🍄 Oyster Mushroom – The Popular Edible
Pleurotus sp– There are two main Oyster mushrooms that grow in the UK- the Winter Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) and the Summer Oyster, also called Pale Oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius). March is a quite interesting time of year with regards to these two mushrooms. As we are coming out of winter and going into spring we can have crazy weather fluctuations and temperatures of up to 15-16°C (maybe even higher thanks to global warming) but can also drop down to freezing temperatures with snow. This means that both the Summer Oyster and the Winter Oyster can often be found at the same time. It can be quite difficult to differentiate between to two, however it doesn't matter which you find as both are very edible and very tasty! We really love Oysters mushrooms and have managed to clone both wild types. If you’ve ever bought one of our mushroom grow kits, or eaten some of our mushroom jerky, you will most probably have had a Winter Oyster.
🍄 Key Identification Features:
- Cap: Winter - tan through to blue-grey. Oyster shaped, smooth. Up to 20cm wide. Summer - much paler, white to cream. Oyster shaped, smooth. Only up to 10cm wide.
- Gills: Winter - white, darkening with age. Summer - white, maturing to ochre.
- Stem: Winter - chunky, short to none. Summer - hardly any.
- Smell: Winter - pleasant but not distinct. Summer - none.
- Spore print: Winter - white to pale-lilac. Summer - white.
🍃 Where to Find It:
Look for dying or dead deciduous trees, and their logs and branches. They are particularly fond of beech and oak.
⚠️ Lookalikes:
- Pleurocybella porrigens ☠️ – also known as the Angel's Wings. This is deadly poisonous. Common in Scotland in coniferous woodland. Rare elsewhere.
- Pleurotus cornucopiae - also known as Branching Oyster. Bigger, thicker stems. Edible.
Use all ID features in combination, and when in doubt – leave it out or get a second opinion from someone experienced.
🍽️ Culinary Uses:
One of the most popular mushrooms to forage and feast upon. Cook them in batter. Slice them thinly and fry. Chop and add to soup and noodles. They are amazing whatever you do with them! Just make sure to pick them when young, as they become tougher the older they get. Why not try drying some and making them into mushroom jerky! If we've sold out online, you can follow our recipe to make your own: Mycosia's Mushroom Jerky
So there you have it – two beautiful mushrooms, both tasty and abundant enough to find year round. Go out there and fall in love with their beautiful cluster form.
Have you met this mushroom in the wild? Made it into something tasty? Reply in the comments below, tag us on social media, or drop us an email - we’d love to see your finds and creations.