Lilac-footed Chanterelle is a little-known edible mushroom, used after boiling (about 15-20 minutes), pickled. Grows: in autumn on open areas in deciduous forests, on forest edges, meadows, in groups, not very often.
Cap: 5-10(15) cm in diameter, hemispherical, later convex-spread, fleshy, smooth, ochre-leathery, brown-cream. Gills: frequent, wide, free, cream or ochre-gray.
Stem: thick, 5-6 cm long, cylindrical, widened at the base, fibrous, solid, later hollow, lilac or pale-violet. Flesh: thick, fleshy, dense, later loose, cream, gray-lilac with a mild fruity odor.
When cultivating Lilac-footed Chanterelle, the following compost compositions are used:
Variant 1. Fresh, unspoiled dry straw — 12 kg, fresh poultry manure — 8 kg, preparation time — 24-26 days.
Variant 2. Fresh, unspoiled dry straw — 12 kg, fresh horse manure — 8 kg, preparation time — 22-24 days.
Variant 3. Fresh, unspoiled dry straw — 12 kg, fresh cow manure — 8 kg, preparation time — 23-25 days.
Cultivation in the garden. Cultivation of Lilac-footed Chanterelle is similar to that of champignons. Lilac-footed Chanterelle forms fruiting bodies when the outdoor temperature drops below 15 °C, i.e., in autumn, winter, and even spring. The best time for planting the culture is May, but in principle, cultivation can begin in autumn as well. In the garden, it is cultivated on beds, in boxes or bags placed under the shade of trees and shrubs. As with champignon cultivation, after planting, the substrate is covered and kept highly moist.
Lilac-footed Chanterelle mycelium develops better at a temperature around 20°C. Within 2-3 weeks, the substrate is colonized by purple mycelium. Then, a 5 cm layer of moist soil is applied and the culture is covered. Mixtures suitable for champignons can be used. After 2-3 weeks, mycelium appears on the soil surface. Soil cultivation for Lilac-footed Chanterelle does not require tilling. Approximately 3 weeks after covering, at temperatures between 10 and 15 °C, the first mushrooms appear and the covering layer is removed. Fruiting bodies first appear in waves, then continuously. It is important that the covering soil layer always maintains optimal moisture (tested by squeezing). If too dry, small mushrooms will dry out; if overly moist, the mycelium will spread excessively and form a dense purple layer from which mushrooms will hardly emerge.
In both cases, applying a 0.5 cm layer of moist covering soil helps. After each wave of harvest, add soil in the same amount. The Lilac-footed Chanterelle culture can overwinter well. If autumn temperatures fall below 5 °C, beds are covered with bags and topped with a layer of leaves or straw at least 10 cm high. If spring temperatures rise above 10 °C, the covering is removed and a thin layer of soil is reapplied. At temperatures between 10 and 15 °C, fruiting bodies form again. Lilac-footed Chanterelle is harvested by twisting it out of the soil as soon as its cap assumes a horizontal position. After 3-4 months of cultivation, the substrate becomes exhausted and can be used to improve soil structure. Yield is relatively low, around 3% of the substrate mass.
Cultivation indoors. In suitable rooms with a constant temperature of 10-15°C, Lilac-footed Chanterelle can be cultivated on beds, in boxes, or in bags. However, adequate lighting and continuous fresh air supply are required; otherwise, stems become too long and caps too small. For inoculation, germination, and harvest phases, the same principles as for outdoor cultivation apply. Consumption norm: one package is sufficient for 20 kg of compost.
