It would be hard to miss this layered, fan-shaped, fleshy, big orange-to-yellow mushroom when hiking through the woods.

They are easily recognized by their large clusters of overlapping brackets and bright colors. They tend to lighten in color near the edges. The colors fade as the mushroom grows older.

It’s edible and considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. This mushroom has a lemony, meaty taste. Some think it tastes like its chicken namesake; others describe the flavor as being more like crab or lobster.

Chicken of the Woods is frequently discovered during the Summer and Fall, but only rarely in Winter or Spring.

Although nice to look at, it also performs a function. This is one of the many fungus species that live on decaying wood and it plays an important role in breaking down the tough materials wood is made of and returning those nutrients to the soil.

Third Eye Herp
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