Herb. No. 172 · Fomitopsidaceae
Temperate hardwoods of the northern hemisphere. Habitat map, not a pin.
Native · North America · Europe
Native Also grown
LegalCautionfungus
Chicken of the woods
Laetiporus sulphureus
The sulfur shelf — a bright orange bracket that fries like chicken when young, and cramps when old, on the wrong tree, or in the wrong belly.
Laetiporus is a hardwood (and sometimes conifer) bracket, orange above, sulfur-yellow on the pores, no gills. Young tender edges are the food. Old, crumbly, or eucalyptus/conifer collections send people to the couch. This plate teaches recognition. It is not a reliable kit crop — habitat only.
Flavor
Young: lemon-chicken, savory. Old: sour cardboard and regret.
Parts used
Young fruiting body, tender margin
Helpful
- A spectacular edible when you are sure and it is young
Cautions
- Lookalikes in color only
- Host and age matter
- GI upset is common if you guess