Home > The Story of Pine-Mushrooms > Types
Mushrooms sprout mostly in the rainy season of summer or in the autumn when the temperature drops. Time and location of sprouting are fixed for each type of pine-mushroom. There are about 10,000 kinds of mushrooms in the world and about 2,000 of them have been identified. About 1,000 of them are edible and 80-100 of them are commercialized. About 50 of them are poisonous.
There are white, cream, and brown mushrooms. In Korea, the white ones, which are comparatively small, are the most popular mushrooms. Since they have a pure white color, they are highly priced. Their defects, however, are that they are very fragile and easily perish during transport.

The white brown pine-mushrooms that also belong to the same family grow when frost forms in the mountains. Their gills, covered with thin black fibers, are a tender yellow, while the stems are white.

Since they are tasty and fragrant, they can be used in Japanese dishes such as miso soup or in Chinese dishes such as roasts and soups. As the mushroom collection season ends, they begin to grow in stocks on red pine trees or on the fallen leaves of broad-leaf trees and pine trees that occupy the same area.

Pine-mushrooms are divided into Oriental, American, and European varieties depending on where they grow. White American pine-mushrooms, cultivated in the U.S.A. and Canada, are different from their Oriental counterparts in shape and in genetical makeup. Though American pine-mushrooms have a similar aroma to that of the Oriental variety, they are much cheaper due to their morphological shape.
Phellinus linteus mushrooms (mushrooms that grow under mulberry trees) and enoki take mushrooms are two of the mushrooms that grow in Korea. Enoki mushrooms are mostly produced in the early spring and late autumn, but can be cultivated in jars throughout the year. Wild brown enoki mushrooms are best in the fall and winter.

There are grades indicating the quality of pine-mushrooms. First grade mushrooms are of the highest quality; they are over 8 centimeters long and have an unopened pileus. Second grade pine-mushrooms are 6-8 centimeters long. At first glance, they may look like first grade mushrooms but their widths are irregular and their pilei are about 1/3 opened.

Third grade mushrooms come in two kinds; one is immature with less than 6 centimeters in length, and the other has a completely opened pileus. Other grades includes deformed, damaged, moldy, wet, etc.
Pine-mushrooms can be classified into Asian pine-mushrooms, American pine-mushrooms, European pine-mushrooms, and so on. American pine-mushrooms growing in the USA and in Canada are genetically different from Asian mushrooms. They have a similar aroma, but they look quite different, bringing down their price. They have a nice fragrance, but are bigger than Asian mushrooms and whiter with a big taper rate.

European, North African, and some North American pine-mushrooms grow in the Mediterranean area, and are known as the Mediterranean species. They are known to be genetically different from Asian pine-mushrooms.

Mexican, Moroccan, and Algerian mushrooms are similar to Asian mushrooms in shape and color. In Japan, pine-mushrooms such as Nado mushrooms and Ajaebi mushrooms are grown; the Ajaebi mushroom is well known for its complete lack of aroma.

In Korea, chiefly Chinese pine-mushrooms are imported. It is rather difficult to distinguish them from domestic mushrooms; it requires a certain knowledge. Many of the Korean pine-mushrooms have dirt on their pileus and are rigid. There is also dirt on their end, and they have a strong, unique aroma.

Chinese pine-mushrooms are clean, without dirt, and are rather soft. Also, they are generally not very fresh and have a weak aroma.