Chicken of the Woods
ExploreFungi
Chicken of the Woods
Laetiporus
The Chicken of the Woods is a bright orange fungus that grows on trees. It looks like a fluffy chicken and is often found in the woods!
Habitat: Forests and wooded areas
Appearance
The Chicken of the Woods is a vibrant, shelf-like fungus with brilliant orange, yellow, or peach-colored surfaces and bright sulfur-yellow undersides. It grows in overlapping layers, lacking traditional gills, which makes it visually distinct from most other shelf fungi.
KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderPolyporalesFamilyLaetiporaceaeGenusLaetiporus
Category
FungiRarity
Rare
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Indigenous peoples traditionally used it for food, showing its long history as a wild delicacy.
Its bright colors act like a beacon, signaling its presence from far away in the forest.
This fungus can grow huge, with some clusters weighing more than 50 pounds!
Unlike many mushrooms, it doesn't have gills; it releases millions of spores from tiny pores!
Special abilities
Ability
Wood Weaver
Chicken of the Woods can break down dead wood because of powerful enzymes that helps them recycle nutrients in the forest.
Ability
Regrowth Power
Chicken of the Woods can reappear year after year on the same tree because its mycelial network lives inside the wood.
Ability
Vibrant Shield
Chicken of the Woods has bright colors that might warn some animals it’s not for them, helping protect its fruiting body.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 10-100 cm
- Edibility
- edible
- Cap Diameter
- 5-60 cm
- Growth Substrate
- wood
- Season
- Late spring to fall
- Spore Color
- White or pale yellow
Ecological connections
parasitizes
Red Oak
Quercus rubra
Causes brown rot in red oak trees.
parasitizes
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
Decays the heartwood of sugar maples.
eats
Black Slug
Arion ater
Feeds on the fungal fruiting body.
Traits
Spore Producing
Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Rapid Growing
Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Also known as
Chicken MushroomSulphur Shelf
Collections
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 tall is Chicken of the Woods?
10-100 cm
Is Chicken of the Woods edible?
edible
How big is Chicken of the Woods?
5-60 cm
Where is Chicken of the Woods usually found?
Forests and wooded areas
What does Chicken of the Woods grow on?
wood
When is Chicken of the Woods in season?
Late spring to fall
What color are Chicken of the Woods spores?
White or pale yellow
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
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Where to spot
Park125 sightings15 species
Pennsylvania, US
North Park
You might spot White-Tailed Deer, Canada Goose, and Great Blue Heron.
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Park95 sightings10 species
Michigan, US
Stony Creek Metropark
You might spot Large Maple Spanworm Moth and Turkey.
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Park38 sightings8 species
Maryland, US
Gathland State Park
You might spot Large Whorled Pogonia and Pink Lady's Slipper.
View guide →
