Oyster mushroom Coloring Pages

Its cap is flat, so it is called "Hiratake"

An Oyster mushroom is a mushroom where many flat caps stack together to form a cluster.
It is said that its Japanese name comes from how the caps open up flat as they grow.
The caps look like shells or ears, and big ones can grow up to 20 centimeters across!
They are dark when they are young, and turn gray or light brown as they grow up.

The stem grows from the side of the cap

Shiitake and button mushrooms have stems that grow right out of the middle of their caps.
But the stem of an Oyster mushroom usually grows from near the edge of the cap.
So when you look at it from the side, the cap spreads out to one side like a paper fan.
Underneath the cap, lots of thin white gills line up closely, running down toward the stem.

"Kandake" grows in the cold season

In the mountains, wild Oyster mushrooms grow from late autumn to early spring on fallen logs and tree stumps, like oak and beech trees.
Because they grow in the cold season, some places call them Kandake, which means "cold mushroom."
Sometimes they grow out from tree trunks in many layers, just like shelves!

It used to be sold as "Shimeji"

Actually, Oyster mushrooms used to be sold under the name "Shimeji" long ago.
That is because Oyster mushrooms grown in jars looked just like shimeji mushrooms!
Later, when people started growing lots of Buna-shimeji, those became known as "Shimeji." After that, you did not see Oyster mushrooms as much.
Try comparing them to the Shimeji at the supermarket today! They also look completely different from the autumn mushroom Matsutake.

Big and small caps in one cluster

The first coloring page shows a cluster of Oyster mushrooms sold at the supermarket, just like in the photo.
From the thick white stem at the bottom, many smaller stems branch out. At the ends, big caps and small caps stack together!
Under the big caps, tiny caps are hiding, getting ready to grow big.
When you cook with them, you cut off the bottom part and tear them into smaller pieces with your hands.

Mild taste for many kinds of food

Oyster mushrooms have a mild flavor, so they go great in all kinds of food!
They are delicious in hot pots, miso soup, rice dishes, tempura, stir-fries, and butter sautees.
When you cook them, they get a nice smooth feel and a good chewy texture.

The cap is a greyish brown

The Oyster mushroom cap is a greyish brown.
Try coloring the whole cap light brown first, then add a little grey around the middle.
If you make the edge of the cap a little darker, it will look like the edge curls inward.
We recommend making the small caps darker than the big ones. That is because younger Oyster mushrooms have darker colors!

The gills and stem are white to cream color

The gills under the cap are white or light cream color.
If you move your colored pencil along the gill lines as you color, the lines will show up nicely.
The stem is whitish too, but try adding a little light brown to the cut end at the bottom.
If you add just a very light grey to the shady spot under the cap, it will look like the cap is sitting on top of the stem.

Make the mushroom hot pot full of fun colors

In the hot pot picture, color the Oyster mushroom greyish brown, the cabbage leaves yellow-green, and the center parts white.
Color the green onions white and green, the flower-shaped carrots orange, leave the tofu white, and make the shiitake mushrooms dark brown.
Color the clay pot brown or black, and leave the steam white to make a warm winter hot pot!

Color overlapping caps with different brightness

In a cluster of Oyster mushrooms, many caps overlap each other.
Color the big cap on top bright, and color the caps hidden underneath a little darker. This makes the layers stand out clearly.
Try coloring while imagining light shining from above!

Appears even in tales from the Heian period

Oyster mushroom is a mushroom that has been eaten in Japan for a very long time.
It even appears in a storybook from the Heian period called "Konjaku Monogatarishu."
People in Japan have loved it for almost 1,000 years.

In English, it's the "oyster" mushroom

Oyster mushroom is called Oyster mushroom in English.
Oyster means the shellfish, oyster. Its flat, wide cap looks just like an oyster shell.
It is a popular mushroom grown all around the world!

It can be grown on many kinds of trees

Oyster mushroom can be grown on many kinds of trees, like beech and walnut.
They can be grown using sawdust, or they can be grown using logs, too.
They are easy to grow, so people sometimes use them for mushroom-growing experiences.

A Mushroom for Cold Weather

Most mushrooms grow in autumn, but Oyster mushroom grows even during winter.
You might even find it growing on tree trunks in snowy seasons.
People in the mountains have cherished it as a rare mushroom you can find during the cold season.