How long should you cook mushroom umbrellas? Edible and inedible umbrella mushroom. How to distinguish an umbrella from poisonous mushrooms

Lovers of quiet hunting often ignore umbrellas - they are too similar to their poisonous counterparts and are not very attractive in appearance. Meanwhile, they make tasty, aromatic and original dishes. Moreover, these mushrooms are suitable for consumption raw; they taste like boiled chicken breast. Preparing the umbrella mushroom requires care due to the fragility of the cap.

Description of appearance

The mushroom has a telling name: a thin, hard stem is covered on top with a wide, flat cap, strongly reminiscent of an umbrella. Young mushrooms have an oval cap, similar to a microphone, that fits tightly around the stalk. The objects of hunting are white, maiden, blushing and variegated types of umbrellas.

As a rule, due to their external resemblance to toadstools and other poisonous mushrooms, umbrellas are hunted by experienced mushroom pickers. In fact, distinguishing an edible mushroom from its poisonous counterpart is simple:

the main number of scales is located along the edges of the cap, and not evenly, like in toadstools;
the leg ring is three-layered, and can be easily moved up or down with your fingers, but in poisonous specimens it is motionless;
the cut site does not change color upon contact with air;
When the caps are broken, the umbrellas smell pleasant, the smell resembles a wet walnut. Inedible counterparts have an unpleasant odor.

Stuffed young mushrooms

Only young umbrella mushrooms are suitable for this purpose. Recipes for stuffed mushrooms are popular in Eastern European countries. You will need the following ingredients:

egg-shaped caps of young mushrooms - 15 pcs.;
mashed potatoes - 100 g;
onion - 1 pc.;
ground cloves - 1 pinch;
boiled carrots - 1 pc.;
minced chicken breast fillet - 200 g;
tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
salt and black pepper.

Simple recipes for soup from fresh boletus mushrooms

The carrots are grated and mixed with minced meat and mashed potatoes. The resulting mixture is salted, peppered and ground cloves are added to it.

Vegetable oil is poured into the bottom of a deep container and onions, cut into half rings, are laid out.

Hats are placed in warm water for 2-3 minutes to prevent fragility. After which they are carefully stuffed and placed in a frying pan close to each other so that the minced meat does not spill out. Place tomatoes cut into slices on top, add 200 ml of water, cover with a lid and place on low heat.

The dish takes 25 minutes to prepare. The time is counted after the water boils.

Inexperienced mushroom pickers often mistake the umbrella mushroom for a toadstool. Indeed, in appearance it does not look like the edible mushrooms that we are used to collecting in the forests. In fact, it is an edible and very tasty mushroom that can be eaten even raw. It tastes vaguely like champignon, but much more tender. If you've never tried variegated umbrella mushroom, be sure to try it!

Where does it grow and what does it look like?

Umbrella mushrooms – edible, good mushrooms. They grow mainly in sparse forests, found on forest edges and clearings. They like to settle along roads. Mass appearance of mushrooms occurs from the beginning of August to the end of September.

It’s hard not to notice it – the mushroom cap reaches 25 centimeters in diameter. The leg is very long, up to 35 centimeters high. Young mushrooms are ovoid-round, older mushrooms are bell-shaped. With age, the cap opens completely, and the mushroom becomes like an umbrella. In the center of the cap is a tubercle of a darker color. The cap itself is gray-brown in color, covered with easily detachable scales.

The plates are loose, white, very fragile. With age they become slightly reddish. The plates are separated from the stem by a ring. The stem of an adult mushroom is usually no more than three centimeters in diameter, hard, hollow inside, and very thick at the base. The surface is covered with brown scales. The leg must have a wide white movable ring.

Mostly young mushrooms are eaten until they have fully opened. Adults are a little rougher and not as tasty. The leg is immediately thrown away - it is hard, fibrous, and not suitable for food. When cooked, it boils down heavily and fries. Umbrella mushrooms are boiled, fried, baked, used to make soups, sometimes pickled, and used to make mushroom powder. Look umbrella mushroom in the photo, to accurately recognize him in the forest .

The umbrella mushroom is not very common among housewives, so many simply do not know what to do with it. First, a few general recommendations:

Pick the mushroom carefully, do not turn it upside down - sand will pour from the stem between the plates.
The leg can be carefully unscrewed and thrown right into the forest - it is unfit for food.
It is better to collect umbrellas in a wide basket, placing the caps with the plates down.
Unlike other mushrooms, it does not require long-term heat treatment. It only takes a few minutes to prepare an umbrella - it takes no longer to fry than a fried egg.

The best proven recipes

Good even just fried umbrellas. Mushroom caps are cut not too finely, placed in a hot frying pan with melted butter and fried for literally 10 minutes. The prepared mushrooms are salted and mixed with separately fried onions. You can add sour cream or herbs to taste. But there are also more piquant recipes.

Umbrella mushroom in batter

Don't wash the mushrooms! Just thoroughly clean them of blades of grass, wipe the surface with a damp, clean cloth, and remove hard scales from the cap. Cut out the hard place in the middle where the leg was attached. Separately, cut into half rings and marinate the onion according to any recipe. Then follow the instructions:

Prepare the batter. Beat eggs, salt, add flour. The dough should have the consistency of liquid sour cream.
Cut the caps of large mushrooms into several parts (enough for four parts).
Place the frying pan on the fire, pour in the oil and heat well.
Dip each piece of mushroom into batter and place in a frying pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
Turn the mushrooms over to the other side, sprinkle pickled onions and grated cheese on top. Cover with a lid and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

This dish is very tasty to eat, both hot and cold.

Pancake envelopes with umbrella mushrooms

This dish is prepared in two stages. On the first one, thin pancakes are baked, on the second, the filling is prepared.

To prepare the pancake dough, mix 2 cups of milk with 2 eggs, 2 cups of flour. Add a little salt, a tablespoon of sugar and a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil. Use all the dough to make thin pancakes.
Do not chop the umbrellas too finely, fry them in a frying pan until the juice has completely evaporated. Fry the onion separately, mix it with mushrooms. Grate 150–200 grams of cheese.
Sprinkle a little cheese on each pancake and add a heaping tablespoon of fried mushrooms.
Form the envelopes and place them in the oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve hot.

Pancake envelopes work well with any mushrooms, but with umbrellas they are especially tender and not so heavy. Do not skimp on butter and be sure to serve them with fresh sour cream - the dish will be even tastier.

Blanks for future use

Umbrellas, like other mushrooms, can be harvested for future use. But the harvesting technology is slightly different from most mushrooms.

Pickled umbrellas

Very few people pickle umbrellas. It is usually not possible to collect a lot of them; mushrooms rarely grow in whole clearings. A dozen umbrella hats are already considered good “boot.” But if you managed to collect a lot of young umbrellas, be sure to try pickling them. Getting ready pickled umbrellas very simple.

Peel a kilogram of mushrooms from hard scales, rinse under running water and place in a colander to drain excess liquid. Place in boiling salted water. Many people recommend adding a pinch of citric acid when cooking. Skim foam regularly during cooking.

Prepare the marinade separately. For two glasses of water, add a heaping tablespoon of salt, half a tablespoon of sugar, 3 tbsp. spoons 9% vinegar. Among the spices with umbrellas, black peppercorns, allspice, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon go well. The quantity and set of spices can be adjusted at your discretion.

Place the boiled umbrellas in the marinade and boil for literally 5 minutes.

Place hot mushrooms in sterile jars, fill with marinade and immediately roll up.

Despite the addition of vinegar, it is better to store pickled umbrellas in a cool place - in the refrigerator, on the balcony or in the underground.

Mushroom powder

Connoisseurs and connoisseurs of mushrooms often cook from umbrellas mushroom powder. When dried, their aroma only intensifies. The result is an excellent seasoning that can be added to mushroom and vegetable soups and main courses. Making mushroom powder is not very difficult. There is no need to wash the mushrooms before cooking - in extreme cases, gently wipe them with a wet cloth.

Cut the mushrooms into equal, not too large pieces.

Line a baking tray with pastry paper. Spread the mushrooms evenly in one layer and place in the oven over low heat. You can use a special dryer for herbs and vegetables. Dry until the mushroom slices remain slightly flexible. Allow to dry completely in a well-ventilated, shaded place.

Grind the dried mushrooms in a blender, coffee grinder or meat grinder. The more homogeneous the powder is, the more flavor it will impart to the dishes to which you add it.

The finished powder must be well dried. If wet, it will quickly become moldy. Store in glass jars. Instead of lids, use canvas or paper. Check from time to time to see if the powder is damp.

Carefully study and remember the photo of the mushroom. If you come across it in the forest, be sure to pick it up and try it. If you doubt whether the mushroom in front of you is the right one, pay attention to the scales and the ring on the stem. The scales are quite large, dense, dark in color. The ring is wide and moves easily along the leg. In poisonous mushrooms that resemble an umbrella, the ring disappears very quickly and does not move along the stem.

Umbrella mushrooms have their own Latin name. The initial part of the word – macro – is translated as large. The second means a variety or genus of plants. In general - macrolepiota. They called it an umbrella because of the similarity of the shape of the dome, the head of the mushroom.

Umbrellas stand on thin long legs with a large cap, shaped like the dome of a rain device. Groups are divided into edible and poisonous. Separate subgroups are separated into a special variety - gourmet. The diameter of the cap can reach up to 35 cm, the stem grows up to 40 cm. The shape of the head is similar to half an egg. Small umbrellas are especially close to the dome of half the egg. Main appearance characteristics:

The color of the dome skin is white;
Along the dome there are growths of various ornate non-geometric shapes;
The tone of the growths is pale brown;
The head gradually cracks, dividing into raised scales;
the base can be smooth and straight or slightly curved;
The cavity of the leg is empty;
Under the dome on the leg there is a fringe resembling a skirt;
The fringe ring moves easily.
The bottom of the head consists of parallel plates.
The color of the plates is perfect white.

The mushroom can be found almost all over the globe. Being saprophytes, umbrellas grow on any type of soil and various areas of the forest belt. Mushrooms are well cultivated, so they can be grown near the house, in garden plots or in special greenhouse buildings.

They called it an umbrella because of the similarity of the shape of the dome, the head of a mushroom

Edible mushroom umbrellas

White umbrella mushroom (field)

The field variety is common in certain areas:

steppe areas;
coniferous and mixed forests;
clearings of forest roads;
animal pastures and pastures;
glades.

You can find field umbrellas from the beginning of summer until the end of October. The field species has a thick, fleshy main part, up to 12 cm in diameter. At first, the cap has elongated circumferences, then it becomes lower and flatter. A dark bump appears in the center of the dome. Along the edge there are white fibers, formations in the form of flakes. When cut, the color of the cap flesh does not change. It rises up to 12 cm, the dome is dense - up to 1.2 cm. The white, smooth and hollow leg stands firmly. If you touch it, the surface begins to turn yellow or acquire a brown tint. The plates change with age: first - white, then - cream, and finally - brown. The pulp of the umbrella has a pleasant aroma and tart taste.

Gallery: mushroom umbrella (25 photos)

Properties of umbrella mushrooms (video)

Due to its taste characteristics, the field species is a component of Chinese gourmet cuisine. In addition, the white species grows in other countries:

Europe;
Iran;
Türkiye;
Siberia;
Far East;
America;
Africa.

Experienced foresters warn about a similar description to the toadstool: a stinking fly agaric. The forest guest, which is fatal to humans, has a bag-like covering that goes into the ground. The hat is slimy and strewn with filmy flakes.

White umbrella mushroom (field)

Elegant umbrella mushroom (thin)

The species is included in the edible variety and grows in open clearings of short grass in forests, field and meadow areas. Harvested from August to October. The appearance and name are synonymous - a thin curved leg and an elegant head. The shape of the dome is similar to a field bell, gradually expanding during growth and becoming almost flat. Scaly formations on the dome are yellowish in color. The circumference is up to 15 cm. The fringe skirt is white and fluffy. The scales fill not only the cap, but also the stem. Gradually the yellow tone changes, darkens to brown. The pulp is pleasant when cooked, with a special unique aroma. The color of the mushroom pulp is bright white.

Elegant umbrella mushroom (thin)

Conrad's umbrella mushroom

Prefers to grow in forested areas. The fleshy head at a young age is more rounded and ovoid, then straightens, leaving a protruding tubercle in the center, similar to a baby's pacifier. The skin is white or gray-dirty, in the center it can be pink or black-brown. The skin does not reach the edges of the cap. The pulp does not change color after cutting the mushroom. The leg rises to 15 cm. It is brown in color and has brown scales. The skirt can be moved. It is light on top and brown underneath. The plates are white and cream in color. Umbrellas are found in European and Asian countries.

Conrad's umbrella mushroom

Blushing umbrella mushroom (shaggy)

The edible species chooses soils rich in humus. The name was given due to the change in color of the dome. The shaggy cap gradually turns reddish. The edges of the cap are turned inward, gradually they straighten out and crack. The skin becomes covered with scales and takes on a shaggy appearance. The taste is pleasant and bright mushroom aroma.

Blushing umbrella mushroom (shaggy)

Girlish umbrella mushroom

A type of blushing umbrella. The species is very rare and protected. The shape of the cap has fringe around the edges. The surface is light and white. The scales are fibrous. The smell is similar to radish. Height up to 12-16 cm. Loose plates white or pink.

How and when to collect umbrella mushrooms (video)

Inedible and poisonous umbrella mushrooms

False mushrooms are similar in appearance to edible species. Doubles with poisonous properties are dangerous and cause death and serious complications to humans.

Amanita stinking

Another name is white grebe. The mushroom is highly toxic, if ingested, leads to death or serious poisoning. All components differ in shades: gray, dirty. The cap - the hemispheres becomes convex, the color changes from white to pale pink or gray. The ring on the stem is filmy and quickly disappears, leaving fragments of fibers.

Amanita stinking

Panther fly agaric (gray)

The poison dome hat has a hemispherical shape that becomes flat with age. In addition, it is gradually torn to pieces. The mushroom is poisonous and dangerous to humans. Even a small amount, if ingested, is fatal. The leg is missing a velvety ring. The head is lamellar and white, sometimes with distinct brown spots. The pulp has an unpleasant aroma and tastes sweet. When cut, the flesh remains white.

Panther fly agaric (gray)

Chlorophyllum dark brown

The dangerous species is similar to umbrella mushrooms. The cap has the same scaly plates. The color of the dome is close to edible - gray-brown. The shape of the head is also similar. The leg is denser and thicker; towards the ground it begins to thicken and form a tuber. Mushrooms have hallucinogenic properties. Its toxicity has not been fully studied, so the effect on humans is very dangerous and poisonous mushrooms should be avoided.

Chlorophyllum dark brown

Chlorophyllum lead-slag

The shape of the cap makes the mushroom look like an umbrella when young. The white heads are ovoid. The legs are thin and smooth, in the upper part under the head there is a skirt. The pulp changes when cut and becomes reddish. The pulp has no taste or smell. False umbrella changes color when pressed, turns yellow or brown.

Chlorophyllum lead-slag

Methods for preparing edible umbrellas

Umbrella mushrooms have excellent taste characteristics. Only young specimens are collected for cooking. Cooking begins with heat treatment. A large number of technologies are chosen for umbrellas:

pickled;
dried;
salty;
boiled.

Dishes from umbrella edible mushrooms:

broths;
sauces;
second;
salads;
fillings for pancakes and pies.

Only young specimens are collected for cooking.

2017-10-26 Igor Novitsky

The variegated umbrella mushroom is a magnificent mushroom that is not difficult to find in Russian forests. However, it rarely ends up on the table, since due to its great similarity with ordinary toadstools, most mushroom pickers are afraid to take umbrella mushrooms.

Variegated umbrella mushroom. Description

Although almost all adult mushrooms are shaped like an open umbrella, the umbrella mushroom truly deserves its name. In its “youth”, the mushroom looks like a folded umbrella, in which the knitting plates are tightly pressed to the “umbrella handle” leg. As they grow older, the plates move away from the stem and become horizontal, which very closely resembles the opening mechanism of an umbrella.

Even from the description of the variegated umbrella mushroom, it is clear that this is a fairly large mushroom. He's even more impressive live. The diameter of the cap is about 20-25 cm, and sometimes reaches 35 cm. The stem is on average 10 to 20 cm, although there are individuals with a height of 30-40 cm. The thickness of the stem is usually 1-2 (sometimes 4) cm. On the stem, like usually there is a small “skirt”.

On the underside of the cap there are plates 2 cm wide at the edge, which narrow as they approach the stem. The color of the plates is white; as the mushroom ages, they can become beige or cream. The stem and cap separate from each other very easily.

While the umbrella mushroom is young, the shape of the cap is spherical, which is why, for example, in Italy it is often called “drumsticks” in everyday life. As they grow older, the cap opens up and takes on its usual umbrella-shaped shape.

The skin on the cap is brownish-gray with brown “scales.” In the center, as a rule, the scales merge into a solid brown circle. While the mushroom is young, its stem has a light brown color, then it becomes a little darker and covered with dark scales, which is why rings of light and dark tones often form on the stem.

The pulp is loose and fleshy, but in old mushrooms, on the contrary, it is dense. The color is white and does not change when pressed or cut. The raw mushroom has a slight mushroom smell.

Variegated umbrella mushroom - edible or not?

Many good edible mushrooms have their “evil” counterparts among their poisonous counterparts. The variegated umbrella is no exception in this matter. In view of this, the old rule does not lose its relevance: take only well-known mushrooms and leave those that raise the slightest doubt.

Before you go on a “quiet hunt,” carefully study the photo and description of the variegated umbrella mushroom. In appearance, it is very similar to mushrooms from the fly agaric genus - pale toadstool and gray fly agaric. It is for this reason that many mushroom pickers, especially inexperienced ones, completely ignore the umbrella mushroom, which, given a lack of experience, is, of course, an absolutely correct tactic.

Main differences from poisonous counterparts:

the “skirt” of the umbrella mushroom is a three-layer ring that is not attached to the stem and can easily be moved vertically;
the edible mushroom does not have any other remains of the “veil”, which poisonous ones always have;
the umbrella's cap is matte, while that of the fly agaric is, on the contrary, shiny and smooth;
the fly agaric cap is covered with sparse specks, while the umbrella has more of them, and in the central part they merge into a single smooth circle;
Toadstools can often be identified by the greenish or olive color of the cap, which is not characteristic of an umbrella mushroom.

We hope you now understand the question of whether the variegated umbrella mushroom is edible or not.

Variegated umbrella mushroom: photos of edible and poisonous species

In addition to toadstools and fly agarics, the variegated umbrella mushroom can be confused with its other close relatives. In particular, under the guise of a harmless variegated one, you can accidentally put the purple umbrella of acutesquamosis into the basket. This mushroom can be recognized by its unpleasant odor and bitter taste. So if the cooked mushroom tastes bitter, spit it out immediately and consult a doctor immediately.

Another evil twin of the motley is the combed umbrella. Fortunately, it is quite easy to recognize it by its significantly smaller size: the diameter of the cap is only 2-5 cm. The masteoidea umbrella is slightly larger - the cap is 8-12 cm, which is already close to the norm for a motley umbrella.

But the greatest danger is the fleshy-reddish umbrella, the consumption of which can be fatal. However, it is also distinguished by its small size - the diameter of the cap usually does not exceed 2-6 cm.

We remind you once again that if you have the slightest doubt, walk past the mushroom, no matter how tempting it may seem.

How to cook variegated umbrella mushroom

Unlike most mushrooms, which are eaten whole, when preparing the variegated umbrella mushroom, the stem is usually discarded, since it is quite tough and fibrous. But the cap, on the contrary, is very soft and fleshy.

Of course, any housewife can come up with a lot of recipes for how to cook variegated umbrella mushroom. The easiest option is to simply fry the caps in sunflower oil or stew them in sour cream. In principle, the caps can be cut into pieces so that they can be used as a classic addition to mashed potatoes. But many gourmets prefer to fry the whole caps, like pancakes. After rolling them in breadcrumbs or flour (you can add an egg), the caps are fried first on the bottom side and then on the top.

A good idea would be to use an umbrella mushroom to make soup. Also, young umbrellas are often pickled raw for the winter.

As mentioned, the fleshy soft caps are of the greatest interest, but not everyone agrees that the legs should simply be thrown away. Since in their original form they are indeed quite harsh, you can grind them in a meat grinder and, after frying in this form, add them to soup, mashed potatoes, or use them as a spread for sandwiches. Mixed with meat or mashed potatoes, grated mushroom stems can be used for dumplings or pies.

The variegated umbrella mushroom belongs to the champignon family, that is, it is a close relative of the garden champignon - the same one that accounts for 80% of the world's harvest of artificially grown mushrooms. However, despite such famous relatives, the umbrella mushroom itself has not yet been “domesticated”. Although attempts to artificially grow it occur constantly, an economically feasible technology has not yet been found.

Despite the umbrella’s persistent desire to remain a wild mushroom, it is still possible to breed it for personal purposes. Of course, we are not talking about guaranteed high yields here, but it is still possible to grow a bucket or two of these mushrooms for the family table. The main thing is to carefully study the photo of the variegated edible umbrella mushroom and its poisonous counterparts, so as not to accidentally start breeding fly agaric mushrooms.

If you suddenly don’t know, we’re happy to enlighten you that mushrooms reproduce in two ways:

Through mycelium. This is a kind of rhizome or underground part of a mushroom colony, from which grows an above-ground part, called the mushroom itself.
Disputes. Something like seeds (only much smaller) that ripen in the mushroom cap.

Since growing umbrellas still remains the province of individual and very few amateur gardeners, you will not be able to purchase mycelium anywhere. The only way to get it is to dig it out in the forest yourself. However, the likelihood that after transplantation it will take root in a new place is extremely low.

You won't be able to buy spores either. But you can get them yourself - in the forest. To do this, you need to find an old flabby umbrella mushroom, bring it home and sow it on the site. Sowing is carried out as follows: the mushroom cap is pinned on a tree branch or hung in another way (even on a rope) over the area where it is planned to grow mushrooms. In its suspended state, the mushroom dries out, and the spores inside the cap ripen and over time spill out onto the ground, sowing the area.

To ensure at least a minimal chance that the umbrella mushroom will take root on the site, you should prepare the bed accordingly. The umbrella loves calcium-rich soils, so it is worth fertilizing the garden bed with calcium carbonate. By the way, as mentioned above, the umbrella is related to champignons, and their cultivation today has been put on stream, which is manifested, among other things, by the abundance of ready-made concentrates for soil on the market. These concentrates are also suitable for umbrella mushrooms.

Growing umbrella mushroom in the forest

And yet, the variegated umbrella mushroom remains a very finicky mushroom, and therefore its successful cultivation in a personal plot will be more of a rare success than a natural result. Practice shows that cultivation attempts will be more successful if done in the area where mushrooms naturally grow, that is, in the forest.

In this case, you won’t have to make any special efforts. We just take and hang the old worm caps right above the place where we cut them off. In this way, we imitate the natural reproduction of coffins as much as possible, but only expand the sowing area. If under natural conditions mushrooms pour out all the spores under themselves, which is why only some of them can sprout, then by spraying them within a radius of several meters, you can reduce the competition between the spores, increasing the total number of shoots.

Girl's umbrella in the photo
Hat 8-12 cm, thick-fleshy in the photo

Girl's umbrella (Macrolepiota puellaris) is an edible mushroom.

The cap is 8-12 cm, thick-fleshy, thinner at the edges, ovoid, spherical, later convex-prostrate, with a low tubercle, umbrella-shaped, white, the tubercle is pale brownish, bare, the rest of the surface is covered with fibrous white triangular scales with a lagging tip, with a thin fringed edge. The entire surface of the cap is covered with very large lagging beige or white, later walnut, scales.

The plates are initially white with a pink tint, then darken and turn brown when touched. The plates are loose, easily separated from the cap, wide, white, light pink. The stalk is 5-10 cm long, 1-2 cm thick, with a tuberous thickening, fibrous white in the lower part, later dirty brown. In the upper third of the leg there is a white soft, freely moving ring. The pulp is cottony, white, slightly reddened when cut, at the base of the stem with the smell of radish, without much taste. The spore powder is whitish, whitish-cream. The stem can be pulled out of the cap.

This edible umbrella mushroom grows near farmyards, in coniferous and deciduous forests.

Requires boiling for 15 minutes. Young umbrella caps are suitable for making soup or boiling. Large open caps can be fried whole in a frying pan.

Umbrella blushing in the photo

Umbrella blushing, or shaggy(Macrolepiota rhacodes) is a lamellar mushroom. Another name is shaggy umbrella. It grows in small groups from early July until the first frost, producing consistently high yields every year. It chooses mixed and coniferous forests as habitats, especially young spruce forests, as well as nutrient-rich garden and greenhouse soils and areas adjacent to anthills.

In addition, he loves the company of gray and purple. It grows in large quantities in abandoned cattle pens, sometimes on the edges of forests, along rivers and roads. In deciduous, mixed, coniferous forests, it prefers open forests. Often forms “witch circles”.

The mushroom is edible. The cap is 10-18 cm, initially pistil-shaped, bell-shaped in young mushrooms, later hemispherical, umbrella-shaped in mature mushrooms, grayish-brownish or grayish-yellow-ochre, with a smoothed tubercle of a darker color.

As you can see in the photo, in this type of umbrella mushroom, the entire surface of the cap is covered with large lagging fibrous brown scales, except for the smooth brown middle:

The plates are white, loose, and with age and when damaged they turn reddish-brown.

The stalk is 10-20 cm long, 2-3 cm thick, with a significant tuberous thickening, fibrous white or reddish-brown in the lower part. In the upper third of the leg there is a white or reddish soft, freely moving ring.

The pulp is loose, white, tender, when cut it first turns yellow, then turns orange and finally turns brown. The taste and smell are pleasant.

Umbrellas are found in July, August and September.

The danger comes from umbrella-shaped, inedible and poisonous mushrooms of the genus Lepiota. They have a small open cap - only 2-5 cm.

Young umbrella caps are suitable for soup or boiling. Large open caps are fried whole in a frying pan.

Season. July – October.

Umbrella Motley in the photo

The description is similar to the variegated umbrella mushroom (M. procera), the flesh of which does not turn red;

with white umbrella mushroom (M. excoriata) growing outside the forest;

with Lepiota puellaris, sometimes considered a subspecies of the blushing umbrella, having an almost white cap and a stalk often curving at the base.

All these species are edible.

Can be confused with the supposedly poisonous form of the red umbrella (M. rhacodes var. hortensis), distinguished by a shorter and thicker stalk, the toxicity of which is probably exaggerated.

This species grows outside the forest, often on compost heaps, on fertilized soil. The authors consumed these mushrooms after mandatory boiling without harmful consequences. Probably, some people have an individual intolerance to this form of umbrella.

You should be wary of accidentally getting poisonous lepiota (L. helveola, syn.: L. brunneo-incarnuta), an autumn mushroom distinguished by its small size, red scales and fragile ring, into the basket, but this mushroom is extremely rare.

Use. Less tasty than the variegated umbrella mushroom, although it has good nutritional qualities and is used boiled, fried, dried, or as fillings. Young mushrooms, when the caps are not yet covered with scales, can be pickled. Only the caps are eaten. It is better not to collect old fibrous caps, as they are difficult to digest. In extreme cases, they can be dried and ground into powder.

Here you can see photos of umbrella mushrooms, the description of which is given on this page:

The cap of the Motley umbrella is 12-25 cm in diameter, in young mushrooms it is ovoid-rounded, then bell-shaped, and in mature mushrooms it is spread out, like an umbrella (hence the name of the mushroom), in the center with a tubercle, whitish, grayish or gray-brown, in the middle is darker, with large, soft brownish-brown scales, easily separated from the skin.

Variegated or large umbrella (Macrolepiota procera) grows near farmyards, in coniferous and deciduous forests, on sandy and calcareous soils in sparse forests and shrubs, on forest edges, clearings, clearings, along roads, in gardens and parks, sometimes forming “witch’s rings.”

The mushroom is edible.

Pay attention to the photo - this edible umbrella mushroom has the entire surface of the cap covered with large lagging brown scales:

The plates are white or beige, loose, separated from the stem by a collar, slightly reddening with age, frequent, wide, with a smooth edge. The leg is 12-40 cm long, 2-3 cm thick, with a tuberous thickening, fibrous, white or beige in the lower part, below the ring with transverse brown stripes like “snake skin”. In the upper third of the leg there is a soft, freely moving ring. The pulp is cottony, white, loose, thick, does not change when broken, without any particular odor, with a pleasant taste.

The stem can be pulled out of the cap.

A little-known edible mushroom of the fourth category. Used at a young age while the cap retains its ovoid shape. It can be boiled, fried and dried to make mushroom powder.

Umbrellas are found in July, August and September.

Mastoid umbrella (Macrolepiota mastoidea) in the photo
the surface of the cap is covered with large brown scales like “snake skin”.

Umbrella mastoid (Macrolepiota mastoidea) is a rather rare lamellar mushroom. It grows in the forest on the forest floor and in clearings overgrown with grass, in clearings, as well as in parks, exclusively alone.

The mushroom is edible. The cap is 8-15 cm, initially pistillate, then convex, finally open with a conical brown hump in the center. The plates are frequent, adherent, white, later creamy. The leg is 10-16 cm long, 2-3 cm thick, hollow, slender, with a tuberous thickening in the lower part, white, covered with small brownish scales. On the upper third of the leg there is a soft, freely moving ring. The pulp is cottony white, does not change color when cut, with a pleasant smell and nutty taste. Its color does not change upon contact with air.

The umbrella mushroom belongs to the fourth category of mushrooms.Only the caps of young mushrooms are eaten, which can be boiled or fried.

Umbrellas are found in July, August and September.

The danger comes from umbrella-shaped, inedible and poisonous mushrooms of the genus Lepiota. They have a small open cap - only 2-5 cm.

Umbrellas white and amianth

White Umbrella mushroom in the photo
The leg is rounded, wider at the base,

Umbrella white- a rather rare edible agaric mushroom, which owes its name to its external resemblance to an umbrella. It grows singly and in groups from mid-July to the end of September in open areas of coniferous or deciduous forests, as well as in pastures, meadows and along roadsides.

The spherical cap of the mushroom becomes prostrate over time. Its average diameter is about 8-10 cm. The skin is finely scaly, light brown in color with a brown center. In mature mushrooms, it gradually becomes covered with a dense network of cracks. The spore-bearing layer consists of thin white plates that form a cartilaginous protrusion around the stalk. The leg is round, wider at the base, hollow inside, 6–8 cm high and no more than 1 cm in diameter. The surface of the leg is covered with small scales; it is whitish at the cap and brown at the base. The leg is decorated with a characteristic two-layer white movable ring. As the mushroom grows, the pulp changes color from white to gray. In the cap it is thin and tender, but in the stem it is fibrous and tough.

The white umbrella mushroom belongs to the fourth category of mushrooms. Only the caps of young mushrooms are used for food, which can be subjected to all types of culinary processing.

Similarity. Similar to other edible umbrellas. Unlike poisonous fly agarics, the stem of umbrellas is not located in the vagina. They differ from champignons by their white plates.

It is dangerous to confuse with the poisonous lepiota (Lepiota helveola, syn.: L. brunneo-incarnuta), which has a gray-red cap with concentric scales, slightly pinkish flesh and much smaller size.

Amianth umbrella in the photo
Cystoderma amianthinum in the photo

Amyanthus umbrella(cystoderma spinosa, Cystoderma amianthinum) has a cap with a diameter of 2-5 cm, thin-fleshy, at first semicircular, later flat, with a wide blunt tubercle in the center, dry, granular-mealy with a fleecy edge, ocher-yellow or ocher-brown, sometimes yellow. The plates are adherent to the stem, frequent, narrow, and thin. In addition to the plates, there are plates that are whitish, then yellowish. The leg is solid, later hollow with a ring (which quickly disappears) in the upper part, like a raised collar, above which it is granular and mealy, and below it is scaly and granular. The pulp is whitish-yellowish with a weak, indefinite odor. Grows on forest floor, coniferous litter, moss and grass, sometimes in meadows with acidic soils, in groups from June to November. Occurs infrequently.

Preparation. It is considered a little-known edible mushroom. Used for food after preliminary boiling.

This video shows umbrella mushrooms in their natural habitat: