Gourmet
Oyster mushrooms
genus
Pleurotus Ostreatus
Common names
Oyster mushroom, Oyster fungus, Hiratake, or Pearl oyster.
Taste
Subtle earthy/nutty notes, savory anise flavor.
Cooking
Can be added to soups, stews and stir fries or sautéed in a pan with garlic.
Size, texture & Color
2-20 cm wide - Oyster shell shape, convex, wavy.
Smooth surface and firm texture.
Multiple colors, range from white, grey, pink, yellow, tan to dark brown.
Health benefits
Oyster mushrooms provide many healthy benefits such as better support of the immune system, lower high blood pressure, regulating cholesterol levels, anti-inflammatory properties, anti-cancer properties, protecting the heart against cardiovascular disease and defend against neurodegenerative diseases.
History and culture
Firstly cultivated in Germany due to food shortages in World War I, oyster mushroom has since become a staple in diets across the world.
Oyster mushrooms are one of the few carnivorous mushrooms! The mycelia of oyster mushrooms will kill and eat bacteria and tiny worms called nematodes. It’s believed this is the main way that oyster mushrooms get nitrogen.
Oyster mushrooms grow in forest environments, where they are found on the side of dead or decaying trees and logs. They grow in clusters off of the wood and grow abundantly on trees in forest environments of Asia, Europe, and North America.
Growing infos.
Incubation & fruiting temperature
Incubation at 20-24°C
Fruiting condition vary with strains :
Elm Oyster 10-18°C
Black King Oyster 15-21 °C
Pearl Oyster 15-24 °C
Blue Oyster 12-18 °C
Pink Oyster 18-30 °C
Yellow Oyster 18-30 °C
Preffered substrate
Most widely used substrate for oyster mushrooms is straw. However, sawdust, cardboard, coffee grounds and other byproducts of agriculture such as sugarcane bagasse, coco coir and cotton waste can also be used.
Innoculation to fruiting time
1-2 weeks in incubation, add 1 week for the fruiting body to reach maturity.
They are one of the the quickest mushroom grower.
Yield & number of flushes
Very good. 3-4 Flushes possible. Amount decreases by half after each flush.
Difficulty
Very easy. They are one of the easiest types of mushrooms to grow, due to their fast growth, wide variety of potential substrates and tolerance to growing conditions.