Turkey Tail
ExploreFungi
Turkey Tail
Trametes
Turkey Tail is a colorful fungus that looks like the tail of a turkey! It grows on logs and stumps and is very pretty to see.
Habitat: On decaying wood in forests
Appearance
The Turkey Tail is a vibrant, fan-shaped fungus with striking concentric rings of various colors like brown, grey, blue, and green on its velvety upper surface. Its underside is always white or pale yellow, covered in tiny pores, setting it apart from gilled look-alikes. It often grows in overlapping shelf-like clusters.
KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderPolyporalesFamilyPolyporaceaeGenusTrametes
Category
FungiRarity
Rare
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Instead of gills, it releases its spores through thousands of tiny pores.
Its velvety top surface truly feels like a turkey's tail feather!
Some people call it a "polypore" because of its unique pore-covered underside.
This mushroom stays on dead wood for a long time, even through winter's frost!
Special abilities
Ability
Super Decomposer
Turkey Tail can break down tough dead wood because it produces powerful enzymes that help them recycle forest nutrients.
Ability
Immune Booster
Turkey Tail has special compounds that help the immune system fight off sickness, giving them a health-boosting power.
Ability
Color Chameleon
Turkey Tail can show many colors in wavy zones because different conditions and ages create distinct, vibrant bands on its cap.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 1-4 cm
- Edibility
- edible
- Cap Diameter
- 2-10 cm
- Growth Substrate
- wood
- Season
- Year-round
- Spore Color
- White
Ecological connections
eats
Red Oak
Quercus rubra
Decomposes dead wood from this tree.
eats
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
Breaks down fallen logs and branches.
eats
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Digests dead coniferous wood.
Traits
Deciduous
Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
Medicinal
Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
Spore Producing
Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
Decomposer
Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Also known as
Cloud FungusTrametes versicolor
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 Turkey Tail?
1-4 cm
Is Turkey Tail edible?
edible
How big is Turkey Tail?
2-10 cm
Where is Turkey Tail usually found?
On decaying wood in forests
What does Turkey Tail grow on?
wood
When is Turkey Tail in season?
Year-round
What color are Turkey Tail spores?
White
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
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Where to spot
Park99 sightings17 species
Wisconsin, US
Greenfield Park
You might spot White-Tailed Deer, Common Eastern Bumble Bee, and Duck.
View guide →
Park125 sightings15 species
Pennsylvania, US
North Park
You might spot White-Tailed Deer, Canada Goose, and Great Blue Heron.
View guide →
Park29 sightings10 species
Tennessee, US
T.O. Fuller State Park
You might spot Red Buckeye, Prairie Trillium, and Largeflower Bellwort.
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Park24 sightings9 species
Michigan, US
Hall Street Park
You might spot Duck, Jack-In-The-Pulpit, and Mayapple.
View guide →
Park9 sightings4 species
Washington, US
Bataan Park
You might spot Madrone Skin Miner, Pacific Madrone, and Western Redcedar.
View guide →
Park39 sightings2 species
Virginia, US
Lenclair Park
You might spot Roses, Onions, and Broadleaf Arrowhead.
View guide →
