Sulphur Shelf Mushroom

Chicken of the woods is a striking wood-growing mushroom that forms tiered clusters of fleshy brackets in vivid sulphur-yellow and orange. When fried, the young, soft edges resemble chicken in flavour and texture — hence its name. Only young brackets are eaten, always thoroughly cooked; in some people it can cause stomach upset, so try a small amount the first time.

It is inoculated with plugs — into old, living broadleaf trees or into sterilised logs, e.g. willow, poplar or black locust; the first mushrooms usually appear after 1–2 years, from spring to autumn. Indoor cultivation methods also exist — patented, among other places, in Poland — but such production may not be economically viable. Caution: chicken of the woods causes brown rot and gradually weakens an inoculated tree, and inoculated logs are best placed away from other garden trees.