What edible mushrooms grow on trees and their descriptions (+34 photos)?

Among the vast array of mushrooms found in forests, tree mushrooms are often found. These include popular and edible species, such as honey mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. Many are considered inedible parasites, which isn't always true. They are quite diverse and interesting to study.

General characteristics and harm of parasitic fungi to trees

The fact is, upon closer examination, it becomes clear: some fungi settle on healthy trees, gradually killing them, while others settle on sick, dying trees, utilizing them, clearing the forest and increasing the fertile soil layer. The former are parasites, the latter are saprophytes.

A distinctive feature of parasitic fungi is their predatory behavior toward trees: they feed on their sap, destroying it. This poses a direct threat to the tree and offers no benefit, unlike symbionts (which feed the tree micronutrients and moisture in exchange for sweet carbohydrates; a fair exchange takes place), which we are more accustomed to collecting: boletus, aspen mushrooms, milk mushrooms, and chanterelles.

If a parasite has taken up residence on a tree, removing it is unlikely; the tree is usually doomed. After all, what we see on the surface is just a part, the fruiting body. Inside, the trunk is entangled in a network of roots, a mycelium, which cannot be removed without destroying the tree.

And if the tree was alive, then, of course, the fungus is a pest. But most often, parasites settle on damaged trees, with wounds, hollows, and weakened ones. The spores find a vulnerable spot and take root there, developing mycelium.

Edible mushrooms growing on trees

Among parasites and saprophytes, there are a certain number that are edible. They also have excellent taste and even medicinal properties. Let's look at several edible species:

1. The oyster mushroom, also known as the cornucopia, is a member of the gilled family. It is quite popular and is even grown at home or commercially, alongside button mushrooms. It gets its name from its shape and bears fruit from spring to fall. It grows on fallen tree trunks and stumps, attached to them by a stalk 1 cm in diameter and up to 5 cm long. The cap is asymmetrical, with a funnel near the stalk, and varies in size from 4 to 15 cm. It is gray in color, sometimes with a yellowish tint.

   

   

   

   Oyster mushrooms, growing in clusters on trees, can be seen in the photo; it's difficult to remember the mushroom from the description alone. They belong to the fourth nutritional category. They are used for stewing, frying, and pickling. Boiled mushrooms are used in salads instead of meat in vegetarian dishes or during Lent, as their dense flesh makes them particularly suitable for this purpose.

2. The winter honey fungus. Its distinctive yellow and red coloring is distinctive. The cap is rounded, flattening with age, reaching 9 cm in diameter. The stem is thin and tough and is not usually eaten. Honey fungus belongs to the third food category and is prized when fried and pickled. It contains substances used as antitumor and antiviral agents.

   

   

   

3. Grifola crispa. This edible mushroom is a polypore and is listed in the Red Book. It prefers broadleaf trees and attaches itself to the base of dead wood or stumps using its lateral stems. Its bitter taste means only young mushroom bodies are eaten. It grows very quickly, with specimens weighing up to 7 kg (15 lbs) recorded. Its color depends on the amount of sunlight it receives: pink, gray, or green. It is not affected by insect pests.

   

   

   

4. The sulfur-yellow polypore is also known as the chicken mushroom. It is notable for its vibrant color, compared to volcanic lava. It prefers warm climates, grows on old trees, and attaches to the trunk with a fan-shaped cap, without a stalk. Several caps usually share a common base. It grows up to 40 cm and weighs 10 kg. It is used in Eastern medicine. In cooking, it is preferred to fry it.

   

5. Tiger saw-leaf. The young cap is convex, but over time it becomes funnel-shaped with curled edges. The cap is white or beige with brown scales. It is a saprophyte, as it only colonizes dead wood, gradually developing white rot there, digesting the wood fibers. It is valuable for its high protein content, but only when young.

   

   

   

It's worth remembering that all edible tree mushrooms are eaten only when young. Older fruiting bodies are often not only tasteless and bitter, but can also cause digestive upset and even hallucinations.

Inedible and poisonous species

Most other mushrooms that grow on trees are inedible and even dangerous. Experienced mushroom pickers advise avoiding them for safety and memorizing their appearance and names.

Some types are inedible:

1. Ganoderma australis (Ganoderma australis) grows primarily on oaks and poplars growing in southern regions. The cap is thick, reaching 10 cm in length and up to 40 cm in diameter. The color is brown with variations, and the surface is slightly bumpy.

   

   

2. Trametes pubescens grows in clumps on stumps and fallen birch trees. It is distinguished by its white coloration, fading to gray, yellow, and beige, and the hairiness of its cap. It reaches a small size, up to 10 cm in diameter.
3. The oak polypore, Pyptoporus, is a rare species in our latitudes. It grows primarily on living oak trunks, but is also found as a scavenger of dead wood. It comes in a variety of shapes: spherical, flat, and shapeless with growths. The underside is whitish, the top is orange-yellow, and the surface itself is velvety when young, becoming hard and fissured with age.

   

   

4. Postia astringentis is attractive due to its white color. Young specimens exhibit the secretion of droplets of liquid, a process known as guttation. The flesh is fleshy, with an astringent, bitter taste. However, it is an unstudied mushroom, so it is not recommended for consumption.

   

   

5. Ischnoderma resinosa – like the previous species, it secretes a liquid (this time brown or reddish) during growth and has a bitter taste. It utilizes dead coniferous wood. It usually grows solitarily. The velvety cap is colored in shades of brown and reaches up to 20 cm.

   

   

Regarding poisonous species, it's important to remember that they often disguise themselves as edible: there are false honey mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. Without a solid understanding of what a particular mushroom looks like, don't take it home.

Medicinal mushrooms

Wood mushrooms are most often used for medicinal purposes, as they contain a rich composition of microelements and rare chemical compounds. The most famous are:

1. Reishi, or varnished polypore, was highly prized in ancient Eastern medicine. It was quite rare and expensive, even serving as part of a bride's dowry and surrounded by legends. Currently, it is grown in farms in Japan and China specifically for pharmaceutical use. It is used as an anti-tumor agent, an immunomodulator, and has a positive effect on blood pressure, digestion, lipid metabolism, and blood circulation.

   

   

   Reishi supplements for weight loss are very popular these days. They should not be taken with similar medications, such as immunomodulators. The name "varnished" refers to the glossy sheen of the surface.

2. Chaga, or slanted tinder fungus, is widely used in gastrointestinal treatments, dentistry, endocrinology, and dermatology. It has antispasmodic, antimicrobial, and diuretic properties. It is also reported to inhibit the growth of malignant tumors. It grows on birch trees. Externally, it often appears as a shapeless, gray-black, bumpy growth. The interior is brown. Overdose can cause nervous excitement, increased blood pressure, and increased heart rate.

   

   

3. The larch sponge—despite its name, which suggests deciduous trees, prefers conifers, including larch. It looks like a multi-layered hoof with growths. It's a perennial mushroom, with the longest officially recorded age being up to 70 years. It's also quite large: up to a meter in diameter and weighing several kilograms.

   

   

   This tinder fungus has laxative, hypnotic, and sedative properties, and it has a positive effect on metabolism and liver function. It is used in the treatment of tumors, tuberculosis, hepatitis, diabetes, and asthma. It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Contraindications to treatment with mushroom remedies in most cases are individual intolerance to a specific element in their composition. In any case, self-medication is strictly prohibited; always seek advice from a doctor.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Mushrooms are quite complex organisms and are often hazardous to health, which is why many questions arise about their collection and use.

Like all regular edible mushrooms, tree mushrooms are also beneficial in many ways and even delicious. The key is to learn about them to avoid picking mistakes, as well as their preparation and handling requirements.