Laetiporus is a genus of edible mushrooms found throughout much of the world. Some species, especially Laetiporus sulphureus, are commonly known as sulphur shelf, chicken of the woods, the chicken mushroom, or the chicken fungus because it is often described as tasting like and having a texture similar to that of chicken meat.
Laetiporus
Laetiporus sp. from Anamalai Hills, Southern Western Ghats, India
L. cincinnatus, Ohio
L. cincinnatus in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York in October 2012
Laetiporus sulphureus is a species of bracket fungus found in Europe and North America. Its common names are crab-of-the-woods, sulphur polypore, sulphur shelf, and chicken-of-the-woods. Its fruit bodies grow as striking golden-yellow shelf-like structures on tree trunks and branches. Old fruitbodies fade to pale beige or pale grey. The undersurface of the fruit body is made up of tubelike pores rather than gills.
Laetiporus sulphureus
Underside, on Ginkgo biloba
Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) on the Trinity Trail, Palos Heights, Illinois, on September 10, 2019.
Laetiporus sulphureus prepared dish, with onions