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Grey Oyster Mushroom
Edible 
Autumn 
Spring 
Summer 
Winter 
Fairly common but localised. Can be found in large numbers at any time of year.
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | Grey Oyster Mushroom |
| Scientific Name | Pleurotus ostreatus |
| Season Start | All Year |
| Season End | All Year |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 0 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 15 |
Cap
Convex and shell-shaped when young opening out flatter with wavy, sometimes split edges. Smoky grey/silver/brown.
Gills
White but turning slightly yellow and running most of the way down the stem. Crowded.
Stem
White and opening out to the cap when present as sometimes the cap appears to comes straight from the tree.
Flesh
White. Tough in the stem.
Habitat
Deciduous trees, particularly beech. Grows in large shelf-like clusters on stumps and fallen wood.
Possible Confusion
Other oyster mushrooms which can be pink, white, pictured, or yellow. These are all edible.
Oysterlings look similar but never grow more than four centimetres across.
Angels Wings, Pleurocybella porrigens, which can be deadly if you suffer kidney disease. This is usually funnel shaped with a split so the funnel is incomplete. Rare and found mainly in Scotland.
Spore Print
Lilac. Cylindrical.
Taste / Smell
Excellent. Mushroomy.
Frequency
Fairly common.
Other Facts
The Oyster mushroom has some amazing properties one of which is that it is a carnivorous mushroom which traps and ingests nematode worms to provide it with nitrogen and other useful chemicals.
The Pleurotus family contain statins which are thought to help reduce cholesterol.
Another is the fact that they have the ability to clean up pollution by hydrocarbons like petrol and oil which is quite incredible.
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