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Waves grow in forests throughout Russia. They can be found in large groups near birches. Mushroom pickers collect their pink and white varieties. They are classified as conditionally edible mushrooms and are widely used for pickling and pickling.
When and how waves grow
Volnushki belong to the genus Millechnikov and the Syroezhkovy family. This variety on the territory of Russia is classified as conditionally edible. It is eaten after pretreatment. Before cooking, the mushrooms must be boiled or soaked in water. In some countries, these mushrooms are classified as poisonous.
Waves appear quite late, and you can collect them before the first frost. The first peak of the appearance of these mushrooms occurs in the second half of July. The second growth spurt has been observed since the end of August. Their full fruiting occurs in September. In sunny and warm weather, typical for "Indian summer", representatives of this species are found even in October.
Representatives of the Syroezhkovy family grow in groups of 5 - 8 pieces. You can also find whole families of several dozen copies. They bear fruit well even in years with poor harvests for mushrooms.
Photo of mushrooms during different stages of growth.
How many days does the wave grow
Volushka mushrooms grow relatively quickly. Three factors have a decisive influence on the growth rate of their fruiting body:
- The optimum air humidity in the surface layer for mushrooms should be at least 50 - 60%.
- The air temperature required for the active development of the fruiting body is 18 - 27 0С. If it exceeds 30 - 35 0С, then his culture is oppressed.
- The waves need good lighting.
If after the rain the weather is sunny, but not hot, the wave in the forest grows to medium size in a short time (3 - 4 days). Its cap reaches 4 - 6 cm in diameter, and in some specimens - 15 cm.
Where mushrooms grow
Waves grow throughout the Russian Federation. According to the reviews of mushroom pickers, there are especially many of them:
- in the central part of Russia;
- in the north of the Central Russian region;
- in the forests of Yakutia and Transbaikalia;
- in the Kaliningrad region;
- in the forests near the lakes along the Chelyabinsk tract (Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions).
In which forests do mushrooms grow
These fungi form a symbiosis mainly with birch. Waves grow in those forests where these trees are found:
- birch groves and birch forests;
- deciduous forests with birch populations;
- light mixed coniferous-birch forests with hummocky soil covered with grass;
- former collective farm fields overgrown with young birches.
In mixed forests, these mushrooms are found next to mushrooms and aspen mushrooms. Pink waves can be found in the northern part under old birch trees. They are still found in lime forests and brooms.White waves are light-loving, they are often found under young birches at the entrance to a forest plantation, where there are no dense thickets. They can also grow in city parks and squares.
What waves can you collect
You can collect two types of waves: pink and white. In terms of nutritional value, they belong to the second category of mushrooms. Their young fruiting bodies have a fairly dense pulp, retain their shape well after harvesting and withstand transportation. The most appreciated are the so-called "curls" - waves, the diameter of the cap of which is not more than 3-4 cm.
Often these fruiting bodies can be confused with mushrooms and pigs. But mushrooms are larger, they always have smooth orange caps with less clear circles, their juice is carrot-colored, the cut site is oxidized and becomes bluish.
The pigs have a different, less convex, shape of the caps, there are no villi. Fruit bodies are colored brown or yellow.
White waves
The popular name for the white wave is white. The fungus is distinguished by the white color of the fruiting body. In appearance, it has some similarities with the pink variety, but is characterized by smaller sizes:
- The hat with a diameter of no more than 10 - 12 cm has a white-fawn color and seems to be dirty. Its shade, depending on the place of growth, may vary slightly: be lighter or darker. The convex surface is covered with villi forming concentric zones. Due to the pale or yellowish villi, the circles on the cap are not as clear as in the pink variety. In the center of the cap there is a rounded yellow depression. With age, it becomes funnel-shaped.
- Pulp. The dense white pulp, when broken and pressed, releases a milky liquid with a faint smell of geranium. The juice does not oxidize in air and does not change color. In damp weather, the flesh can become slimy.
- Plates. The blades are adherent, narrow and descending. They are often located and colored in the same tone as the cap - whitish or fawn.
- Leg. The white leg is 3-4 cm high and has the shape of a cylinder. In dense grass, it can grow up to 8 cm. In a young mushroom, it is dense, but becomes brittle with age. Usually, the surface of the leg is smooth, but it may have small villi.
- The spore powder is whitish, with yellowness.
The inedible double of the white woman is the sticky lactarius. He has a grayish green cap with darker markings. The leg is lighter than the cap and is sticky to the touch. The pulp is white and odorless, but has a very pungent taste. The sap at the break is oxidized, acquiring a green color.
Pink waves
The synonymous names of this mushroom are Volzhanka, Volzhanka, Rubella, Broth, Krasul, Volvianitsa.
The wave has a recognizable appearance:
- The diameter of the cap of such a mushroom is from 5 to 10 cm. There are large specimens up to 15 cm in size. Dark concentric zones resembling circles on water are clearly visible on the pinkish-red surface. They are formed by coarse villi. With age, the circles lose their clarity. The shape of the cap of a young mushroom is convex. It gradually becomes flat, with a slight depression in the center and drooping edges.
- Pulp. The fruit body of Volzhanka has a white or milky flesh. It is brittle, friable, has a light resinous aroma, and is rarely damaged by worms. At the break, a cloudy light juice with a bitter taste is released. When pickled, the flesh turns light gray.Important! If processed incorrectly or for a short time, the juice of a volnushka can cause indigestion.
- Plates. A young mushroom has pink, thin, frequent, adherent plates. Over time, they turn yellow or acquire a shade of ocher and stretch in the form of a cone towards the base of the stem.
- Leg. The pale pink stem of the fruiting body has a cylindrical shape. In young mushrooms, it is solid, then it becomes hollow inside.The size of the leg is average: its length is 3-6 cm, its thickness is about 2 cm.
- Spore powder of white or cream color.
In the photo you can see how pink waves grow:
Inexperienced mushroom pickers can confuse a wave with a prickly milkweed. This mushroom is considered inedible. Its cap does not have a pubescent edge. There may be small red scales on it. The pulp is white or dark yellow, odorless, with a very pungent taste. The color of the pulp and juice on the cut changes from white to green, sometimes black-green.
Wave collection rules
Waves and whites are collected by plucking or cutting. The method of collection does not affect the state of the mycelium. You should not stir the forest floor too much in search of a wave. So it is possible to disrupt the mycelium and damage the embryos of the fruit bodies. Mushrooms that are not harvested cannot be destroyed. They perform an important ecological function in the forest.
The place of cutting or scrapping of mushrooms is examined. If there are wormholes, the fruiting body is cut and the affected areas are removed. The collected waves can be conveniently folded into wicker baskets or lubyanka, the bottom of which is covered with paper. They, without compaction, are laid with plates down, so that sand does not accumulate between the folds.
The video review details the features of collecting waves.
Storage rules
Mushroom volnushka is a perishable product, so you should adhere to certain rules for its storage:
- Fruit bodies are immediately cleaned of forest debris, which can provoke rotting.
- Wet waves collected in the rain are processed immediately after coming from the forest.
- Freshly picked mushrooms can be stored at room temperature for no more than 6 hours.
- If it is not possible to immediately peel the mushrooms, they, without rinsing, are laid out in a cool place so that they do not touch each other. In this way, the shelf life can be increased to 15 - 18 hours.
- In the refrigerator, peeled whites and waves are stored for no more than 3 days.
Conclusion
Waves grow in families in birch, deciduous and mixed coniferous-birch forests. You should look for pink waves on the northern edges under old birch trees. White - can be found under a young birch in non-thickened parts of the plantings. It is best to go in search of these mushrooms on the 3rd - 4th day after the rain. The rules for collecting and storing fresh waves are standard, as for all types of mushrooms.
