Sophie Bennett
Chicken of the Woods is a popular edible mushroom among foragers, but it has several toxic look-alikes. Accurate identification is essential to avoid poisonous species. One of the biggest determining factors to identify the Chicken of the Woods mushroom is that it is a polypore, meaning it has small pores on the underside, instead of gills. It has a bright yellow to orange colour and a meaty texture, resembling the colour and taste of chicken. Here are some of its most common look-alikes:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | Bright yellow, orange, reddish-brown |
| Texture | Smooth to finely wrinkled with a velvety feel |
| Shape | Fan-shaped to semi-circular |
| Cap | Wavy in appearance, soft yet thick with a watery feel when young, becomes tough and crumbly when mature |
| Flesh | Tender, fleshy |
| Stem | Black, fibrous |
| Taste | Similar to chicken |
| Type | Polypore, bracket fungus |
| Gills | Absent |
| Ridges | Absent |
| Pores | Fine |
| Fragrance | Earthy |
| Location | Dead or dying trees, hardwood trees like oak, poplar, and willow |
| Look-alikes | Hen of the Woods, Grifola frondosa, maitake mushroom, black staining polypore, velvet-top fungus, honey fungus, jack o'lantern mushroom, giant polypore |
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What You'll Learn
Jack O'Lantern mushrooms are toxic lookalikes
Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are a popular edible fungus, with a texture and taste similar to chicken. They are bright yellow to orange in colour, with a fan-like shape and a fleshy, tender stem. They are typically found on dead or decaying trees in North America, Europe, and Asia.
While Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are relatively easy to identify, there are a few toxic look-alikes to be aware of. One of the most notable toxic look-alikes is the Jack O'Lantern mushroom (Omphalotus illudens or Omphalotus olearius). This mushroom closely resembles the Chicken of the Woods in both colour and shape and is highly poisonous. It can cause severe gastrointestinal issues and nervous system damage.
Jack O'Lantern mushrooms are named for the eerie, flickering lights they give off, reminiscent of the lanterns used on Halloween. They are often found in similar environments to Chicken of the Woods, growing on dead or decaying trees. However, a key difference is that Jack O'Lantern mushrooms have gills or ridges on their undersides, while Chicken of the Woods, as a type of polypore mushroom, has small pores instead of gills. This distinction can be used to tell these two mushrooms apart.
It is crucial to accurately identify mushrooms before consuming them. If you are unsure about the identity of a mushroom, it is best to seek guidance from an experienced mycologist or a reliable field guide specific to your region. Do not consume any mushrooms unless they have been positively identified by a professional or an experienced guide.
In addition to the Jack O'Lantern mushroom, there are a few other look-alikes to the Chicken of the Woods that should be noted. These include the hairy stereum, black staining polypore (Meripilus sumstinei), giant polypore (Meripilus giganteus), and velvet-top fungus. While some of these mushrooms are not poisonous, they can cause digestive issues or be unpalatable. Always exercise caution when foraging for wild mushrooms.
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Velvet Top fungus has gills, unlike Chicken of the Woods
Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are one of the easiest and most beginner-friendly mushrooms to find. They are edible and have a delicious meaty texture that can be used to replace chicken in recipes. They are orange or yellow in colour and have a shelf-like structure, resembling the colour of chicken. They are a type of bracket fungus, meaning they have a fan-shaped to almost semi-circular shape. They are also a polypore, meaning they have small pores on the underside instead of gills.
The Velvet Top fungus (Phaeolus schweinitzii) is a brown root and butt rotter. It is not poisonous, but it is also not edible. Younger specimens of the Velvet Top fungus are sometimes yellow or orange and bear some resemblance to the Chicken of the Woods mushroom. However, unlike Chicken of the Woods, the Velvet Top fungus has gills. When the Velvet Top fungus is young, its texture is tough and brittle, whereas Chicken of the Woods has a soft texture when young. The Velvet Top fungus also has a brown velvety look on the top, which the Chicken of the Woods does not have.
The Velvet Top fungus gets its name because its fruiting bodies are velvet-like when young and fresh, with rich and clear colours. These bodies are circular, sunken towards the centre, and can be up to 10 inches across. They are most often found on the ground near the trunk of a white pine or spruce tree.
It is important to be able to distinguish between the Chicken of the Woods mushroom and its look-alikes, as some similar-looking mushrooms are toxic. For example, the Jack O'Lantern mushroom has a similar orange colour but is highly toxic and should be avoided. Therefore, if you are not experienced in mushroom hunting, it is important to only eat mushrooms that have been positively identified by a professional or accomplished guide.
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Hen of the Woods is often confused due to its name
Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are bright yellow to orange in colour, with a meaty texture and a taste similar to chicken. They are a favourite among foragers and are considered easy to identify. However, there are several toxic look-alikes that can be easily mistaken for Chicken of the Woods.
Hen of the Woods mushrooms, also known as Grifola frondosa or maitake mushrooms, are sometimes confused with Chicken of the Woods due to their similar names. While they are both poultry-related names, Hen of the Woods mushrooms are brown to gray in colour and have a different overall look. They get their name because they resemble the feathers of a hen, while Chicken of the Woods gets its name from its chicken-like taste.
Other mushrooms that can be mistaken for Chicken of the Woods include the Jack O'Lantern mushroom, which is highly poisonous and can cause severe gastrointestinal issues and nervous system damage. The Black Staining Polypore (Meripilus sumstinei) is another look-alike, with a yellow-orange colour on top and black stains. While it is not deadly, it can cause digestive discomfort. The Giant Polypore (Meripilus giganteus) is also similar in appearance, with a yellow-orange colour, but it is not edible and can cause digestive issues.
Additionally, the Velvet-Top fungus can be confused with Chicken of the Woods, especially when young and yellow or orange. However, it has a brown velvety texture on top and is tough and brittle, while Chicken of the Woods is pliable when young. Honey fungus is another potential look-alike, but it is quite different from Chicken of the Woods and is edible.
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Black Staining Polypore is edible but causes digestive issues
The Black Staining Polypore (Meripilus sumstinei) is a mushroom that has been described as a "great mushroom" despite its bad reputation. It is edible when super young and grows all over the world, especially in North America, east of the Rocky Mountains. It is often confused with the Hen of the Woods mushroom (Grifola frondosa), which is brown to grey in colour. However, it is also sometimes mistaken for the Chicken of the Woods mushroom, although the two look nothing alike. The Black Staining Polypore is a polypore, with small dots underneath instead of gills, and fan-shaped caps, while the Chicken of the Woods mushroom is orange or yellow and has a shelf-like structure.
The Chicken of the Woods mushroom is a member of the Laetiporus genus, and its three most common wild edible species are Laetiporus sulphureus (sulfur shelf) and Laetiporus cincinnatus (white-pored sulfur shelf). It is a polypore mushroom, meaning it has small pores on the underside instead of gills. It grows on dead trees, fallen logs, and stumps, and sometimes on live trees, where it acts as a parasite. It is one of the easiest and most beginner-friendly mushrooms to find and has a delicious, meaty texture that can be used to replace chicken in recipes.
The Black Staining Polypore, on the other hand, grows on the ground near trees, especially oaks and other hardwood species. It does not grow on the tree but can be found right next to it or a few feet away. It forms a large rosette cluster at the tree base and can grow to be 12-20 inches across. Its fronds are fan or spoon-shaped and are often slightly hairy and wrinkled. While it is edible, it is said to be very fibrous and taste terrible. It is also purported to cause digestive issues, as consuming raw or undercooked Chicken of the Woods mushrooms has been shown to cause gastric distress.
To avoid any potential digestive issues or poisoning, it is important to properly identify mushrooms before consuming them. When it comes to the Chicken of the Woods mushroom, it is important to distinguish it from its poisonous look-alikes, such as the Jack O'Lantern mushroom, which is highly toxic, and the Velvet Top fungus, which is not poisonous but is also not edible. Additionally, the Honey Fungus, while edible, can be mistaken for the Chicken of the Woods mushroom.
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Honey fungus is edible and quite different from Chicken of the Woods
Chicken of the Woods is a beginner-friendly mushroom to find and is edible and delicious. It is a polypore mushroom, which means it has small pores on the underside instead of gills. It is usually found on dead trees, fallen logs, and stumps, but sometimes on live trees as well, where it acts as a parasite. It is also known as Laetiporus sulphureus and is a member of the Laetiporus genus. It is identified by its bright yellow-orange colour and shelf-like structure, resembling the colour of chicken. It has a meaty texture similar to chicken when cooked, and is therefore used as a substitute for chicken in recipes.
Honey fungus is also edible. It is a silent killer of the woods as it attacks and kills trees. It is brown and grows at the base of trees. It is often confused with Chicken of the Woods due to its similar name. However, it is quite different from Chicken of the Woods. Honey fungus does not have the same bright yellow-orange colour as Chicken of the Woods. It also does not have the same shelf-like structure. Honey fungus grows at the base of trees, while Chicken of the Woods is usually found higher up on the trees.
Chicken of the Woods is also sometimes confused with Hen of the Woods or maitake mushroom. This is because of their similar poultry-related names. However, Hen of the Woods is brown to grey and has a different overall look. It forms large, overlapping clusters that resemble the fluffed plumage of a hen, unlike Chicken of the Woods.
Another look-alike is the velvet-top fungus, which is sometimes yellow or orange and bears some resemblance to Chicken of the Woods. However, it has ridges on the underside and a brown velvety texture on top, which Chicken of the Woods lacks.
It is important to accurately identify mushrooms before consuming them to avoid toxic look-alike species. Consulting with an experienced mycologist or using reliable field guides is recommended.
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Frequently asked questions
Some mushrooms that look similar to Chicken of the Woods are the Jack O'Lantern mushroom, hairy stereum, black staining polypore, giant polypore, velvet-top fungus, and honey fungus.
Chicken of the Woods is a polypore mushroom, meaning it has small pores on the underside instead of gills or ridges. It has a bright yellow to orange colour, a fleshy stem, and grows on dead or decaying trees.
The black staining polypore (Meripilus sumstinei) has a yellow-orange colour on top and is often covered with blackish-brown stains. It has a black, fibrous stem that is not edible, distinguishing it from the Chicken of the Woods.
The giant polypore (Meripilus giganteus) is large and robust, with a yellow-orange colour on top. It has round, irregular pores that exude black liquid when squeezed, which is a key difference from Chicken of the Woods.
Younger velvet-top fungi can be yellow or orange and may resemble Chicken of the Woods. However, they have a brown velvety texture on top, and their texture is tough and brittle compared to the pliable Chicken of the Woods.
