Mushroom tinder has a lot of varieties, most of which are beneficial to our body. Experienced mushroom pickers know about all its possibilities, well, now we will pay attention to its composition, application in medicine and life, and also tell you how to properly collect, harvest and use this forest dweller.
Botanical description
Polypores, or trutovik - representatives of the unsystematic group of mushrooms belonging to the basidiomycetes department. They grow on wood, but sometimes on the ground.
Their hymenophore is tubular, the fruiting bodies are prostrate, sessile or cone-shaped, with a view of the pulp from fleshy to hard (leathery, corky, woody).
Energy value and calorie
100 g of this product contains only about 22 kcal, as well as:
- proteins - 3.09 g;
- fat - 0.34 g;
- carbohydrates - 3.26 g
Chemical composition
In addition to the high content of proteins and carbohydrates, there is a lot of cellulose, resinous substances, vitamins of group B, selenium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and manganese in tinder.
Medicinal properties
The therapeutic properties of the fungus are numerous:
- bactericidal;
- antivirus;
- tonic;
- expectorant;
Expectorant properties also have: blue cyanus, ground reed grass, fragrant pectinus, savory, ivy-shaped bud, silver-colored loch, oregano, bitter wormwood, juniper, bruise, birch, heather, and devil.
- antitumor;
- wound healing;
- rejuvenating;
- diuretic;
- anti-inflammatory.
Collection and Procurement Rules
Trumpet mushrooms can be harvested throughout the year, but the main thing is that they grow on living trees. Mushroom should be carefully separated at its base from the tree. Do not forget to cut off the crust and growth from it with a knife. 
Preparation is recommended to do on the day of collection, as these mushrooms harden very quickly. They are usually dried on a stove or in well ventilated areas.
They can also be harvested in the form of tinctures, which are then stored in a refrigerator, or in the form of powdered powder stored in a can or other glass container. Another option is freezing. Then the mushrooms will be able to extend the term of its benefit up to six months, or even up to a year.
Important! When making the infusion, be sure to follow the recipe, otherwise you may experience side effects after its use: headache, nausea and vomiting.
Application
It is possible to use these mushrooms both in the medical purposes, and in usual life. 
In medicine
With the help of mushrooms, many different diseases are treated:
- an ulcer;
- different tumors;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- constipation;
Coping with such a problem as constipation will also help: gentian, chard, sage, raisins and chamomile.
- disorders of the liver;
- bladder disease;
- pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis;
- pancreas;
- gout and others
In addition, they contribute to the healing of wounds, as well as part of the recipes for weight loss and against insomnia.
At home
In the old days, the tinder was used as a tinder (wick), igniting fire with it. They were made hats and some clothes, it turned out a kind of natural suede. 
Today, these mushrooms are used in beekeeping as fuel for the smoker. They are also used in the manufacture of souvenirs, crafts, pendants.
Did you know? Some contemporary artists today use felt-tip pens with a home-made rod, cut out of the fungus. In this tool, you can change the shape and size of the writing rod at its discretion. Yes, and replace it with a new one, too, is not a big deal, just go to the forest. Artists believe that in this case, the drawn lines are more juicy and diverse.
The role of the fungus in the life of the tree
Polypores are considered parasites that trees infect by air - fungal spores fall into their wounds. If they have already appeared on the tree, then the plant is doomed, since it is impossible to bring them out (only prophylaxis will help avoid appearance).
There are two options: either to cut down the tree, uproot the stump and burn it, or to constantly cut off the mushrooms, disinfecting the places of their appearance. 
Although it cannot be said that the appearance of tinder artists is a uniquely negative phenomenon. Yes, on the one hand, they destroy the wood on a healthy tree, weakening it, on the other - they are involved in the decomposition of dead wood, turning it into humus.
Tinder fungus
Subspecies of this mushroom a lot. Now we will tell you about its main representatives.
Larch (real)
Larch, or, as it is called, "real" - the most useful type of tinder. It is inedible, but medicinal. It is widely used by nutritionists who deal with patients with impaired metabolism. They also treat constipation and use it to stop bleeding.
According to the structure, these mushrooms are woody. Their width is from 5 to 40 cm, thickness is 5-20 cm. They are mounted sideways on trees. 
Flat
It is an inedible mushroom, which mainly settles on dead wood (mainly birch stumps). It is also called the artist's mushroom, because when pressed with a knife, a dark imprint remains on which to draw.
This species is very large, in diameter it reaches 40-50 cm. The surface of its cap is matte, and it looks dry in appearance, its color varies from rusty brown to grayish brown. 
Explore popular types of edible mushrooms.
Varnished (Reishi)
There are no toxic substances in this subspecies. Based on it, they make useful cosmetic products (for example, for skin and nails), and also they are used to rejuvenate the whole body and cleanse the liver, which leads to cleansing the skin from various rashes.
The color of his cap varies from reddish to brownish-purple, and sometimes even black with a yellowish tinge. It has a smooth surface resembling a lacquer coating. 
Umbrella
The fungus has diuretic, antitumor, antibacterial and antiviral properties. It also increases the activity of hair growth. Young specimens are completely edible, they are used fresh, salted, pickled, dried.
Outwardly, it is somewhat reminiscent of oyster mushroom. Grows often at the base of the trunks. His flesh is white, characterized by an attractive aroma of nuts and mushrooms. 
Sulfur Yellow
In culinary, this particular type is most often used. Its regular use lowers cholesterol and sugar in the blood, normalizes the state of the cardiovascular system. It has antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects. Vegetarians often replace them with poultry meat.
Important! In cooking, you can use only young specimens, growing on coniferous trees, and then only in a thermally processed form!
They are usually located low above the ground on tree trunks or stumps. Their flesh is soft and juicy, rather fragile, white, sourish in taste. 
Winter
Inedible mushroom. Although some sources say that it can still be eaten, but only a hat and only a young mushroom. True, while it is absolutely tasteless, it is difficult to say that it is better to cook out of it.
His hat is gray-brown, rounded, with a depressed center and tucked edge. Leg - velvety, brownish. The flesh is white, tough. 
Bristled
Mushroom inedible and even toxic. It is an ash parasite (causes wood rot). The top of young hats is red-orange, then it gets a different color - from red-brown to blackish. The pulp is brownish, it is lighter at the surface and edge of the hat. 
We advise you to learn more about edible morels, chanterelles, poplar ryadovkah, boletus mushrooms, boletus, aspen weights, white podgruzdkah, boletus, boletus, ceps, honey agarics, boletus mushrooms, waves.
Chestnut
Also inedible subspecies. It is considered absolutely useless. The cap can be from 5 to 25 cm in diameter. Its shape is irregular, funnel-shaped, with wavy edges. In young specimens, they are gray-brown, in mature specimens - rich brown, almost black. 
Stiff-haired
It contains substances with antibiotic properties and antitumor action. It helps to treat pulmonary diseases, relieve fever, help the muscle tissue to recover. In cooking, it is not used.
His flesh is thin, whitish, with a bitter taste. Young mushrooms may have a slight aniseed smell. Short tubes - up to 6 mm long. 
Volatile
Also inedible. It grows on thin fallen branches. Fruits in summer and autumn. Fruit bodies of this subspecies are small. The diameter of the hat is no more than 5 cm. It is fleshy with thin edges, yellow-brown or ocher color. The leg is long, thin, dark brown or black. 
Birch
According to its medicinal properties similar to tinder present. It grows on birch trees, which is why it has such a name. Good as an antispasmodic. Appearance resembles a large kidney of a brownish hue. Brown rot, which he produces, very quickly "kills" the tree.
Did you know? This subspecies is used to treat the last stage of cancer when medications have no effect. Birch tinder can stop the growth of metastases and relieve pain. In such cases, 1 tablespoon of mushroom powder is poured 400 ml of boiling water and boiled for 20 minutes, then filtered and take 1 tablespoon three times a day.
We recommend you to read about how to dry, pickle, freeze mushrooms.
Radiant
The mushroom is inedible. Its fruit body is in the form of lateral caps, often numerous, yellowish in color. Radiant polypores are formed mainly on the trunks of dead alder, as an exception - on birch. 
Multicolored
For medicinal purposes, it is used very widely: for the regulation of the functioning of the liver and the rehabilitation of cancer patients, the fungus has hormonal-stimulating, immunostimulating and vasodilating actions. It is used in the treatment of alcoholism, and even against the herpes virus.
Hats of this subspecies are usually up to 10 cm in diameter. The top is divided into zones of different colors: white, gray, brown are replaced by blue and almost black. 
Scaly
Another name is motley. Basically, the fungus is added to the ointment against inflammation in the joints, osteochondrosis, arthrosis, varicose veins. He is a distant congener oyster mushroom. It differs from it only in that on the underside of the hat he does not have plates, but tubes. 
Cinnabar Red
This mushroom is inedible. It can be used to produce pulp from various wastes, since it contains lactose, which destroys lignin. According to its structure, these are cork mushrooms with a diameter of 3 to 12 cm. Young specimens of a bright cinnabar-red color, but mature ones fade and become almost ocher in color. 
Odorous
This subspecies is inedible. His second name is fragrant. Its feature is aniseed smell. The fruit body is rusty brown. Often grows this fungus on fallen trees and stumps of coniferous trees. 
Humpback
In cooking, it is not used, but in medicine - yes. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and antiviral properties.
His caps are flat (sometimes uneven), with a velvety surface, which with age is able to bare. Fruit bodies are sometimes covered with algae, due to which they get a green tint. The pulp looks like a cork - more often white, less often - yellowish. 
Garment maker
It has pigments used in industry for dyeing. The garment is completely odorless and tasteless. Its spores are white, with a faint olive-yellow shade or rust color.
This subspecies settles on the roots of trees, and sometimes goes shallow to the ground. It looks like a typical so-called soil fungus. 
Liverworm
Also known as "Teschin's tongue". It is saturated with vitamin C, 100 g of its pulp - the daily rate of ascorbic acid. It contains carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, various vitamins, phosphorus. Young "Teschin tongue" with lumbering pulp is edible.
The diameter of the fruit body sometimes reaches 30 cm. Young liverpieces are quite shapeless, and in adulthood they become tongue-like, leafy or fan-shaped. Their surface is shiny, smooth, with moisture - sticky.
Important! The composition of trute mushrooms is not fully understood, so before starting treatment with their help, it is better to consult with a specialist.
As we see, the family of these mushrooms is very diverse. There are both medicinal and edible. And there are dangerous! Therefore, be careful before applying them and be sure to find out about the properties of each subspecies. We hope that our article will help you with this.
