100% Dry Oyster Mushrooms by Fozkom. The oyster mushroom, is a common edible mushroom. Oyster mushrooms may sound more like something you’d find in the ocean than on land. Yet this edible fungus can be beneficial to the body and breaks down toxic chemicals.
It was first cultivated in Germany as a subsistence measure during World War I and is now grown commercially around the world for food. It is related to the similarly cultivated king oyster mushroom. Oyster mushrooms can also be used industrially for mycoremediation purposes.
The oyster mushroom is one of the more commonly sought wild mushrooms, though it can also be cultivated on straw and other media. It has the bittersweet aroma of benzaldehyde (which is also characteristic of bitter almonds).
Facts About Oyster Mushrooms
- The oyster mushroom is a saprotroph, meaning it feeds on dead and decaying matter (mainly wood).
- They are found on hardwoods throughout the world in the spring and fall.
- The caps usually range between 5 to 25 cm (2 to 10 inches) and are shaped like a fan or an oyster. The caps are rolled into a convex shape when young and will flatten out and turn up as the mushroom ages. They can be white, yellow, brown, tan, and even pink!
- They have a unique scent that is often described as sweet like anise or licorice (liquorice).
- The latin name Pleurotus ostreatus means “sideways oyster”, referring to the oyster-like shape of the mushroom.
- There are a few closely related species that can be hard to distinguish from oysters. Thus it’s helpful to bring someone knowledgeable when searching for them in the woods.
- The mycelia will kill and eat nematodes (small roundworms) and bacteria, making them one of the few carnivorous mushrooms.
