|
| Today, walking the dog I stumbled upon what I believe to be a "Hen of the Woods" mushroom.
I left it where it was, returned home intending to investigate, confirm and then (if appropriate) go back to retrieve it but I got sidetracked, forgot and it's now dark. I currently don't have details (used by keyed guide) regarding pores or gills, etc. nor do I have a photograph at this time. I plan to return tomorrow and post photos. In the meantime, my questions are: - In the way that puffballs could be confused with immature Amanita mushrooms, are there any similar but unsafe mushrooms with which "Hen of the Woods" could be mistaken? It seems most others (polypore species) I know of that even remotely resemble them are also edible. - Is "Hen of the Woods" ever, even when at its prime, solid colored? Is it not always varied colored? (I believe some folks might be confusing "Hen of the Woods" with "Chicken of the Woods".) - With those with which I'm most familiar (morels, puffball), there's a "window of opportunity" for gathering but I understand that some folks that find "Hens of the Woods" leave them to grow larger, coming back a week or whatever later. How large do they get and how does one tell when it's grown all it will? - After that point, for how long are they good? Other than obvious blackening, rot, worm/bug eaten, etc how can one tell if it's too late? If past ideal harvesting time, is it merely a matter of a slightly different or stronger flavour (as with grocery store varieties) or can they become inedible or unsafe? (Maybe I'll go back tonight for some flash photos because I'm looking forward to including them in tomorrow's breakfast!)
Thanks for any help! |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
- Posted by actionclaw 5B (My Page) on Thu, Nov 8, 12 at 1:53
| I'm fairly confident about these (seems almost textbook; right at the base of an oak in November) but with wild mushrooms you can't be too careful, right? I'm not kicking it; just put my (size 9.5/10) foot in there to show scale. If the photo composition isn't the best, please keep in mind it was shot in total darkness! It may be asking too much but I'm hoping for confirmation before breakfast. |
|
- Posted by actionclaw 5B (My Page) on Thu, Nov 8, 12 at 2:12
| Also pinched off one of the "shelves", caps or whatever to photograph at home. |
|
- Posted by actionclaw (My Page) on Thu, Nov 8, 12 at 12:29
| Went back and got it this morning. Here's another photo: |
|
| Did you enjoy your breakfast? These mushrooms tend to appear every year around the same date. Next year try to harvest a week earlier since this specimen looks a little too mature. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Native Plants Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.