False Turkey Tail

Stereum ostrea

Family: Stereaceae

Also called: False Turkey Tail, Golden Curtain Crust, Oyster Stereum

False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea)
Photo:This image was created by user Martin Livezey (MLivezey) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can(CC BY-SA 3.0)View original source →

Overview

Common smooth-undersided bracket on dead hardwood. The classic turkey-tail look-alike — confirm pore surface before harvest. Inedible.

Edibility
Tea / extract only
Rarity
common
Trophic mode
saprotrophic
Typical peak
Year-round

Season

Year-round — typical fruiting months: , Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.

Host trees & substrate

  • Dead standing oak snags and logs
  • Dead standing beech snags and logs
  • Dead standing maple snags and logs
  • Dead standing birch snags and logs

Where it grows

See live fruiting predictions for False Turkey Tail on the forecast home page, or browse the full field guide.

Always confirm wild-mushroom identification with multiple sources and a knowledgeable local expert before consuming. Read the foraging safety guide.