Species details
Phoenix oyster
Pleurotus pulmonarius
Traditionally edible
Photo: Michel Langeveld · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source · License
Description
A pale summer oyster mushroom with a whitish to light-brown fan-shaped cap, decurrent gills and a mild anise-like smell.
Identification features
The cap is 3–10 cm wide, first semicircular then fan-shaped, smooth and pale. Gills are white to yellowish and clearly decurrent on the short lateral stem.
Identification checklist
Check the pale fan-shaped cap, decurrent white gills, summer fruiting and growth on hardwood.
Detailed features
- Cap
- The cap is 3–10 cm wide, first semicircular then fan-shaped, smooth and pale.
- Hymenophore
- The gills are white to yellowish and run distinctly down the short lateral stem.
Size
- Cap diameter
- 3–10 cm
Habitat
Grows from spring to autumn on dead hardwood, especially beech, lime, cherry, aspen and willow.
Fruiting period
May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Ecology
- Host trees
- Beech (Fagus), Poplar / aspen (Populus), Willow (Salix), Lime / linden (Tilia)
- Substrate
- Dead wood
- Notes
- Grows from spring to autumn on dead hardwood, especially beech, lime, cherry, aspen and willow.
How to separate similar species
Pleurotus ostreatus is usually darker and more common later in the year. Pleurocybella porrigens is very pale, thinner and grows on conifer wood.
Similar species
- Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
- Angel wings (Pleurocybella porrigens) DANGEROUS
- Pleurotus cornucopiae