inedible. The hat up to 12 cm is painted copper with pronounced stripes. The leg is a thin shade of rust. The hedgehog grows in groups, less often singly in mixed forests, loves birch forests. Distributed in Siberian forests, the Far East and the European part of Russia. Appears in August September, is a rare species.

Hericium's antennae

Scientific name Creolophus Cirrhatus. The body of the mushroom has a multilevel system due to the splicing of caps up to 12 cm in diameter, which intricately twist with each other. The shape resembles a kind of flower. The pulp is fleshy white or creamy. The top is rough as felt, the bottom hanging spines.

Grows in mixed forests, mainly on stumps and tree trunks. Edible and nutritious, it has a rich taste. You can harvest in August September, while the mushroom is young. At an old age, the barbel's mane hardens. It belongs to rare species and is listed in the Red Book.

Finnish Herz's Man

Or Sarcodon fennicus bears great resemblance to the rough hedgehog. An extremely rare mushroom with a pleasant smell. Ripens in the first half of autumn and grows in both coniferous and mixed forests. Not poisonous, but considered inedible due to its bitter taste.

The irregularly wavy brown cap grows up to 15 cm in diameter. The pulp is dense, light yellow in the cap and blue-green at the bottom of the leg.

Hericium black

In Latin, Phellodon niger. A massive hat with a diameter of up to 8 cm of blue-black color, thanks to her, the mushroom got its common name. The fruit body grows through twigs, cones and needles, which gives the blackberry a unique shape. The pulp is woody, firm, dark in color. The leg is short, dark in color, not clearly passing into the cap.

Grows in coniferous forests on pines and mossy places, rarely in mixed forests. You can find it from August to the end of October. Inedible due to its hardness.

Hericium grungy

Latin name Sarcodon scabrosus. A special feature is the cracks in the center of the cap of brown red color, with scales diverging to the edge. Long leg up to 10 cm in height and 2-2.5 cm in thickness has no ring. The flesh is soft, white at the top, and dark green at the bottom of the leg.

You can find it in the forest both in summer and autumn. Grows in conifers and deciduous forests, both in groups and alone. The taste with bitterness, which does not appear immediately, is therefore recognized as inedible.

North climacodon

Otherwise Climacodon septentrionalis. The mushroom is whatnot, has no legs, the caps grow in rows one above the other. It is based on weakened deciduous trees and reaches up to 30 kg of the weight of the fruit body. The pulp is thick and firm with a noticeable odor. Inedible due to its woody consistency. Not poisonous. You can meet from mid-summer until late autumn.

Gelatinous pseudo-jelly (False jelly)

In a different way Pseudohydnum gelatinosum. The fruiting body grows like a tongue, emerging from one side of the stem. A gray hat up to 5 cm can change color depending on the amount of water. The pulp is jelly-like, tasteless and odorless.

Growing time is short, from late August to the first cold weather. The mushroom is edible, but its poor taste makes it useless. You can meet in the Ivanovo and Vladimir regions.

Phellodon fused

Phellodon connatus, or fused hedgehog, a common fungus, is an inedible species. Loves coniferous forests and sandy soil. It grows in a group where several fruit bodies grow together. Its time comes in August and lasts until the end of November.

Composition and nutritional value

One hundred grams of fresh mushrooms contains:

Chemical composition:

Cellulose
Vitamin C
Iron
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Manganese
Sodium

Useful properties and contraindications

Hericium grows widely in northern China and has long been used in alternative medicine. Infusions, decoctions and compresses are prepared from it. Infusion of Hydnum repandum is good for depressive conditions.

Due to its beneficial properties:

Interaction in the central nervous system improves.
The work of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized.
It has an antibacterial effect and increases the resistance of the immune system.
The work of the endocrine glands is stabilized.
The condition of the skin, nails and hair improves.
It has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system.

Despite its benefits, it is not popular with collectors, as it is poorly distributed and little known.

It is also used in traditional medicine, making ointments for skin diseases.

Like all mushrooms, black man's fungi are able to accumulate toxic substances in the fruit body and thereby harm the human body, therefore, it must be collected in clean areas.

Growing

You can grow a hedgehog in the country. Sowing is carried out from April to October in the open air; it is possible to grow in closed myceliums all year round. Instead of soil, wood is used: coniferous or deciduous, depending on the type of fungus. Wet logs of fresh felling without branches will do. In length no more than a meter and a diameter of 15-20 centimeters. The dry material must be soaked for a couple of days, then let the excess water drain off.

The logs require preparation: drill holes 4 cm deep, 0.8 cm in diameter in a checkerboard pattern every 10 cm. With sterile gloves, mushroom sticks are tightly inserted into the holes. The tree is wrapped in plastic wrap, in which small slots are made for air to enter. Then they are placed in a warm and shady place and the moisture content of the wood is maintained by watering 2-3 times a week.

After the appearance of the mycelium filaments, the logs are moved into water for 24 hours. Then they are exposed vertically in a bright place. For the winter, myceliums are sprinkled with dry leaves or transferred to a cellar.

The first crop will be harvested no earlier than six months later.

How to store?

Fresh mushrooms are not stored for long, without a refrigerator for a couple of three hours, and they begin to darken. If it is not possible to cook immediately, then they can be kept in the refrigerator for a maximum of three days. Before you put it in the cold for storage, follow these simple rules:

Rinse and soak in salt water for several hours to remove any pests.
Dry and remove any damaged areas.
Place in a deep bowl and cover tightly with a napkin.

Mushrooms absorb other odors very well, so store them separately from other foods. Do not pack in plastic bags.

For long-term storage, one of the popular methods is used - salting. Each housewife has many recipes with her own family traditions and secrets.

-12 degrees 3 months
-18 degrees 6 months
-24 degrees 12 months

A more attractive option for long-term storage is to dry it for the winter. Dried mushrooms can be used to prepare a wide variety of dishes. With proper drying, they can be stored for up to two to three years.

In cooking

This mushroom has been highly appreciated by French culinary experts. In France, it is classified as a delicacy. The hedgehog is used in recipes for preparing side dishes, snacks and main dishes. Famous chefs prepare sauces with it, delicious dressings for soups.

The taste of young mushrooms resembles honey agarics, and tall hedgehogs are almost indistinguishable from chanterelles. Therefore, if the question arises of how to cook them, then exactly the same.

Among lovers of quiet hunting, there is an opinion that strongly grown mushrooms are not suitable for consumption, but this is more a question of proper preparation, where you can discover a delicate taste and delicate aroma.

To improve the taste and impart softness, boil the hedgehog in salted water before cooking. Although they are great for simple heat. Here's one quick way:

Process mushrooms: rinse in running water, cut off excess.
Preheat a skillet with oil.
Slice and pour into a hot skillet.
Fry over low heat, add onions after 5-10 minutes.
Fry until tender.

It is good to stew the herd's mane with sour cream sauce. The mushrooms should be cut into large cubes, as they greatly decrease in size during the cooking process. For the sauce, add garlic, herbs and a pinch of salt to the sour cream. Add the sour cream sauce to the mushrooms a couple of minutes until tender.

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The hedgehog mushroom belongs to edible mushrooms, it can be found in mixed forests or conifers, mainly under the pines. There are several varieties of hedgehog, the taste of which is of low value. Despite this, they are often used in cooking for salads, sauces, and so on.

Other names for the mushroom

There are different varieties of the hedgehog mushroom, and the name hedgehog comes from the fact that under the head of any mushroom there are thorns. The mushroom also has other names:

satyr beard;
monkey head;
gericium.

Description and features of the mushroom

There are several species of hedgehog mushroom, they are all the same in structure and taste, but still each of them has some differences. The most common edible mushroom that can often be found in the pine forest is the variegated hedgehog. This species is considered to be autumnal, because it ripens at the end of summer and finishes bearing fruit at the end of autumn.

Hat. Conditionally edible mushroom, the cap reaches 14 centimeters in diameter, brown or gray. At the top, dark round scales are shown. The younger the mushroom, the softer and less visible the scales, and when it ages, these scales acquire a rough surface and increase in size. If it is very old, then the scales fly off and the mushroom becomes completely smooth. The shape is initially convex, then, as it grows, it acquires a depressed shape, and in some cases a kind of funnel forms on it.
Leg. The leg reaches 6 centimeters in height, it can be smooth or fibrous. Its color is the same as that of the cap, but it happens that legs of a purple or lilac shade are found. The leg is thick and strong, it is thinner from below, and the closer it comes to the cap, the thicker it becomes.
Pulp. It has a white or gray color, if the mushroom is young, then it has a pleasant aroma and spicy taste, but the old mushroom will give off rot.

When and where does hedgehog grow

The hedgehog mushroom grows mainly in dry forests, most often it can be found in the coniferous forest. There are several varieties, which can be found both individually and in combination with other types of mushrooms, they can also form rings.

They grow in almost all forests throughout Russia, and this applies to all types of fungi: variegated, yellow, comb and coral. Fruits are produced mainly from June to November. The hedgehog mushroom can be found from mid-August to the end of October on the Eurasian continent in a temperate climate. They grow in mixed forests or conifers, next to pines.

Varieties

In general, all over the world there are a large number of varieties of the hedgehog, in general they are from the same genus, but differ in appearance and color. Before you go picking mushrooms, you should be aware of the differences in order to understand which mushroom is in front of a person.

Edible crested hedgehog can reach 25 centimeters, and its weight reaches 2 kilograms. it can be yellow, cream or white. The shape is round, or oval, or completely irregular, resembling nothing. This mushroom has no caps and legs, and the flesh is white, fleshy, turns yellow and dries as it grows.

When and where does it grow? This mushroom can be found in Crimea, China and the Far East from mid-August to late October. It grows on weak or sick trees, on oaks and beeches in places where the bark is broken.

Is hedgehog eaten? This mushroom is extremely rare, it is rarely added to food, and the taste resembles shrimp meat.

Why is the mushroom valuable? It is suitable not only for nutrition, but useful medicines and dietary supplements are also made from it. The fungus is used in the treatment of ulcers, gastritis and gastrointestinal problems. But these data have not been studied and scientifically proven.

Clinical studies have shown that this type of fungus has a positive effect on tumors, both benign and malignant. It also, in combination with the main therapy, helps to heal the prostate, cyst, fibroids and cancer of all organs.

Hericium yellow

Hat This mushroom is 15 inches, red or orange-yellow in color. If you press it hard, it darkens, and the cap of the old mushroom also darkens. Fleshy, does not have a flat surface, dense and convex, as they grow up, they open up. The edges of the cap are bent, on the inside there are small thorns that break off easily, which is why the mushroom got its name.

Leg reaches 8 centimeters in height, the shape resembles a cylinder, wider at the bottom than at the top. The surface is dry and smooth at the same time. The color is the same as the cap - yellow, the older the mushroom, the darker the leg.

Pulp brittle, white or yellow, as the mushroom ages, it becomes dark and hard to the touch. The smell is rich with a fruity note, and the old hedgehog has a bitter aftertaste.

When and where can you find it? In temperate climates in the Eurasian continent and America and throughout the territory from mid-June to October 13-20. Such a mushroom grows in coniferous and deciduous forests, among birches and near small bushes. May also form circles.

Why is the mushroom valuable? The yellow hedgehog contains amino acids, organic acids and mycosterol. The isolated repandiol has shown strong activity against cancer cells of any organ, especially the stomach. Repandiol prevents the proliferation of cancer agents because it binds the DNA of cancer cells to bridges.

Coral hedgehog

The fungus grows like a bush, coral and branched. The color is white, less often there is a yellow or flesh tint. Reaches 30 cm in transverse size. The coral hedgehog has two-centimeter thin and brittle spines.

Pulp tasty, aromatic, elastic and fibrous, as it grows up it turns yellow.

Where and when does it ripen? You can find this type of mushroom in all forests of the Russian territory, in addition to the northern part. Mushrooms grow in all forests, they settle on the dead bark of a tree, in the hollows of living trees, as well as on branches. In the southern region of Russia, the coral mushroom lives preferably on oak, linden and elm, and in temperate forests it loves aspen and birch. From June to October, you can pick mushrooms and prepare meals from them.

This mushroom can be used to prepare soups, fill various dishes, fry or dry.

The use of mushroom in cooking

Hericium is a rare mushroom. Many experts recommend eating yellow mushroom because it tastes good. As for the variegated hedgehog, which is considered a conditionally edible mushroom, it can only be eaten when it is young. It is interesting to know that the yellow type of mushroom does not decrease in size when cooking, since it has a high density.

The flesh of both variegated and yellow hedgehog is dense with sourness, but this happens only when the mushroom is young. Before cooking, you must remove all the thorns on the inside of the hat. If this measure is not taken, the thorns will collapse during cooking and the soup will turn into porridge.

The benefits and nutritional value of the mushroom

The mushroom, due to its composition, boasts a high content of fiber, carbohydrates and proteins. It also contains all the necessary macronutrients and micronutrients. The energy value of 100 grams of mushroom is 22 Kcal.

Vitmin PP;
vitamin C;
fish flavin;
vitamin B4;
pantothenic acid;
betaine;
vitamin D;
vitamin D2;
vitamin K

As for microelements and macronutrients, they are as follows in the black man's man:

magnesium;
phosphorus;
calcium;
potassium;
sodium;
selenium.

The product also contains:

aminopropanoic acid;
diaminohexanoic acid;
leucine;
glutamic acid;
amino succinic acid.

Due to its unique composition, the mushroom is actively used in folk medicine. Active ingredients that help to cure many diseases:

Campesterol. In its structure, this substance resembles cholesterol. When a substance enters the body, it mixes with bad cholesterol, this contributes to the natural exit from the human body.
Glutamic acid. Thanks to her, the taste of the mushroom becomes spicy, regenerates muscle tissue and is a source of energy.
Aspartic acid. It normalizes the endocrine system, it is also a growth hormone.
Potassium maintains the body's water balance, also improves the heartbeat and normalizes blood pressure.
A nicotinic acid. Takes an active part in the synthesis of proteins and energy metabolism.

Contraindications

The list of contraindications is no different from those that doctors give people about all mushrooms. The black man's mane should be excluded from the diet for people who have violations:

biliary tract;
gastritis;
increased acidity;
kidney disease;
allergy sufferers;
children under 5 years old;
pregnancy.

Growing

A large number of wild-growing mushrooms, including the barnacle, are difficult to cultivate artificially, so very rarely people wonder how to grow a barnacle mushroom with their own hands.

The easiest way to grow a mushroom is to buy ready-made mycelium, which is sold in stores, on the Internet and on official websites. If it is planned to grow mushrooms on the street, then planting should take place from April to October. This type of mushroom also feels great indoors, so it would be advisable to breed herders in the basement or shed, where they can grow all year round.