Pleurotus eryngii: pleurotes

The thistle mushroom, along with the delicious milk cap, is the most sought-after species by mushroom pickers

It appears frequently and is very easy to recognize, so it's no surprise that this is the case. We'll tell you its secrets, where to find it, and what properties it has.

On certain occasions, we have heard of a curious division among mushroom lovers. Between those who look for thistle mushrooms (or cane mushrooms) and those who look for other edible mushrooms. And they are not far wrong. Looking for thistle mushrooms is completely different from looking for other mycological species. They grow in the ground, like the others, but what a different habitat!

Pleorotus eryngii, cardoon mushroom, different names for the same mushroom

This mycological species is so common in all harvesting areas and is so widely consumed that it is somewhat logical that it is known by a wide variety of names and denominations. We will review the most common names for this mushroom.

What is the scientific name for the cardoon mushroom?

Its scientific name is Pleurotus eryngii, which comes from the name of the plant it is associated with, the field thistle (Eryngium campestre). However, in popular usage, no reference is made to the scientific name of the plant, but rather to its common name, which includes chardon, chardon champêtre, and chardon coucou, among others.

Common names for chardon mushrooms

Thus, most of the popular names for this mushroom are pleurote de chardon, pleurote de chardon coucou, pleurote de chardon, champignons de canne or cañaejas, cardoncillo,. . . In Catalan, they are known as bolet d'espinacal or gírgola de panical. In the Basque Country, they are called gardu-ziza, orejua or etsai-onto, and in Galician, they are known as ostras dos garrapitos.

In other European countries, it is also a well-known and popular mushroom, and the association with the plant on which it grows is repeated. In English, it is called King oyster, in German Kräuterseitlinge, in Italian Cardoncello or cardarello.

According to its scientific classification, this mushroom belongs to the Basidiomycetes class, the Tricholomatales order, and the Pleurotaceae family

These articles we have published on other edible mushrooms such as milk mushrooms, edible boletes, chanterelles or black trumpet mushrooms may interest you

What do oyster mushrooms look like?

You probably already know what Pleurotus eryngii looks like. It's not for nothing that it's the most harvested mushroom in our region. But it's good to review its characteristics

Cap

diameter between 3 and 10 cm, variable in color, ranging from dark brown to cream brown and whitish yellow. Its color lightens as it grows. It has a rolled edge

Cap

Mostly eccentric, with no ring or volva. White in color. Connected at the base to the thistle roots.

Gills

Uneven, very decurrent, extending along the cap, and white in color. They are not easily separable from the cap.

Meat

Firm texture and white in color. The stem and cap have the same consistency.

Where can I find oyster mushrooms?

What is the habitat of P. eryngii?

This question is asked by many enthusiasts, so let's explain where to look for these mushrooms.

We have already mentioned that this is a species of mushroom that appears frequently throughout most of our geography, but we will define the habitat of the cardoon mushroom so that we can go and harvest a basket when the rains appear and we have followed the growth cycle of this mushroom.

Association with wild thistle

The main characteristic of the oyster mushroom is that it is saprophytic and lives in association with the field thistle or wild thistle, Erygium campestre. It is also known as the rolling thistle because of the way it spreads in the mountains once dry, rolling with the wind, dispersing seeds and colonizing new areas. Sometimes we can find oyster mushrooms without finding any plants nearby. But we can be sure that there was one and that it probably broke off and rolled away, leaving its dead roots to feed the mushrooms.

This plant is extremely common, so if we locate an area where it abounds, we will already have a good starting point for our search.

The cardoon mushroom likes sunny hillsides and calcareous soils. It prefers abandoned crops, pastures, and roadsides where cardoon plants also abound. It is very fond of land used for grazing and transhumance corridors, in short, soils well fertilized by livestock, especially sheep. This is where the mycelium of Pleurotus eryngii feeds on the dead roots of Eryngium campestre

When can I harvest oyster mushrooms?

This is an edible mushroom that, if weather conditions are favorable, can be found in spring, autumn, and even winter if it is not extremely cold.

The growth cycle of oyster mushrooms is quite long, about 20 days after a period of heavy rain

How should thistle mushrooms be picked?

We are talking about a mycological species that is subject to heavy picking pressure, so it is important to preserve the mushroom beds so that we can enjoy them for a long time. We must respect the minimum sizes and pick carefully to avoid damaging the mycelium.

The thistle mushroom is a species that grows very close to the ground. In addition, its stem is not extremely long, which is why to harvest it, we will need to use a knife, or preferably a curved blade knife.

This way, we will sweep the mushroom and cut it, avoiding digging up the roots and without damaging the mycelium too much, which will be able to continue producing more sporophores for the picker's enjoyment.

Of course, it goes without saying that for storage and transport, you should use a wicker or chestnut basket. These baskets keep them in better condition and help spread the spores to other areas as we walk. So don't forget to pick thistle mushrooms with a basket.

They are very loyal to their territory. Once we have found a good Pleurotus eryngii mushroom, we can visit it at the beginning of a new season. Proof of this can be found in the many areas near roads where you can often see mushroom pickers walking slowly and carefully, without taking their eyes off the ground. An unmistakable sign that the thistle has arrived

Can oyster mushrooms be cultivated?

If you like oyster mushrooms, you're in luck, because this mycological species can be cultivated, and you can even grow it at home. For some time now, Pleurotus eryngii, like P. ostreatus and other Pleurotus species, has been cultivated on an industrial scale. And with very good results in terms of economic profitability!

There are different types of P. eryngii that are suitable for consumption. These are subspecies of Pleurotus eryngii, all of which are ideal for use in cooking and can be cultivated on several types of prepared substrates. Thus, we can find cultivated black eryngii mushrooms, white eryngii mushrooms and even Korean eryngii mushrooms or king eryngii mushrooms.

This subspecies is easily distinguished by its large stem. It is not surprising that many grocery stores mistakenly call them “boletus” because of their resemblance to this type of mushroom.

However, in addition to the industrial cultivation of oyster mushrooms in substrate bags, it has developed significantly in recent years. The cultivation of P. eringii benefits from mycorrhization with field thistle plants. This means we can take advantage of land where thistles already exist, where they are inoculated with their roots in the same field, or where thistles inoculated in the laboratory are planted.

This field work has yielded very good results in terms of mushroom production and speed of appearance. The first P. eryngii mushrooms can take between 3 months and 1 year to appear. After this period, the quantity will increase season after season.

It is also possible to plant wild thistles in areas where they did not previously exist, although this process slows down the appearance of the first thistle mushrooms by one or two seasons.

If you want to try growing oyster mushrooms at home, we recommend this growing kit, which comes with step-by-step instructions and has a very high yield.

What mushrooms can I confuse oyster mushrooms with?

This is the question most amateurs who seek and collect this edible mushroom ask themselves. But the truth is that confusion between oyster mushrooms and other toxic or poisonous species is not common. However, as always, extreme precautions should be taken and if we are not 100% sure of a mycological species, it should be left where it is. All mushrooms fulfill their function in the forest, and we must not forget the mushroom pickers' saying: “ALL MUSHROOMS ARE EDIBLE, ALTHOUGH SOME ARE ONLY EDIBLE ONCE.”

Oyster mushrooms may resemble some poisonous Clitocybe mushrooms, but they have a very different aroma. In addition to being lighter in color, their gills are not decurrent or are much less so, and the stem of these mushrooms is central, not eccentric as in the case of P. eryngii

Cane oyster mushrooms, other types of edible oyster mushrooms

Confusion with the oyster mushroom often results from other very similar species of Pleurotus. These are mainly varieties of P. eryngii that do not grow on the roots of field thistles. They grow on other species of shrubs such as Lasertipium latifolium, Thapsia villos or Ferula communis. These shrubs are commonly known as cañahejas, canalejas, cañalejas.

The mushrooms that grow associated with them are commonly known as seta de caña, cañahejas or setas de cañaheja.

Huge reed mushrooms

On the roots of these shrubs grow Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae and P. eryngii var. nebrodensis. In both cases, these mushrooms are larger than oyster mushrooms, in some cases reaching enormous sizes. They also have a lighter cap color than their companions, although in all cases reed mushrooms are considered excellent edible mushrooms.

What are the properties of eryngii mushrooms?

This mushroom contains significant amounts of minerals and vitamins, making it very beneficial for our health.

Among other things, the benefits of eating oyster mushrooms include:

1. High in fiber, it is useful for combating constipation.
2. The cardoon has a high antioxidant content, which slows down aging.
3. The high water content of this mushroom (and mushrooms in general) helps to hydrate our bodies.
4. Contains iodine, which is beneficial for the proper regulation of our circulatory system.
5. Pleurotus eryngii is rich in potassium, which regulates blood pressure
6. Contains a large amount of B vitamins. Vitamins B2 and B3 regulate our nervous system and help regenerate skin tissue and cells. They also boost our immune system.

This mushroom undoubtedly has many benefits, which is why its consumption is highly recommended. What's more, it's delicious!

Photographs of king oyster mushrooms

The P. eryngii mushroom is very photogenic and it is easy to find images of thistle mushrooms. It is common to see mushroom pickers taking photos of them before putting them in their baskets. Taking photographs of mushrooms in their different habitats also helps us to learn more about each species we pick.

Here is a selection of our favorite eryngii photographs. If you would like us to publish yours, send it to our Facebook group.

The cardoon mushroom in cooking

Pleurotus eryngi is considered by many mushroom lovers to be the highest quality mushroom. And they are not entirely wrong! . It has a pleasant, fine texture and a delicate, very mild flavor.

What's more, it is a fairly common species. For much of the year, we can find them in markets and specialty mushroom shops. But if we can't find wild ones, we can always cook cultivated oyster mushrooms. There are cultivated varieties that are very similar to those we find in the fields. You can even

How to cook oyster mushrooms?

This delicious edible mushroom can be cooked in many ways, grilled, fried, or in stews and risottos. We have already mentioned that it is a highly sought-after mushroom, well known and, of course, widely used in cooking. There are many recipes for oyster mushrooms. Traditional and newer recipes, oyster mushroom risottos, stews...

Did you like this article? Well, don't forget to share it with your friends. And dedicate some of the oyster mushrooms you find on your next outing to us :).

Cheers and mushrooms!