Few amateur hunters know that the edible mushrooms that grow under and on poplars have a rich aroma and exquisite flavor. For example, under this tree you can gather oyster mushrooms, winter, summer, and poplar honey fungi, polypores, poplar rowan, and other varieties, and they will grace any table. It's also worth paying attention to inedible mushrooms – they can also be found under poplars.
Edible mushrooms growing on poplars
Of all the mushrooms that grow directly on poplars, the oyster mushroom is the safest, as it has no poisonous lookalikes. However, caution is required with the others.
Autumn oyster mushroom
It can be found in the forest from September to October. It grows directly on the trunk of a poplar tree, a stump, or a dead part of a tree, in a clump, often fused with short stems, forming a curved cylinder. In some cases, the stem is absent. It is approximately 3 centimeters long and up to 4 centimeters wide. The stem also has a dense structure, covered with small scales, and is most often colored in shades of yellow, brown, and greenish.
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The oyster mushroom's cap grows laterally and is elongated, tongue-shaped, or ear-shaped, with a diameter of about 8 centimeters, sometimes up to 15 centimeters. The oyster mushroom cap is fleshy, with white descending gills. Depending on its age, its color changes, from gray to gray-brown or ochre. The flesh is white and has no distinct odor.
Oyster mushrooms are harvested when young. The advantage of this mushroom is that it is resistant to parasites and has a rich mushroom flavor. It can be distinguished from other inedible mushrooms by the non-leathery, fleshy texture of the cap.
Winter honey fungus
This winter mushroom appears in late fall and early winter, sometimes even as late as late December. It can grow under snow. It is similar in appearance to the summer mushroom, differing in the presence of a stalk with scales and a ring, and a cap that is somewhat dry to the touch. The stalk of the winter mushroom is dark brown or black, taking on a yellow tint near the top. The stalk grows from 4 to 8 centimeters in length and averages 0.5 cm in thickness.
The winter honey fungus's cap reaches 8 centimeters in diameter and is dome-shaped (bell-shaped). The cap is covered in a sticky substance and comes in shades of red, orange, brown, or ochre. The gills are wide and closely spaced, and are white or light ochre.
You may be interested in:The winter honey fungus grows in dense clusters not only in forests but also in parks and gardens, usually on the south side of trees. Remarkably, it has no poisonous lookalikes. When preparing it, keep in mind that honey fungus contains some toxins and requires boiling for at least 20 minutes. This is usually sufficient time to completely destroy them.
Summer honey fungus or poplar honey fungus
Summer honey fungus can be found starting in June, and its fruiting period continues until October. Summer honey fungus can be distinguished from autumn honey fungus by its cap. The summer honey fungus' cap is two-toned, darker in the center and lighter at the edges. The edges are moist. During dry summers, the summer honey fungus' cap is dry. Newly grown mushrooms have a yellowish-brown cap, while mature mushrooms have a dark orange and brown hue. Unlike summer mushrooms, autumn honey fungus doesn't have an aggressive coloring, but is characterized by pastel tones.
In size and structure, they are no different from those grown in winter. Summer honey fungus also produces a large number of brown spores.
The most poisonous lookalike of the summer honey fungus is the Galerina marginata, which grows only on conifers. Therefore, honey fungus should not be collected near pine and spruce trees.
You may be interested in:Sulphur-yellow tinder fungus
The sulfur-yellow polypore is conditionally edible. This species is a wavy, multi-layered mass, rounded yet flat. This polypore is bright yellow. The surface of the fruiting body is covered with yellow fuzz.
The cap can reach a diameter of 15 centimeters and a thickness of 5-8 centimeters. Some fruits reach 40 centimeters in diameter. Fruits of fused caps can weigh 10 kilograms. The flesh is also bright yellow. The underside of the cap consists of short tubes. Young mushrooms have a pleasant, slightly tart flavor.
The polypore grows on dead or old poplar wood, and sometimes on other deciduous trees. It is a parasite, destroying the tree through its activity. The polypore has an inedible lookalike, Climacodon severina, which is paler in color and has distinctive spines on its cap. The lookalike also has an unpleasant odor.
Sulfur-yellow polypore is used in salads, pickles, and other dishes. It requires 50-60 minutes of boiling. Polypore has medicinal properties, as it contains a small amount of an antibiotic substance. It is also believed to boost the immune system.
Variegated tinder fungus
The variegated polypore (scaly polypore) is also common in nature. It grows in the lower part of the tree, sometimes right at its base, and is funnel-shaped, eventually flattening out. The cap can reach 50 centimeters in diameter.
The cap is covered with black or dark brown scales. The edges of the cap are jagged and curve downward. The mushroom flesh has a sweet aroma. The stem is no more than 4 centimeters in diameter and is short. The base of the cap is tubular and yellowish-white.
The variegated polypore is used medicinally to treat poisoning and various inflammatory conditions. Only young polypores, harvested in the spring, are edible. They can be used in dishes similar to other edible mushrooms, but they must be boiled for 40 minutes before cooking.
What mushrooms can be found under poplar trees?
The most common mushrooms found in poplars in autumn are the rowan mushroom, the milk mushroom, and the birch bolete.
Poplar rowan
The conditionally edible poplar rowan mushroom is hemispherical in shape with thin, curved edges when young. Over time, the mushroom's cap straightens out and becomes more voluminous. The poplar rowan mushroom's cap grows up to 12 centimeters in diameter.
You may be interested in:Under the cap are thin, closely spaced gills. The gills can be white or pinkish-brown. The stem is fleshy, cylindrical, and covered in a scaly coating. The stem is pinkish-white or light brown. Brown spots appear when squeezed.
This species grows in dense clusters in deciduous forests, under poplar trees. The growing season for the poplar rowan mushroom is from August to the end of October. Rowan mushrooms are often used in various dishes. Before cooking, the mushrooms are thoroughly washed, soaked in water, and then boiled. This process removes any excess bitterness.
Grey birch bolete
The grey birch bolete has a hemispherical cap with curved edges, up to 15 centimeters in size. The cap has an uneven, textured surface and is gray or brownish-gray in color.
The mushroom's flesh is white, turning pink when cut, and blackening after a certain period of time. The grey birch bolete has a pleasant aroma and flavor.
The stipe of the birch bolete reaches 14 centimeters and is 4 centimeters thick. The upper part of the stipe is gray, the lower part is brown. The stipe is also covered with white or yellowish-brown scales. It ripens from June to the end of October. It typically grows under birch trees, but can often be found near poplars. The gray birch bolete is suitable for a variety of dishes.
You may be interested in:Aspen and blueing milk mushrooms
The aspen milk cap (poplar milk cap) grows in dense clusters. Its distinctive feature is the large amount of white sap it contains, which protects the mushroom from parasites.
The milk mushroom has a funnel-shaped cap measuring approximately 14 centimeters. The cap is pink, covered in fuzz, and sticky to the touch. The gills are close together, narrow, and extend from the cap to the stem. They are white or pink in color. The stem is small but very firm. Milk mushrooms are best suited for pickling due to their bitterness. They require a long soaking beforehand. They are not suitable for drying.
The blueing milk cap is quite common in deciduous and mixed forests, where humidity is high. It has a convex cap that, as it develops, takes on a funnel shape and becomes covered with small scales. Its color ranges from yellow to deep yellow. In high humidity, the cap becomes sticky. The gills of this mushroom are slightly descending, thin, and pale yellow.
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The stem of the blueing milk cap is 4-10 centimeters tall, 3 centimeters in diameter, and light yellow. When squeezed, the stem turns blue. Hence the name—blueing milk cap.
The blue milk cap bears fruit from August until the end of November, until the first frosts. Milk caps have a slightly bitter taste due to the milky juice they contain. For this reason, they require careful preparation. Pickling is the most suitable method of preparation. Only young milk caps are harvested and processed immediately.
Inedible species
Mushrooms that live near poplars include the scaly cap, the false russula, and the inedible honey fungus.
Scaly destructive
Also known as the poplar scaly cap, this species destroys the tree it grows on during its life cycle. The cap of the poplar scaly cap reaches 20 centimeters in diameter and is white or light yellow, covered entirely with large white scales. In mature mushrooms, the scales are absent, and the cap margin becomes uneven and fibrous. The gills of the cap are white and fused with the stem, turning dark brown over time.
The mushroom's stem reaches 5 to 14 centimeters in length and 3 centimeters in diameter. The stem is the same color as the cap. It is also covered with white scales, which fade over time. A white ring forms on the stem. These scales are inedible and have an unpleasant taste and odor.
False brick-red honey fungus
False honey mushrooms are bright brick-red and poisonous. They are most similar to autumn honey mushrooms. In appearance, they are virtually indistinguishable from the edible honey mushroom.
Note not only the brick-red hue but also the shreds of white covering layer that remain on the edge of the cap in large flakes, resembling fringe. A key distinguishing feature is the absence of a distinctive ring on the stem. This mushroom prefers fallen trees in well-ventilated deciduous forests for growth. If consumed, this mushroom can be fatal if prompt medical attention is not provided.
False Valuy
False valui is a dangerous poisonous species, often found in forests and fields, growing in large clusters in the autumn.
In appearance, the false russula is similar to the edible russula. However, when cutting the former, a distinctive, sharp horseradish smell immediately appears, which quickly disappears. Another distinctive feature is that the false russula is not affected by worms. When consuming the false russula, symptoms of poisoning may appear within 10 minutes, requiring immediate medical attention.
Answers to frequently asked questions
There are quite a few species that grow on and under poplar trees, and most are safe to eat. However, care should be taken when picking them—many mushrooms have lookalikes that can be dangerous to health and even life.
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Sergey
they taste bitter