Content
Willow roach is a conditionally edible mushroom representative from the Plutey family. The fungus grows in cities with a temperate climate and begins bearing fruit in early spring, it lasts until the first frost. Since the species is very similar to a toadstool, before a mushroom hunt, you need to study the external description, view photos and videos.
Description of willow sticks
Acquaintance with the view must begin with an external description. Since during mushroom picking, a conditionally edible specimen can be easily confused with a poisonous or inedible forest dweller, you need to have an idea of what it looks like and where it grows.
Description of the hat
At a young age, the hat of the willow spit is hemispherical or bell-shaped. With age, it straightens and takes the shape of a saucer, leaving a slight rise in the center. The size is small, up to 10 cm. The pulp is dense, fragile at the edges, swells after rain and increases in size. The surface is covered with a thin, scaly skin of a light olive or sky-gray color. The snow-white pulp has a watery texture. On cut or when pressed, light green milky juice is released.
The spore layer is formed by snow-white, pink or creamy thin plates. Reproduction occurs by ovoid spores, which are in a pink spore powder.
Leg description
Cylindrical leg, thickened towards the bottom, even or slightly curved, up to 6 cm long. The fibrous flesh is covered with shiny, whitish-bluish or gray-olive scales. When pressed, dark spots remain on the stem.
Where and how it grows
Willow roach prefers to grow in mixed, deciduous forests. Since the species is a saprotroph, a forest orderly, it chooses for growth dry, dead wood, deciduous substrate, rotting stumps. Basically, the species settles in single specimens, less often in small families, on willow, linden, alder, poplar. The fungus is widespread throughout Russia, but rarely catches the eye. Begins fruiting from June to October.
It is difficult to confuse willow sticks with other specimens, since spots of heavenly or gray-olive color are clearly visible on the stem of young mushrooms. With age, the entire leg acquires a bluish or emerald color. All these species characteristics appear depending on the place of growth and climatic conditions.
Is the mushroom edible or not
Willow roast is considered conditionally edible, but due to its small size, bitter taste and aniseed smell, it is not very popular among mushroom pickers. But if there is a desire to use willow cakes in cooking, the harvested crop is soaked and boiled for 10-15 minutes. Further, the prepared product can be stewed and fried.
Doubles and their differences
The willow clown, like any representative of the mushroom kingdom, has its fellows:
- Deer - a small species with a miniature dark gray bell-shaped hat.The surface is covered with a velvet skin, which can crack in dry weather. Whitish or light gray cylindrical fibrous stem, can be straight or slightly curved. The whitish pulp is fragile, does not change color in case of mechanical damage. This representative belongs to the inedible species. Grows on rotten wood from June to early September.
- Noble - despite its name, the mushroom is inedible. It can be recognized by a small light gray cap and a whitish slightly curved leg. The fragile pulp exudes a pleasant mushroom aroma and has a sweetish taste. Grows in deciduous forests, begins fruiting from July to October.
- Umber - belongs to the 4th group of edibility. Distributed in regions with a temperate climate. Begins fruiting from July to October. This representative of the forest kingdom has a small hemispherical, wrinkled cap of a whitish or light gray color. The fragile and light pulp has a bitter taste and a radish aroma. Before cooking, the mushrooms are soaked and boiled for 20 minutes. Experienced mushroom pickers advise passing by unknown species so as not to get food poisoning.
Conclusion
Willow rods belong to the fourth group of edibility. The fungus grows in moist soil, decaying deciduous trees and stumps. Begins fruiting from June to October. Since this forest dweller has inedible twins, it is necessary to know its external description.
