Pleurotus citrinopileatus
Description
Pleurotus citrinopileatus is rightfully one of the most interesting mushroom varieties. It attracts attention with the unusually bright coloring of hats and a refined conical shape of fruit bodies. Its taste is the same as that of Pink Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus djamor), but with a lightly specific-piquant shade.
Yellow oyster mushroom identification includes specific habitat on hardwood trees such as oak, elm, and beech. They are growing in clusters of small, funnel-shaped bright yellow caps. The mushroom is native to subtropical regions of Asia.
These mushrooms can be bitter when raw or undercooked, but take on a nutty flavor when cooked thoroughly. The flavor improves with thorough cooking.
Its special feature is resistance to increased air temperature. Depending on its values, the color of hats of mushrooms varies from light-lemon to rich yellow. The Pleurotus citrinopileatus is the perfect choice for the first-time mushroom growing. It grows at room temperature and anywhere warmer.
Common names: Golden Mushroom, Lemon Mushroom, Golden-Lemon Mushroom, Lemon hat Mushroom, Lemon Oyster Mushroom.
Cultivation Tips
Agar
Yellow Oyster mycelium grows well on Malt Yeast Agar. Eager to fruit, you will often see small pins forming on the dish. If left long enough, the mushroom will fruit through the sides of the agar dish. The mycelium can be extremely dense in places and quite thin in others.
Spawn Types
Grain spawn works best. Rye grain, sorghum, millet, or a combination of them are all good candidates for the yellow oyster spawn. Mycelium growth though the spawn will be slow at first but accelerates in pace as the culture colonizes the spawn.
Substrate Types
Yellow Oysters can be grown on either straw or supplemented sawdust. Both work quite well. Supplemented sawdust blocks may provide less delicate (thicker) fruits, but the overall yield will be similar.
Fruiting Containers
Use poly tubing if making straw logs or filter patch grow bags if growing on supplemented sawdust fruiting blocks. If using poly tubing, the mushroom will fruit through the holes in the tubing. For sawdust blocks, the cultivator may want to cut holes wherever the first pins start to form. Cutting the top of the bag off entirely has non-optimal results. Bottle cultures are also commonly used to grow yellow oysters, with large single clusters forming through the top of the bottle.
Yield
Overall yields for yellow oyster mushrooms are smaller than other oyster species. This is due to the fruits being smaller and lighter, and because secondary flushes are usually minimal. Biological efficiency of 30-70% is typical for yellow oysters.
Harvest
Aim to harvest most of the mushrooms in the first flush. Rather than picking off individual mushrooms, the cultivator should remove entire clusters or individual “bouquets” at the base with a sharp knife. This will help to minimize handling. Store in a cool location such as a cold room or refrigerator. Yellow Oysters have a short shelf life and should be sold within a couple of days of being harvested.
Weakness
Yellow Oysters are easy to grow but are extremely delicate, making them difficult to store and transport effectively. These characteristics, along with a short shelf life, make commercial cultivation challenging. Another potential weakness is the long term storage of the culture. Since Yellow Oysters are a warm-weather strain, storing a culture in the refrigerator may kill the mycelium.
Medicinal Properties
Anti-cholesterol and Anti-obesity Effects
Rats were fed a high-fat diet, and some were also fed a variety of golden oyster products; those who received the mushroom supplement had lower cholesterol, lower triglyceride levels, and other markers of better health. The study also identified the chemical constituents responsible for the beneficial effect. A separate study found that mice deliberately made obese by being fed an unhealthy diet, improved when given a golden oyster extract. The mice treated with the extract gained less weight and less body fat and ate less. They also had lower levels of triglycerides and cholesterol and had other markers of better health. Interestingly, their glucose tolerance also improved.
Anti-cancer Effects
A research team extracted a substance from golden oyster fruiting bodies and found that it slowed the reproduction of human leukemia cells. The study was strictly in vitro. The team also studied the chemical structure of the substance and determined that it is a glycoprotein but not a lectin, and also determined how it interferes with cancer cells. Whether eating the whole mushroom could have an anti-cancer effect was not addressed.
Another study showed that a water extract of the mushroom can significantly shrink tumors and reduce inflammation in mice.
Anti-bacterial Effects
A research team isolated another substance, a glucosylceramide, from golden oyster, which was found effective against two potentially disease-causing bacteria types. The team also identified the chemical structure of the substance and several of its other properties, as well as analyzing extracts of the mushroom for other effects. The study was entirely in vitro and did not address whether eating the mushroom could have an antibiotic effect.
Skin Health
Two groups of hairless mice were given a diet known to induce atopic dermatitis in mice. One group was also given an extract of the golden oyster. The mice who received golden oysters had much less severe symptoms of dermatitis. Another study looked at the properties of several extracts and concluded that the mushroom has the potential for successful use in skincare products and cosmetics.
Anti-inflammatory Effects
Several studies have investigated the anti-inflammatory qualities of the golden oyster. Most of these studies have been purely in vitro, aimed more at understanding the chemistry of mushroom-derived substances, rather than at developing treatments per se. Because “inflammation” plays a role in many different disease processes, not just the familiar swellings from athletic-type injuries, anti-inflammatory substances are very valuable - they could have a role in the treatment of cancers, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and more. It is not yet clear whether eating golden mushroom itself could have a therapeutic, anti-inflammatory effect, but extracts derived from the mushroom have potential.
Cooking Notes
Yellow Oyster is a tasty addition to any meal. If undercooked, the mushroom can be extremely bitter and off-putting. However, if cooked for a sufficient amount of time, a balanced “nutty” flavor develops. The mushroom can be cooked until it is crispy, with the tiny flaky caps acting as a substitution for bacon bits- a nice addition to salads. Unfortunately, the brilliant yellow color is almost entirely lost during cooking.
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Kerry Givens (kgivens) (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 2 - Author: claralieu (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Photo 3 - Author: EvaK (Eva Kröcher) (CC BY-SA 2.5)
Photo 4 - Author: claralieu (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Photo 5 - Author: claralieu (CC BY-SA 2.0)
