Names and descriptions of edible mushrooms of Crimea (+19 photos)

Mushrooms

Crimea's natural environment is diverse, as it straddles three climate zones. In particular, the abundance of edible mushrooms in Crimea is striking. They differ in taste, nutritional value, and health benefits.

Distribution and timing of mushroom picking in Crimea

There are approximately 400 varieties of cap mushrooms on the peninsula. They grow in forests and steppes, near populated areas, in clearings, and on mountain yaylas.

Name	Places of growth	Mushroom picking time
Caesar's mushroom	Not far from Yalta, mainly in oak groves.	The entire warm season.
Rowing gray	Near the village of Kolchugino in the Simferopol district, in the area of the Crimean Astrophysical Laboratory (Bakhchisaray district). In mixed and coniferous forests, on moss or sandy soils.	Early to mid-autumn.
Giant talker	In the eastern part of the peninsula, on mountain yaylas, in mixed and coniferous forests.	From early summer to mid-autumn.
Chanterelles	Bakhchisarai, Belogorsk, Kirov, and Simferopol districts, especially near the village of Mramornoye. They grow in groups in well-lit areas, near clearings and glades. They can be found in moss, among pine, spruce, and birch trees.	From the first ten days of June until the onset of autumn cold weather.
Milk mushrooms	Mixed forests throughout the Crimean Peninsula.	July-end of September, especially after heavy rains.

Photos and descriptions of the main edible mushrooms of Crimea

A huge number of mushroom species grow in the forests and steppe zones of Crimea. When going mushroom picking, it's important to carefully research the edible mushrooms to avoid confusing them with dangerous lookalikes.

Caesar's mushroom

It's also known as Caesar's mushroom, Caesar's fly agaric, or simply the edible fly agaric. In ancient times, it was very popular and considered one of the most valuable mushrooms, hence its majestic name.

This mushroom is rich in calcium and phosphorus, vitamins A and D, ascorbic and nicotinic acids, as well as vitamins PP and B. It is high in protein, yet easily digestible.

Signs of Caesar's mushroom
hat	Diameter (cm)	8-20 (in adulthood, but mostly small)
	Coloring	Deep red
	Form	Ovoid or hemispherical (in young specimens); flat and slightly curved in the central part (in old ones)
	Surface	Smooth, edges are grooved
	Records	Yellow-golden, free, located close together, wide in the central part, slightly fringed at the edge.
	Pulp	Fleshy, light yellow under the skin
Leg	Thickness (cm)	About 2-3
	Height (cm)	8-12
	Coloring	Yellow-orange
	Pulp	Dense, absolutely white when cut
	Other signs	A rich orange ring hangs down around the cap. The volva (the scaly parts at the bottom of the stem) is sac-shaped, up to 6 cm wide, white on the outside, and can be yellowish or orange-tinted on the inside.
Smell		Pleasant. If the mushroom is overripe, it may smell like hydrogen sulfide.
Taste		Not very pronounced, pleasant

The appearance (primarily the color and shape of the cap) resembles that of the poisonous fly agaric. However, it can be easily identified from photos and descriptions. The following differences between the fly agaric and the Caesarean mushroom should be noted:

The fly agaric is covered with white growths (although small fly agarics can be clean), while the surface of its good relative is smooth;
the plates of the poisonous mushroom are white, and those of the edible mushroom are golden-yellow;
The dangerous mushroom has only ring-shaped remains at the base of the stem, while the Caesar's mushroom has a wide, sac-shaped volva.

Gray rowan

This mushroom also has other names: podsosnovik, strechovatnaya rowan, serushka, micehata.

The rowan mushroom has antioxidant properties, meaning it slows down oxidative reactions in the body. It can be consumed in various forms after heat treatment. Mice can be pickled, preserved, dried, used for pickling, or eaten fresh. Furthermore, mature mushrooms don't taste bitter.

Signs of mice
hat	Width size (cm)	4-12
	Color	Uniform gray color of various shades (from dark to light, may be slightly yellowish or greenish)
	Form	Conical with curled edges - in young ones; flat with irregularities, a wide tubercle in the center, unrolled edges and small cracks - in old ones
	Surface	Pleasant to the touch, dry, smooth (slimy, slightly sticky after rain); with blackish fibers radiating from the center
	Records	Widely spaced, sparsely thick, slightly sinuous, free or fused with a tooth, tapering towards the edge; in "young" ones they are white, in "older" ones they are grey with yellow spots, simply yellow or with a lemon tint.
	Pulp	Fleshy and white, grey under the skin
Leg	Size in thickness (cm)	1-2.5
	Height size (cm)	4-12
	Colors	Above - white, pale yellow; below - grayish
	Pulp	Dense, fibrous, loose and yellowish
	Other signs	The stem is thickened at the base, sometimes curved, and hollow inside in mature specimens. There is no ring or volva.
Smell		Pleasant, faint, like fresh flour
Taste		Not very pronounced, mealy

The inedible soap mushroom is similar to this mushroom, but it has an unpleasant smell (like soap) and its flesh quickly turns pink where it is cut.

Giant talker

This is the traditional name for this common Crimean mushroom. Another name is the giant belosvinukha. Although the belosvinukha has average flavor, it is suitable for salted or boiled cooking.

For these purposes, it's recommended to choose young mushrooms. Overripe mushrooms have a bitter taste, but they are also useful for drying.

Signs of the giant white pig
hat	Diameter (cm)	8:30
	Color	White, beige
	Form	Weakly funnel-shaped, edge lobate-fibrous
	Surface	Smooth in young mushrooms, but may crack into scales as they grow.
	Records	White or light beige, descending onto the stem, located frequently
	Pulp	White, dense
Leg	Circumference (cm)	2.5-3.5
	Height (cm)	4-7
	Coloring	White, beige
	Pulp	Dense
	Other signs	The base of the stem is bulbous, slightly narrowed. There is no veil.
Smell		Pleasant, mealy, not very pronounced
Taste		There is no special taste

The flesh of piglets contains natural antibiotics, various microelements (zinc, manganese, and copper), and vitamins B1 and B2. Talkers also have antibacterial properties.

This is interesting!

Due to their low calorie content, they are suitable for dietary nutrition.

Chanterelles

They are also called cockerels. Chanterelles' natural bitterness is prized in cooking. However, if recently picked mushrooms are not processed immediately, the bitterness intensifies. It is recommended to soak them for 30-60 minutes, boil them, and drain the water. Cockerels are suitable for boiling and frying, salting and pickling, drying, and fermenting.

Fermentation preserves vitamin C, which is destroyed during cooking. Chanterelles are very beneficial, especially for vision. They help fight helminths, are good for liver cells, contain vitamins A, B1, PP, zinc, and copper, and are natural antibiotics.

Signs of cockerels
hat	Width size (cm)	2-12
	Color	Light yellow, orange-yellow
	Form	Initially convex, then depressed and even funnel-shaped. The edge is wavy or irregular, slightly curled inward.
	Surface	Smooth, matte
	Records	Wavy, often very branched and strongly descending onto the stem
	Pulp	Dense, fleshy
Leg	Size in thickness (cm)	1-3
	Height size (cm)	4-7
	Colors	Light yellow, orange-yellow (sometimes lighter than the color of the cap)
	Pulp	Fibrous, yellow at the edge and white in the middle
	Other signs	The stem is fused with the cap, with no clear boundary. Slight redness appears when pressed.
Smell		Reminds me of dried fruits or roots
Taste		Sour, with a hint of bitterness

Milk mushrooms

Other mushrooms are suitable as an alternative to the true milk mushroom, which doesn't grow in Crimea. The peppery milk mushroom, although slightly bitter in taste, is suitable for pickling. It must be soaked repeatedly beforehand, constantly refreshing the water.

The dried milk mushroom (also known as the white milk mushroom or white russula) also has a bitter taste and should be treated similarly; afterward, it's suitable for pickling and salting. The oak milk mushroom, after being soaked and rinsed in salt water beforehand, can also be successfully boiled and fried.

The main types of milk mushrooms:

pepper milk mushroom;
dry milk mushroom;
oak milk mushroom.

Signs of milk mushrooms
A type of mushroom		Peppery milk mushroom	Dry milk mushroom (white milk mushroom)	Oak milk mushroom
hat	Diameter (cm)	6:30	5-18	5-12
	Color	White or cream-colored, darker in the center	White, often with dark yellowish or reddish-brown areas	Orange-brick or reddish, with brown spots
	Form	Funnel-shaped, with edges bent in young mushrooms and straightened and wavy in mature ones	Initially convex, then sunken and funnel-shaped. In dry weather, it develops cracks.	Initially round-flat, then funnel-shaped, often irregular in shape, with a curled wavy edge
	Surface	Smooth, matte or slightly velvety	Dry, at first thinly felted, then bare. Clumps of earth often cling to it.	Smooth
	Records	Frequent, narrow, descending along the stem, sometimes bifurcated. Numerous short gills are present. Damage to the gills results in yellowish-brown spots.	Thin, frequent, slightly descending onto the stem, occasionally intertwined, creamy, slightly bluish near the stem	Descending along the stem; first white, then ochre-pale
	Pulp	Dense, brittle, white	Dense, white, color does not change when broken	White or cream (slightly pinkish when cut)
Leg	Thickness (cm)	1,2-3	2-5	1.5-3
	Height (cm)	4-8	1-2	3-7
	Color	White	White, often with irregular brown spots, bluish in the upper part	The same color as the cap, but lighter and has darker notches
	Pulp	Solid, very dense	Dense, white	White or cream (slightly yellowish or pinkish when cut)
	Other signs	The stem is slightly wrinkled, narrowed at the bottom, smooth	The stem is narrower at the top than at the bottom, gradually becoming hollow.	The stem is slightly wrinkled, narrowed at the bottom, smooth
Smell		A faint, rye bread-like smell	Nice, strong	Nice
Taste		Sharp, peppery	Spicy, bland	Bittersweet

Answers to frequently asked questions

How long can you store cut mushrooms?

Unwashed fresh mushrooms should be stored in the refrigerator in an open enamel, glass, or plastic container (other containers are not suitable) for no more than 3 days. In the freezer: fresh mushrooms – up to 1 year, boiled or fried – 1-3 months.

How to properly cut mushrooms growing in Crimea?

Harvesting these mushroom species should be done according to the same rules: preserving the mycelium. The fruiting bodies should be cut off at the base of the mushroom with a sharp knife.

Is it possible to get poisoned by edible Crimean mushrooms?

Yes, they can be poisonous if they are very old (in which case they may have accumulated protein breakdown products) or if they were collected in an industrial area. Furthermore, you should not salt or pickle these mushrooms in galvanized, aluminum, or iron containers. Otherwise, these mushrooms are harmless.

The mushroom season in Crimea is long, extending from early spring to late autumn. This undeniable advantage, combined with the diversity of species, ensures that both experienced and amateur mushroom pickers are constantly on the lookout for mushrooms. Foraging can be done in both the organically rich steppe and the mountainous terrain, allowing you to better appreciate the peninsula's wondrous natural beauty. But before setting out on a mushroom hunt, it's important to thoroughly study their descriptions.