The bearded mushroom is capable of surprising everyone who sees it for the first time. It's funny, but only a few will be able to recognize him as an inhabitant of the mushroom kingdom. The reason for this is his appearance. Looking at the bearded man point-blank, you would rather decide that this is a fairy-tale animal than a motionless one. However, this is really a mushroom, albeit with many oddities and surprises.

general information

The bearded mushroom, or combed hedgehog, is a unique representative of the Gericia family, order Russulaceae. Its main feature is its unusual appearance, which is atypical for mushrooms of this order. It was this that gave rise to such colorful common names as “bearded mushroom”, “lion’s mane”, “grandfather’s beard”, “noodle mushroom” and “Pom-Pom mushroom”. Scientists call it the combed hedgehog, or Hericium erinaceus.

Spreading

This is very rare mushroom- its numbers are rapidly falling every year. The reason for this is pollution environment, large-scale deforestation and unwise harvesting by humans. Today, the combed hedgehog is on the verge of extinction, and therefore it is listed in the Red Book.

In its natural environment, the mushroom can be found in North America, Russia and China. In particular, it prefers zones with a temperate, warm climate. For example, if we talk about our Motherland, then the “lion’s head” can be seen in the Primorsky Territory, Amur Region, Crimea, as well as in the deciduous forests of Khabarovsk.

Appearance

For those who want to understand what the bearded mushroom looks like, photo - best option. After all, without it it is quite difficult to recreate a verbal image that even remotely resembles the amazing appearance of a mushroom. Still, if you decide to do this, it is best to imagine a white hedgehog or a mountain of noodles attached to a tree trunk. Agree, this is a rather unusual picture.

If we talk about size, the combed hedgehog grows on average to 20-25 cm in diameter. Moreover, its white “needles” processes can reach 6-8 cm in length. This miracle weighs about 1-1.5 kg, which is quite impressive. However, such standards apply only to wild specimens - a farmed bearded mushroom can be much larger in size and weight.

The body of the combed hedgehog is dense. Inside, the pulp is white or cream-colored, without any impurities. And only at the end of its life, when the mushroom begins to dry out, it acquires yellow tones.

habitat

Today you can meet the combed hedgehog only in remote regions. It does not tolerate any air pollution well, and therefore grows quite rarely in roadside areas. This means that everyone who wants to find him must get used to the idea that the hunt may drag on for several days. True, many are ready to make such a sacrifice just to see how the bearded mushroom grows. A photo of this handsome man is truly a glorious reward, proving the tenacity and perseverance of any naturalist.

So where to look for it? Deciduous forests located away from the city and major highways are best suited. In this case, you should look for areas with high humidity, since the hedgehog does not tolerate drought well. For example, you can search areas around ponds, rivers, lakes or swamps.

As for trees, in our region most often the bearded mushroom grows on oak, beech or birch, and it likes the latter the most. “Lion's head” is indiscriminate in wood, and therefore can germinate both on a healthy trunk and on a rotten one. Most often, only one mushroom lives on a tree, but there are exceptions.

Gourmet dish

Mushroom noodles are very popular in the culinary world. The reason for this is its unusual shape and excellent taste. Some gourmets claim that the flesh of the mushroom tastes somewhat like shrimp. Agree, many will like this delicacy, especially considering the fact that this is a dietary food.

It is not surprising that combed hedgehog is on the menu of many prestigious restaurants. At the same time, it is served both after heat treatment and raw. The only downside is the high price of such a dish. But for those who love new tastes and sensations, this is not such a huge obstacle.

Healing properties

In China, healers have long used bearded mushroom in their practices. Beneficial features This plant “hedgehog” is well known to them. In particular, it was they who told the world that the hedgehog can help a person with sclerosis. This knowledge also helped pharmacists produce the medicine needed to treat patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

In addition, the mushroom has an anti-inflammatory effect. In Russia, healers used it to treat stomach diseases and tumors. There is also evidence that bearded mushroom extract is used in research to find a cure for cancer.

Built environment

As mentioned earlier, the combed hedgehog is listed in the Red Book. This means that harvesting this mushroom in natural conditions is strictly prohibited. Therefore, today special farms are opening all over the world where the bearded mushroom is grown under artificial conditions. This is a rather complex process, but modern farmers have succeeded well in it - domestic mushrooms not only have the same properties as wild ones, but are also significantly larger in size.

The only problem remains the Asian healers. According to their beliefs, only forest mushrooms have magical Qi energy. That is why in these parts, even today, there is a tireless struggle for natural treasures. Unfortunately, this could lead to the complete extinction of the species within their region.

The combed blackberry is a rare representative of its kingdom. It is edible, healthy and very tasty when prepared correctly. However, this mushroom is not only quite rare, but also little-known, and therefore inexperienced mushroom pickers often avoid it.

Characteristic

The blackberry comb mushroom belongs to the Hericiaceae family of the order Russula. It is quite large and can be eaten. It can be described as follows:

• the body of the mushroom is irregularly shaped, often pear-shaped or spherical, slightly flattened on the sides;
• mature blackberries are dark – from yellow to Brown, young white or cream-colored;
• the weight of one mushroom can be up to 1.5 kg;
• width – no more than 20 cm;
• from the lower surface of the body of the blackberry comb there are many soft outgrowths hanging down, shaped like needles, their length is no more than 6 cm;

  On a note! It is this part of the fruiting body of the crested blackberry - the hymenophore - that makes it very similar to a hedgehog!

• the dense pulp is whitish and does not darken even when cut, but when it dries it turns yellow;
• The taste of the pulp is compared to shrimp.

Blackberry (hedgehog) comb is a saprotroph - an organism that obtains the substances necessary for normal growth and development by destroying the body of other plants. Therefore, it can be found on stumps and tree trunks. The most preferable species for this mushroom would be beech, birch or oak. At the same time, settling on living plants, it “selects” damaged areas, for example, saw cuts and broken parts of large branches.

The blackberry comb mushroom is most common in areas with a warm and humid climate, therefore it is most often found in forests mainly in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, the Amur Region, in the Crimea, as well as in the Caucasus and northern China. As for the central and northern regions Russian Federation, then it is extremely rare to find a blackberry mushroom in this territory.

The fruiting season begins in last month summer and continues until mid-autumn. However, if you manage to find a blackberry mushroom on one of the trees, then further searches can be stopped, since it usually grows “alone.”

Benefits and treatment

The medicinal properties of the blackberry comb mushroom have not yet been fully studied, however, something about its benefits is still known.

• Its extract helps fight memory impairment, including for older people.
• It is believed that the substances present in its composition, with proper therapy, can prevent cancer.
• It is used as an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing agent, as well as to get rid of warts.
• Consumption of blackberry has a positive effect on the nervous system - depression and increased excitability recede.

  On a note! According to representatives traditional medicine Blackberry preparations can correct the emotional state and alleviate the course of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases!

• When consumed, the concentration of cholesterol in the blood is reduced and the prevention of diseases of the vascular system is ensured.

On a note! The wild blackberry comb mushroom is now a rarity, plus, it is listed in the Red Book. It is actively cultivated in some countries, including Russia, but the product grown in this way, although affordable, is considered less healthy!

Cooking features

There is an opinion that only young blackberries can be tasty, but this assumption is wrong. A mature mushroom is also quite capable of fully revealing all its taste qualities, and the recipe for making comb blackberry does not have any complex secrets - it just needs to be boiled in salted water. After a short heat treatment, blackberries become softer, which allows them to be used in a wide variety of dishes.

Mushroom soup with melted cheese

For four servings you will need:

• blackberry mushroom – 300 g;
• chicken meat – 180 g;
• processed cheese – 200 g;
• potatoes - 3 medium tubers;
• butter- about a tablespoon;
• medium head of onion;
• salt pepper.

Pour one and a half liters of water into a saucepan and cook chicken fillet within 20 minutes from the moment of boiling, add salt. Remove the meat from the broth and cut into small cubes.
Finely chop the onion and saute it in butter for about 5 minutes. Chop the mushroom as desired, pre-boil it (if necessary) and add to the onion. Stir and adjust to taste with salt and pepper.

Return the broth to the stove and heat it up. Cut the potatoes into small cubes and add them to the broth. After a quarter of an hour, when the potatoes become soft, add the mushrooms and onions, and after another five to seven minutes add the chicken fillet.

At the end, you need to add processed cheese to the pan and mix everything thoroughly until the last ingredient is completely dissolved.

Mushrooms with vegetables in Chinese

The blackberry mushroom recipe continues with a Chinese dish that is cooked in a wok. For two servings you will need:

• blackberry mushroom – 150-170 g;
• bell pepper – 2 pcs.;
• sesame seed - teaspoon;
• sesame oil – 20-30 ml;
• soy sauce – 30 ml;
• oyster sauce - half a teaspoon;
• sugar - half a teaspoon.

Slice the mushrooms thinly and boil if necessary. Cut the pepper into thin long strips.

Advice! The dish will look more appetizing if the bell peppers are colorful!

Heat the oil thoroughly in a wok and brown the mushrooms. Add pepper and fry everything until it softens. Pour in oyster sauce, then soy sauce, add the specified amount of sugar. Mix everything thoroughly and leave for about a minute. At the end, add sesame seeds, stir again and immediately remove from the stove. Keep covered for about 10 minutes, then serve.

Stewed blackberries in cream with lentils

For two servings you will need:

• blackberry mushroom – 200-250 g;
• lentils – 200 g;
• butter – a couple of tablespoons;
• chicken fillet – 100-150 g;
• cream – 150 ml;
• soy sauce – 20 ml;
• flour - a third of a teaspoon;
• rosemary, parsley, ground pepper.

We wash the lentils several times, add water in a ratio of 1:2 and cook for half an hour.

In a frying pan, dilute a tablespoon of butter and fry the mushrooms in it, which, if necessary, boil a little first. In another frying pan, also heat the butter and brown the diced chicken fillet in it. When the meat is covered with an appetizing crust, add mushrooms, half a portion of cream, soy sauce, a sprig of rosemary, and pepper. Mix everything, close the lid and leave for seven minutes.

Add flour to the remaining cream and mix thoroughly. Pour the creamy flour mixture into the pan and cook for several minutes, stirring constantly. When the mixture thickens enough, remove everything from the stove.

If you manage to purchase comb blackberries, be sure to prepare one of the proposed dishes from it. In addition, do not forget that this product is primarily a mushroom, and therefore it is quite possible to prepare it for future use and then... a couple of dried mushrooms added to a soup or stir-fry will certainly cheer you up on a cold winter evening.

All materials on the website are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any product, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!

An easy to grow at home and relatively inexpensive medicinal product - combed hedgehog or lion's mane - is beautiful mushroom with cascading processes instead of hymenial plates, which helps slow progression neurological disorders– including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Research also shows that this mushroom is useful in treating menopause-related symptomatic depression and anxiety.

The secret to the success of lion's mane is associated with its high content of erinacins. These compounds increase the production of nerve growth factor, a protein that stimulates neuronal regeneration. In addition, this mushroom also protects against brain cell death, which is an important factor in the case of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Another protective property This fungus is associated with its ability to inhibit the formation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain.

“The reduction in beta amyloid plaques in the brains of mice fed this mushroom compared to mice that were not fed mushrooms was significant,” notes Pavel Stamets in his work “Lion’s Mane: A Mushroom That Improves Memory and Mood.” – Many researchers believe that the formation of amyloid plaques is the primary morphological biomarker associated with Alzheimer's disease. Plaques, by binding to beta-amyloid peptide, lead to inflammation of brain tissue, interfere with the normal transmission of impulses between neurons, and lead to neural degeneration.

Human studies also seem promising. The results of a study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research show a positive association between eating blackberry and improving cognitive impairment. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 30 subjects aged 50 to 80 years with mild cognitive impairment were given 250 mg (96 percent lion's mane powder) or placebo, three times daily. At the end of the 16-week study, the researchers found that the mushroom was "effective in improving mild cognitive impairment."

In addition, this mushroom helps relieve problems associated with menopause such as depression, irritability, anxiety and insomnia. Researchers from Kyoto's Bunkyo University observed 30 menopausal women who were given either blackberry or a placebo for four weeks. The group that consumed reported a significant reduction in menopausal symptoms.

An Easy Way to Include Lion's Mane in Your Daily Diet

If you want to try your hand at growing lion's mane at home, you can start with homemade containers. On the other hand, this mushroom is increasingly found in gourmet food stores or can be taken as a supplement. At nearly 20 percent protein—and tasting like lobster or shrimp—lion's mane is an excellent vegetarian seafood alternative.

Blackberry, Lion's Mane, Bearded Mushroom, Mushroom Noodle (Hericium erinaceus)

Mushroom Hericium erinaceus Bull. 1781 has many Russian names-synonyms: bearded mushroom, combed hedgehog, lion's mane, mushroom noodles, etc., and Latin: Clavaria erinaceus (Bull.) Paulet 1793 Dryodon erinaceus (Bull.) P. Karst. 1882 Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.) Pers. 1797 Hericium echinus (Scop.) Pers. 1797, etc. You can find the English name: lion's mane mushroom; French - Pom-Pom mushroom (Pom-Pom blanc); Chinese name“houtougu” (Chinese: 猴头菇 pinyin hóutóugū); Japanese - “yamabushitake” (yamabushitake, Japanese 山伏茸 yamabushitake), etc.

The combed hedgehog looks like a noodle or a pom-pom, and at first glance does not evoke any associations with a mushroom. However, this mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is edible and grows on both living and dead trees. When cooked, the color and texture of the comb mushroom resembles seafood. At the same time, it not only tastes good, but is also widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, as it has antioxidant properties and can reduce blood sugar (glucose) levels.

The fruiting body of the crested hedgehog has a round or irregular shape, occurring up to 20 cm in diameter and weighing up to 1.5 kilograms. The color of the hedgehog is usually from cream to light beige. The pulp is always whitish in color and quite fleshy. When dried, it changes its color to yellowish. The hymenophore is spiny, has the appearance of thin needles hanging down, which makes the mushroom look like a hedgehog - hence the name “Hedgehog”. Spore powder is always white.

The main habitats are the trunks of still living or fallen deciduous trees, such as oak, beech, and birch. Most often, the body of the fungus can be found in places where the bark is broken or broken off branches. The distribution area of ​​the comb mushroom fungus extends from the Crimean Mountains, east through the foothills of the Caucasus to the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, the Amur Region and the northern regions of China. This mushroom is also found in North America. Since this is a rather rare species, it is listed in the Red Book of many countries.

The fruiting bodies of the comb mushroom mushroom can be found in nature from early August to October. In a number of countries, it is grown artificially, using sawdust or straw substrates. This is due to the fact that it is used in both Food Industry, since its taste resembles shrimp meat, and in medicine, as an immune stimulant. In folk medicine, it is widely used to treat chronic and atrophic gastritis, cancer of the esophagus, stomach, leukemia, and in oriental medicine it is used as an immunostimulant, stimulator of growth and regeneration of processes nerve cells, antiseptic. The active ingredients of this mushroom: cyatane derivatives, erinacins, hericenones, beta-D-glucans, ergosterol - provitamin D.

Blackberry has been used in East Asia as a food and herbal medicine since ancient times. It has been reported to promote nerve growth through the secretion of nerve growth factor, which is involved in the maintenance and organization of cholinergic neurons in the central nervous system. Special laboratory studies of this fungus have shown that the crested hedgehog is able to prevent impairments in spatial short-term memory and visual recognition, due to the presence of amyloid β (25-35) peptides. This finding indicates that this mushroom may be useful in preventing cognitive dysfunction.

Various researchers claim that combed manger may be one of the most effective foods for protection against a range of diseases. The health benefits of using it include improving memory, improving mood, eliminating anxiety and depression. It also stimulates our natural production of nerve growth factor (NGF), strengthens the immune system, and stimulates the digestive system. The crested hedgehog is involved in protecting the body from cancer, regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Scientists have long studied the unique neuroprotective and regenerative properties of this mushroom, which are extremely beneficial for patients with Alzheimer's disease, as well as those who want to protect themselves from neurodegenerative diseases. Blackberry has the rare ability to increase our natural production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), which helps stimulate nerve regeneration; slow the onset and promote reversal of Alzheimer's and neurological diseases. Hemlock is able to naturally cross the blood-brain barrier, which may aid in brain development and for the maintenance and survival of critical sensory neurons.

What is Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)? Nerve growth factor is a protein found throughout the body that is essential for the normal growth, repair and regeneration of specific nerve cells (neurons). Nerve growth factor helps stimulate the health and normal functioning of the brain and nervous system. It is in the mushroom that is found to help stimulate our own natural production of nerve growth factor, so that our neurons can actually grow.

Blackberry is often prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a Qi (energy) tonic to treat digestive disorders, ulcers, gastrointestinal diseases and promote healthy metabolism. The combed hedgehog is extremely safe. But the most important ability of this mushroom is the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases; including dementia, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. The substances in this mushroom have been found to have positive effects on memory, learning abilities, reduce free radical damage, and reverse amyloid beta production. They are also an excellent antioxidant, stimulating the body's own production of antioxidants to prevent free radical damage to healthy cells caused by various strains and strains. Blackberry may protect us from memory loss and also help boost our mood. This may help calm you down nervous system, thereby improving attention, concentration and memory. In Chinese medicine, the mushroom is used to treat various forms of cancer, especially those affecting the digestive system. Blackberry may treat cancer due to its ability to stimulate the immune system's natural ability to destroy cancer killer cells.

The combed hedgehog has many names. In England it is better known as lion's mane, in France - Pom-Pom blanc, in Japan - yamabushitake, in China - hautougu. We have this mushroom as a grandfather's beard, mushroom noodles, a monkey's beard, and a bearded tooth. In scientific publications it is most often referred to as hericium comb.

You can meet the lion's mane in the wild in the Amur region, Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories, the foothills of the Crimea and the Caucasus. Grows on fallen and diseased trunks of birch, beech, oak from the first ten days of August to last decade September. As a rule, the fruiting body appears in places where the bark is removed.

The fruiting body of one mushroom can reach 18-20 cm and weigh 1.2-1.6 kg. Color varies from light cream to light beige. The pulp is whitish in color, quite fleshy, turning yellow when dry. Hanging thin needles form a geminophore. The taste is pleasant, reminiscent of shrimp meat.

The combed hedgehog is recognized edible mushroom with enormous healing potential. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. On its basis, medicines are made that help fight chronic gastritis, stomach cancer, and leukemia. The unique property of restoring nerve cells in the brain makes lion's mane successful for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkison's disease, dementia, and senile sclerosis. Constant consumption of yamabushitake cures (prevents) gastritis, including chronic gastritis.

Lion's mane is quite rare in nature. The cost of a wild mushroom ranges from 500 to 3000 euros, so in the wild it is followed by a real silent hunt(especially in the Primorsky Territory from the Chinese comrades). It is quite widely cultivated artificially in China and France, but the medicinal value and cost of artificially grown mushrooms is much lower than that of the “savages”. In Russia, they have also recently learned to grow mushroom noodles. Growing does not require any special difficulties, and mycelium can be easily purchased in numerous online stores.

Photos of the lion's mane