# Dryad's Saddle (*Cerioporus*)

The Dryad's Saddle is a mushroom that looks like a saddle! It grows on trees and has a unique shape.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 81
- **Habitat:** On trees
- **Also known as:** Pheasant Back

![Dryad's Saddle](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426747/objects/5116.jpg)

## Appearance

The Dryad's Saddle is a large, fan- or kidney-shaped mushroom with a short, stout stalk. Its cap is creamy to light brown, covered in distinctive dark brown, flattened scales. The underside has large, angular, whitish pores.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Polyporales
- **Family:** Polyporaceae
- **Genus:** Cerioporus

## Interesting facts

- It's named after tree nymphs from Greek mythology!
- Its scaly cap can sometimes resemble a snake's skin!
- This mushroom often smells just like fresh watermelon or cucumber.
- Young Dryad's Saddle can be sliced thin and cooked like bacon.

## Special abilities

- **Nature's Recycler:** Dryad's Saddle can break down tough dead wood, helping return vital nutrients to the forest soil.
- **Spore Shooter:** This fungus has millions of tiny pores under its cap that release countless white spores to create new mushrooms.
- **Speedy Sprouter:** Dryad's Saddle can grow surprisingly fast, sometimes appearing large in just a few days after rain.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2-15 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 5-50 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Spring to fall
- **Spore Color:** White

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Dryad's Saddle?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Dryad's Saddle?

2-15 cm

### Is Dryad's Saddle edible?

edible

### How big is Dryad's Saddle?

5-50 cm

### Where is Dryad's Saddle usually found?

On trees

### What does Dryad's Saddle grow on?

wood

### When is Dryad's Saddle in season?

Spring to fall

### What color are Dryad's Saddle spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Ambler Heights Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ambler-heights-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District
- [Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackhand-gorge-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve
- [Bristol Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bristol-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District
- [Camp Misty Mount Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-misty-mount-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District
- [Cleveland Cultural Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cleveland-cultural-gardens) — Ohio, US · Park
- [Days Ferry Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/days-ferry-historic-district) — US · Historic District

[View all places to see Dryad's Saddle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dryad-s-saddle)

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Dryad's Saddle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dryad-s-saddle)