Overgrown mushrooms: what they look like and can they be collected

Surely, many of us at least once in our lives have come across these interesting and “cute” mushrooms. “Silent hunting” for mushrooms is always very exciting and useful, because along with a pleasant outdoor recreation, you can collect a whole basket of edible fruiting bodies. Moreover, this can be done in just one small area, so to speak, "on the spot". The fact is that mushrooms always grow in friendly families, so such a find is a real joy in harvesting mushrooms.

What mushrooms are considered overgrown and is it possible to eat old mushrooms?

Often, our searches are designed for strong, young mushrooms that are perfect for pickling and other processing processes. However, overgrown mushrooms can often be found in the forest. What to do in this case: walk past or take them with you? Is it possible to eat old overgrown mushrooms, and if so, what dishes are they suitable for? In this article, we will show you a photo of overgrown mushrooms and tell you what you can do with them.

To know which mushrooms are considered overgrown, you need to familiarize yourself with the appearance of their younger "brothers". It is not difficult to identify this mushroom in the forest. In addition to the fact that they grow in whole colonies, there are many more characteristic descriptions. By its nature, honey agaric has a thin and flexible leg, the height of which can reach 15 cm. Edible species also have a skirt ring, which is one of the main differences from false twins. The hat of a young honey agaric is lamellar and has a hemispherical shape, the diameter of which is 2-6 cm. Small scales are visible from above, and the color of the cap varies from cream to reddish and even brown. The plates of the fungus are quite rare, as if ingrown into the leg.

Honey mushrooms are considered very tasty mushrooms with delicate grayish-white flesh and a pronounced aroma. You can meet these fruiting bodies both in coniferous and deciduous forests. They prefer mushrooms to grow mainly on stumps, from where their characteristic name came from. Therefore, pay attention to forest clearings and ravines. In addition, these mushrooms can be found on the roots of trees, as well as simply on the ground. Often you can find a colony of mushrooms on the trunks of drying trees.

Since the mushroom is a perishable product, it should be processed as soon as possible. These fruiting bodies are most often used fresh for the preparation of first and second courses, appetizers, sauces, as well as fillings for flour products. They are fried, stewed, canned, salted, dried and frozen. Often the legs of mushrooms are not eaten, as they are quite tough.

But despite the preference to look for young mushrooms, still some mushroom pickers are not averse to picking up overgrown edible mushrooms. If there is a batch of such mushrooms in front of you in the forest, then you will ask yourself a completely logical question: is it possible to collect overgrown mushrooms or is it better not to touch them?

What adult overgrown mushrooms look like: photo and description

Now, having discussed the general characteristics of a young honey agaric, you can also get acquainted with how adult mushrooms look. It is worth noting that representatives of these two age categories are somewhat different in appearance. The following photos and descriptions will help you see what overgrown mushrooms look like.

As already noted, young mushrooms have a hemispherical cap, as shown in the photo, and in overgrown mushrooms, the hat evens out. With age, the upper part of the fruiting body takes on the shape of an umbrella - a slight bulge on top, then a plane that is slightly rounded on the sides. The hat of a mature individual has a diameter of 5 to 11 cm.

Edible young mushrooms are covered with small scales, which cannot be said about their adult "colleagues". With age, the mushroom cap loses these scales and becomes almost smooth. In addition, it loses the oily layer, which is sometimes inherent in some edible mushrooms.

As shown in the photo below, the pulp of adult edible mushrooms has a noticeable rough texture compared to young individuals:

Also, with age, the pulp of the fungus becomes less dense and more fibrous. In addition, you can also pay attention to the color of the plates. In young specimens, they are white or flesh-colored, but over time they acquire darker tones - pink or light brown. Sometimes the plates can be covered with brown spots. However, all these characteristics do not affect the pleasant smell and taste of the fruiting body. But still, it should be remembered that adult mushrooms do not have such a pronounced forest aroma, so they are less appreciated in cooking.

It is also known that with age, the “skirt” again becomes barely noticeable, and in some cases disappears altogether. It is very important to remember this point, since the absence of a stem ring in young specimens indicates inedibility. Therefore, you should collect only those mature mushrooms in which you are sure that they belong to the category of edible fruiting bodies.

As you can see, as mushrooms mature, they not only become larger in size, but also have a changed structure. There were cases when one mature specimen could weigh up to 300 g.

We offer you to look at a few more photos showing what overgrown edible mushrooms look like:

It should be noted that young and adult autumn mushrooms differ from other species in quite noticeable signs. So, the cap size of a young specimen is up to 10 cm, and adults are known for even larger dimensions. The hat of the autumn overgrown honey agaric can reach a diameter of 17 cm.

Young mushrooms have a distinct “skirt” on the leg, which becomes less noticeable with age. In addition, the surface of the entire fruiting body, including the stem, is dotted with thick scales. However, as shown in the photo, in overgrown autumn mushrooms, these scales disappear, so the surface of the cap dries out and becomes smooth:

Another interesting feature that shows what adult autumn mushrooms look like is the presence of spores. The fact is that the spores of the fungus at a young age are white, so their “elderly” counterparts often have a hat that seems “moldy”.

The plates of autumn overgrown mushrooms change their color. If at a young age they are white-yellow, then over time they become creamy brown. However, it should be said that all of the above features do not affect the taste and aroma of the mushroom pulp, with the exception of rotten and wormy individuals. And although the aroma becomes less noticeable with age, still some mushroom pickers do not mind picking them up and cooking them.

Autumn mushrooms have an amazing property to glow at night. The mushroom picker, wrapping its thin threads around a rotten stump, is able to illuminate it from the inside. What do overgrown mushrooms look like, given this unique feature? Unfortunately, huge specimens almost completely lose it.

Are adult overgrown mushrooms dangerous?

This question is asked by almost all mushroom pickers who encounter mature mushrooms. After all, it is known that all types of fruiting bodies, without exception, absorb radiation and salts of heavy metals. And the older the fungus, the more it absorbed harmful substances from the air. Are overgrown mushrooms dangerous in this case?

I must say that it is quite rare to find an overgrown honey agaric, which will have quality indicators. The state of the fruiting body can be seen from its appearance. As a rule, over time, overgrown mushrooms change for the worse. The structure of his body is destroyed, and as a result, the fungus becomes flabby and loose. The caps dry out, and then cracks appear on them. In this regard, the rigidity of the pulp of the fruiting bodies is considerably increased. In more detail, the features of adults are shown in the photo below:

In addition, moldy and wormy specimens can often be found among mature mushrooms. In some cases, there is even an unpleasant odor. If you notice any mold or blackness covering even the smallest part of the surface of the mushroom, then you should refuse to collect them. In the same way, if the mushroom is damaged, loose, rotten, or it just gives you the slightest doubt, do not regret passing by. After all, such external indicators clearly indicate the worminess of the fruiting body. And the unaesthetic appearance itself is unlikely to cause you an appetite.

However, even among overgrown mushrooms, one can find whole, strong, juicy and quite attractive "burdocks", which practically do not differ from their younger representatives. In this case, there is no reason not to take the mushroom in your basket. Most likely, worms will be present in this fruiting body, but this feature is easily fixable.

As already mentioned, mushrooms, like "sponges", absorb harmful substances from the atmosphere, so it is strictly forbidden to collect them near highways, factories and other enterprises. Otherwise, you risk your health, because the concentration of heavy metal salts in such fruiting bodies can be critical. I must say that this rule applies not only to overgrown, but also to young mushrooms.

Are overgrown mushrooms harmful and can they be taken?

However, if you collected mushrooms in a reliable, proven place, you can ask: are overgrown mushrooms harmful? Despite the fact that adult specimens partially lose their attractive appearance and taste, nevertheless, many mushroom pickers successfully assign them a worthy place in their basket. The fact is that a significant part of the accumulated harmful substances can be eliminated with the help of careful heat treatment. However, large fruiting bodies will require a longer cooking time than young and medium ones. As a rule, only one cap is collected from mature specimens, and the leg is thrown away due to excessive rigidity.

In addition, it is worth noting that there are contraindications for eating honey mushrooms. The fact is that these mushrooms are not recommended for children under 13 years of age and for people suffering from liver, kidney and gastrointestinal tract diseases.

As you can see, not all mature individuals are suitable for collection, therefore, in this case, we advise you to focus on their appearance. Recall that overgrown mushrooms can be taken only if you are sure of the place of collection, as well as their edibility.

Is it possible to eat overgrown mushrooms and how to clean them?

So, is it possible to eat overgrown mushrooms? If all the collection rules were followed correctly, then why not. However, before proceeding directly to the cooking process, you need to learn how to clean overgrown mushrooms.

First you need to remove the legs, if you did not do this in the forest. Then the bottom layer of plates should be removed so that one hat remains. I must say that in an aging fungus, this spore-bearing layer becomes soft, so it can be easily separated with a knife.

As mentioned above, for such fruiting bodies, more thorough and lengthy preparation is necessary. So, having come home from the forest, you must immediately soak the mushroom caps in water for 40-50 minutes. It is better to add a few tablespoons of table salt. This product will help to thoroughly clean the spores of the fruiting body from "established" contaminants and worms, which are probably present there. After that, it is recommended to rinse the mushrooms at least three times, each time pouring a new portion of cold water.

Then overgrown mushrooms should undergo heat treatment. Given their age, the process should be longer. If an average of 20 minutes of cooking is enough for young mushrooms, then for mature specimens, the time increases to 35 minutes. You can divide this time into 2 approaches (15-20 minutes each), each time changing the water.

Is it possible to fry overgrown mushrooms and cook adult pickled mushrooms?

Now, having completed the “ritual” of cleaning and boiling, you can start cooking. Is it possible to cook overgrown mushrooms in pickled form? Although aging specimens have a less attractive appearance, this procedure is still quite acceptable. Many mushroom pickers note that pickled overgrown mushrooms are very tasty and fragrant. Such an appetizer is given a worthy place even on the festive table. Combining the fruit bodies in the marinade with various spices and ingredients, you can prepare an exquisite mushroom preparation for the winter.

Some housewives know another way where aging mushrooms can be put. The caps are dried and then ground into a powder to be added to soups and sauces. However, in this case, soaking and boiling fruiting bodies is not allowed. It is better to gently wipe each individual with a kitchen sponge and put it in a sunny, ventilated place.

Is it possible to fry overgrown mushrooms in a pan? Yes, and they will not differ at all from their young “colleagues” in taste. Many who have tried fried overgrown mushrooms agree that their taste resembles portobello, a famous Italian mushroom that the local population loves to feast on. Ripe mushrooms can be fried with potatoes, vegetables, or simply stewed in sour cream. Mushroom soup with these mushrooms will also be very tasty on your table.

Photo of overgrown mushrooms in fried and pickled form: