Everyone knows that the nature of the middle latitudes is rich in a variety of mushrooms. The most famous among the edible ones are porcini mushroom, milk mushrooms, chanterelles, butterfish, mushrooms, russula and others - those mushrooms that even inexperienced mushroom pickers know and collect. However, there are less recognizable instances. Despite the prevalence, their appearance differs from the usual, and therefore only a few lovers of "silent hunting" can distinguish them from inedible species. And blackberries are a prime example.

Blackberry or blackberry

According to the description, this mushroom got its name thanks to the small spikes that dot the bottom of the cap. In their structure, the needles are fragile and soft, unable to prick, but it is this detail that gives the mushroom some resemblance to a hedgehog. Many are confused in the name of the mushroom, as it is right: a blackberry or a blackberry. In fact, both of these names are true and equal.

Depending on the varieties of this fungus, there are many different options for their appearance - almost no common features in blackberries. Some of them have spreading hats and resemble foxes, others have a rounded shape, and others look externally reminiscent of corals. However, it is difficult to confuse any of them with other mushrooms, their appearance is so peculiar.

Important! Hedgehog belongs to those few mushrooms that do not have toxic doubles.

From the point of view of cooking, this mushroom is used infrequently and is classified as conditionally edible, since most species have a mild taste and aroma, and also require a special cooking method. However, hedgehog is often used in pharmacology - due to its healing properties, it is a valuable raw material for many drugs.

Video: how to cook blackberries

Blackberry Varieties

Depending on its variety, blackberries are conventionally divided into three groups:

1. Edible - this group includes six main types of blackberries: antennaal - young specimens have a white or pink color of a hat, with characteristic white spikes over the entire surface; Alpine - has the appearance of white branches measuring 5-30 cm, placed on thin legs; white - a hat of a mushroom of white or yellow shade, from 5 to 12 cm in size, with white spikes on the back; comb - characterized by falling scallops of beige, white or yellow shade, the length of which can reach 20–25 cm; yellow - is one of the most common types, the hat is red or orange in diameter reaches 15 cm, and its inner side is covered with small spikes; coral - the appearance resembles a coral branch with many white branches, the collection of these mushrooms is prohibited at the legislative level, since it has a conservation status (listed in the Red Book).
2. Conditionally edible - Most blackberry varieties fall into this category. The most common among them are: reddish-yellow - has a smooth orange-red hat with turned edges, as well as many small spikes that go to the leg of the mushroom; mottled (also tiled or scaly) - characterized by a brown or gray hat, covered in a circle with dark scales; gelatinous pseudojacker (ice mushroom) - differs in an unusual type of hat in the form of a tongue or fan of white or gray color, the diameter of which reaches 8 cm
3. Inedible - according to many sources, most of these mushrooms were attributed to this species not because they represent a health hazard, but because of their low taste characteristics (for example, pronounced bitterness), as well as a sharp and unpleasant smell. Among them there are: a striped blackberry - it has a large brown hat (up to 10 cm in diameter) light brown in a white strip on a thin red-colored leg; Finnish - a brown hat with a diameter of up to 15 cm and dense spikes on its lower part; black - has a characteristic color of the hat (from bright blue to black, depending on the age of the fungus), the circumference of which varies between 3-5 cm; rough - a mushroom of light brown color, with protruding scales from the outside of the cap and gray or dirty pink needles from the inside; the most beautiful climacodon - grows on dry trees or fallen trees, has a semicircular (in the form of a fan) hat shape of white, light brown or orange; Northern climacodone - differs in leaf or linguistic form of hats and spliced ​​base, color - beige, circumference - from 10 to 30 cm; fellodon (fused) - has small black hats with a diameter of about 4 cm, on the back there are small white spikes; Devilish - a poisonous, easily recognizable mushroom that is characterized by a white body base with red blotches that look like blood.

Where, when and in what conditions they grow

The most acceptable climate for the growth of blackberries is the temperate climate of the middle zone. However, this fungus can also be found both in the more northern and more southern regions, and even in the territory of subtropical forests. A favorite place for blackberries are dry coniferous forests growing on sandy soil or limestone. Depending on the variety, such fungi can grow both individually and in clusters. The same applies to places of growth - one species can only be found in the soil, the other chooses old dry trees, stumps, fallen trees and even loose hollows as a growth place. Duration of fees may also vary: from mid-June to early July, until October - November.

Did you know? The motley blackberry is used in Norway as a raw material for obtaining a dye for sheep's wool of bluish-green color.

Healing properties

Despite the notoriety, blackberry has many useful properties.

• Among them:
• antibacterial effect;
• ability to increase hormone production;
• sedative effect on the body;
• increase immunity;
• a positive effect on the work of such important body systems as the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, respiratory system and so on;
• improvement of hematopoiesis due to the production of red blood cells.

Video: what is the value of blackberry mushroom

In addition, almost every type of blackberry was studied by scientists to identify its medicinal properties. The data obtained indicate the following facts:

1. Coral Hedgehog It is a potential cure for Alzheimer's disease, and also has high anthelmintic qualities.
2. Motley hedgehog - A powerful immunostimulant that can inhibit the growth and development of cancer cells, as well as significantly lower blood cholesterol.
3. White and yellow hedgehog - have an antibacterial property, which is widely used in the fight against staphylococci that cause gastrointestinal ulcers. They also have the ability to slow the growth of cancer cells and lower blood cholesterol.
4. Hedgehog comb - It is able to fight hypoacid syndrome (decreased gastric secretion), is actively involved in the fight against bacteria and fungi, and has anti-cancer qualities.

When and how to collect

The edible species of blackberry begin fruiting in mid-summer, and it continues until the first frost. However, the richest harvest can be harvested in the beginning - mid-September.

The procedure for collecting these mushrooms is no different from the standard and is guided by several rules:

• in order not to injure the mycelium and is guaranteed to get a crop in the same place next year, it is best to cut mushrooms with a sharp knife;
• the collection is best done in the early morning - this will increase the shelf life of the mushrooms;
• it is not recommended to collect old or overgrown mushrooms, as they accumulate a large number of products harmful to the human body from the environment.

Important! The mushroom picker is a separate organism that needs to be restored from time to time, so experienced mushroom pickers recommend changing their mushroom places once every several years. This is best done in a leap year.

Contraindications

Despite many beneficial properties for the body, these mushrooms, like any others, have a number of contraindications. That is why people suffering from the following diseases are advised to give up dishes in which blackberries are present:

• pancreatitis and impaired bile secretion;
• gastritis or increased acidity of the stomach;
• liver disease (cirrhosis, liver failure).

It should also be taken into account that any mushrooms are a sponge that absorbs all harmful substances from the environment, so it is best to collect in ecologically clean places.

How to grow a blackberry

It is known that wild mushrooms are very poorly cultivated, and therefore extremely rarely used in artificial cultivation, especially on an industrial scale. But there are some exceptions. These include champignons, oyster mushrooms and others. This row also includes a blackberry comb, which is appreciated for its taste, resembling shrimp meat, as well as large sizes (up to 20 cm in length and up to 1-1.5 kg of weight).

In order to grow such a mushroom at home, you will need to purchase a mycelium. Its sowing is carried out from mid-April to the end of October. It is known that this type of blackberry grows on dry trees, and therefore, any hardwood can be used as a wood base for it. In this case, the logs should be fresh and somewhat moist, their diameter should be in the range of 15–20 cm, and their length should be about 1 m. If only dry wood is available, it is preliminarily prepared: it is soaked in water for several days and then given dry slightly in a warm, well-ventilated area.

The sowing process consists of several stages:

• special holes are made in the logs (diameter - 0.8 cm, depth - 4 cm, the distance between the holes - 10 cm) in a checkerboard pattern;
• a mushroom stick is inserted into each hole;
• the logs are wrapped with plastic film, in which holes are made for air;
• the wood base is placed in a warm place, and to moisten it several times a week, water it for 10 minutes;
• after the appearance of white strands of mycelium, logs are placed in cold water for 24 hours;
• then they are installed in a vertical position and put in a greenhouse.

In autumn, it is recommended to sprinkle logs with dry foliage. Fruiting begins 6–9 months after sowing.

Did you know? According to scientists, in the world there are more than 2 million species of mushrooms. Moreover, only 100 thousand varieties have been studied to date.

Despite the low popularity of blackberries, this variety is still often used in different dishes among experienced mushroom pickers. Moreover, you can cook it in various ways. Some of its varieties have fairly high taste characteristics. And the beneficial properties of the fungus are appreciated in various fields of medicine, both traditional and not. However, for all its merits, far from everything is taken to grow this mushroom on an industrial scale, due to the low demand for this product.

Watch the video: 25 Edible Plants, Fruits and Trees for Wilderness Survival (November 2024).