Side by side
Compare plates
Lay two specimens on the bench — uses, risks, and whether either has a grow lab.
OpenGentle
Maitake
Grifola frondosa
Hen-of-the-woods — a clustered oak fungus eaten for flavor and immune tone.
Flavor
Rich, woodsy, a little pepper when seared — one of the best edible polypores.
Symptoms
low immunity, fatigue, inflammation
Against
Lookalikes if you forage
Days to harvest
30–45 days from a ready block; 12–24 months on buried wood
Choose a specimen