Turkey Tail Fungus

Description:

Turkey Tail is a common bracket fungus (a fungus which grows on the sides of logs or trees). It is a fungus that has no stalk like a mushroom. It feels leathery to the touch. Turkey Tail has a spoon or cup shape, up to four inches wide, and it is very colorful. Its colors can range from brown, white, tan, orange, red, or purple -- or all these colors at once. Like other fungi, Turkey Tail is the name for the part that you see. Most of the fungus is inside the bark of the log. The "tail" that you see is like the "flower" of the fungus. These "blooms" grow from May to December. Turkey Tails can last several years.

Habitat:

This fungus grows on dead or dying wood, especially oaks. They are also known to grow from wounds in a tree. It can harm a sick tree, but most often helps break down old, dead logs and tree trunks, so that their nutrients can return to the soil to be used again.