The giant golovach mushroom (Calvatia gigantea) is familiar to many, as it grows almost everywhere, and it is impossible to mix it with others. This giant has unique healing properties, is easy to prepare. If you have not heard about it before, then below are the full characteristics of various types, healing features, descriptions of dishes, and there are also photos.
Mushroom description
Golovach giant has a number of features:
- body diameter - 20-50 cm;
- the root process is fixed to the ground;
- weighing up to 10 kg;
- the outside is smooth and white;
- mature cracked, brownish;
- spores of olive brown tones;
- the flesh is snow-white, soft, has a pronounced taste and smell;
- with ripening acquires a green-yellow tone inside, later olive-brown.
What does it look like
The golovach is giant in size, which sets it apart from other fungal genera. Spherical or egg-shaped.
Did you know? Calvatia gigantea throws out 7 trillion spores at a distance of more than 2 m at a speed of 90 km / h or 25 m / s.
Where is growing
It prefers a moderate strip, with soil enriched with nutrients. The most suitable growth environment: a forest (mixed, deciduous), a beam with high humidity, a pasture with tall grass, a field, a personal plot. Active growth from June to September.
Edible or not
Young specimens have excellent taste, they are used in cooking. Excellent fried, and also make the first, second courses, snacks, fillings, dried. Older do not use, due to toxins that will lead to poisoning.
Varieties and doubles
Types of mushrooms of the genus Golovach:
- Golovach giant.
- Golovach oblong.
- Golovach round (baggy).
Usually doubles are pearl raincoat and false raincoat.
Golovach oblong
Occurs infrequently. It grows alone, occasionally you can meet in groups.
| The form | In the form of a club, elongated to the base. |
| Leg | Cylindrical, at the beginning thicker or thinner. |
| Dimensions (height, diameter) | 20 cm 10 cm (usually 4-5 cm). |
| External signs of young | White, prickly. |
| External signs of a mature | Brown, smooth, cracks form, falls off. |
| Pulp (young, mature) | Soft, elastic, snow-white color. Olive color, inedible. |
| Disputes | Brown. |
| Growth period | July (from the middle of the month) - the first frost. |
| Where is growing | Forests with a low density of trees, forest belts, among shrubs, in high grass of dense density. |
They are used in boiled, fried, dried types. In medicine, they use plates of a young body, mature spores - it acts against inflammation and as a hemostatic.
Golovach round
Golovach is round - grows alone, rarely found. The second name is baggy (baggy).
| The form | Rounded. Flattening from above, narrowing from below. |
| Leg | There is a folded semblance. |
| Dimensions (height, diameter) | 20 cm 20–25 cm. |
| External signs of young | Snow-white or slightly brown. The skin is dense. Smooth. |
| External signs of a mature | Dun shade. When ripe, it cracks, warts appear, after which it breaks up (in the form of a bowl). |
| Pulp (young, mature) | White, soft, elastic. Olive-brown color. |
| Disputes | Dark brown with a reddish tint. |
| Growth period | May (second half of the month) - September. |
| Where is growing | Woodland, meadow, pasture, with the condition of full sunlight. |
The first and second dishes are cooked from young mushrooms in culinary, dried. In medicine, a fresh body extract is used for coughing, a hoarse voice, with sore throat, and healing properties contribute to the rapid coagulation of blood, help against inflammation.
Head doubles
You can mix it up with an edible pearl raincoat. But unlike the golovach, it has a small size, short stalk, and there is a tubercle at the apex, which becomes a hole in mature mushrooms. Another similar species is a raincoat. Its characteristic features: the flesh is dark purple, have a bad smell and taste.
Growing
Two ways to germinate:
- It is necessary to collect the spores of the overripe golovach. Sow on the site, maintain humidity by constant watering. Harvest will be in six months.
- Soak the hats in water (about 24 hours), stir and pour into the soil, do not forget about watering.
Mushroom benefits
It contains: vitamins (B: B1 and B2, B6 and B9), trace elements (selenium, manganese, iron), macrocells (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium), leucine, tyrosine, lipoids and enzymes, easy-to-absorb protein, calvacin acid. From the latter, a medication is produced against a malignant tumor and sarcoma.
Did you know? Calvacin (a bioactive component of anticancer and antibacterial activity) contained in Calvatia gigantea was discovered in the 1960s.
Cooking recipes
3 easy and tasty recipes for preparing golovach.
Helpful hints:
- Do not cook from collected in contaminated areas;
- try to cook immediately so that it does not lie down;
- you don’t need to boil before cooking, it will lose its quality because of water.
In sour cream
850 g 60 min.
ground black pepper
taste
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Peel and wash vegetables and mushrooms.
- Potatoes cut into slices. Salting to cook. When ready, drain the water.
- Crush mushrooms, fry in oil (25 min. On low heat).
- Fry the onion in half rings (separately).
- Pour onion, boiled potatoes, salt and pepper to the head. Strain for 15 minutes over low heat.
- Add sour cream, mix and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with herbs if desired.
Roasted mushroom golovach
900 g 25 min.
ground black pepper
taste
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Cut the washed, peeled mushroom into strips or cubes.
- Fry in oil. After 5-10 minutes reduce the fire.
- Grind onions, garlic and fry with mushrooms.
- There is salt, pepper and sour cream.
- To cover with a lid.
- Sprinkle with herbs.
Important! For cooking use only young, fresh, with white pulp mushrooms.
Mashed soup
2 l 40-60 min.
pitted olives
3 tbsp. l
ground black pepper
taste
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Peel potatoes, onions, carrots, wash.
- Wash mushrooms, peel, crumble.
- Put boiled potatoes.
- Fry mushrooms, carrots, onions.
- Fall asleep to potatoes and add olives.
- Allow to boil over medium heat.
- Grate cream cheese.
- Add it to the pan, salt and pepper.
- Beat in a homogeneous mass. Chop finely chopped dill.
- Before serving, season with cream (optional).
Medical use
- The use in folk medicine of the giant golovach:
- oncological diseases (leukemia, swelling of the throat, cancer of the bladder, malignant ulcers of the skin);
- improvement of the gastrointestinal tract (dysbiosis);
- liver disease (hepatitis);
- activation of immunity;
- normalization of the cardiovascular system (angina pectoris);
- skin diseases (suppuration, urticaria);
- lung treatment (sarcoidosis, pleurisy, tuberculosis, tuberculosis intoxication);
- diseases of the circulatory system (decrease in blood viscosity);
- diseases of the lymphatic system;
- endocrine system disorders (diabetes, goiter, adrenal dysfunction);
- diseases of ENT organs (chronic tonsillitis, bronchial asthma);
- renal disease;
- hemostatic and antibacterial;
- arterial hypertension.
For treatment, both the external and internal methods are used (decoctions and alcohol tinctures). When harvesting spores, ripened mushrooms are collected, but there are recipes from young ones (when the flesh is laid on wounds, malignant ulcers), in this case they are selected with snow-white flesh. It is used to treat wounds, depriving in domestic animals.
Mushroom danger
Poisoning during prolonged storage (Recommended to store no more than two days in the refrigerator). Old golovachy contain toxins that are dangerous to the body. Mushrooms accumulate harmful substances in a polluted environment, and their use poses a threat to humans.
- Categorically not for a number of diseases:
- pancreatitis
- an ulcer of the stomach or intestines;
- gastritis in the acute stage;
- hypertension.
Important! During pregnancy and feeding, it is better to refuse mushrooms.
The healing properties of the giant golovach have been known for a long time, are applicable to this day. And taking into account the taste, huge sizes - this makes him a favorite among mushrooms. Be sure to pay attention and try to cook or use for medicinal purposes.
