Turkey Tail Mushrooms

The Turkey Tail Mushroom or Trametes versicolor is one of the most commonly found species of mushroom in North America.

It is widely used as a medicinal mushroom, and is a great species for beginning foragers to identify.

If you’ve ever spent some time in the woods, you have more than likely come across a Turkey Tail.

Any type of fallen hardwood log or stump often harbors clusters of this beautiful fan-shaped fungi.

This mushroom typically grows from May-December, but can be found throughout the entire year.

For whatever reason though, I typically associate Turkey Tails with fall (maybe because its name gets me thinking about Thanksgiving),

How To Identify Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Turkey Tail’s scientific names — Trametes versicolor or Coriolus versicolor — reference the striking multi-colored bands that adorn the mushrooms cap.

The bands can come in an array of all kinds of colors, but they tend to be grey or brown, and they are always covered with small, velvety hairs.

The key to identifying this mushroom, however, lies beneath it.

When flipped over, the underside of the mushroom should be white-ish in color with tiny, uniform pores present.

Like the Chicken of the Woods mushroom, Turkey Tail is a polypore, meaning it releases spores from these tiny pores instead of gills.

Turkey Tail ID:

• Generally grows May-December, but can be found year-round
• Grows in shelves or rosettes on fallen hardwood logs or stumps
• Caps are 1 to 4 inches wide, stem-less and fan-shaped. They feature multicolored bans with small, velvety hairs
• Underside is white with tiny, uniform pores
• Spore print: white

Turkey Tail Lookalikes

Trametes versicolor is not the only fan-shaped mushroom growing in the forest.

It has a few very similar looking friends worth noting so you can spot the difference.

False Turkey Tail

As you may have guessed from its name, the False Turkey Tail or Stereum ostrea can commonly be mistaken for a real Turkey Tail.

Indeed, these two mushrooms can be very similar in appearance. Often times, they can even be found growing side by side.

Much like the true Turkey Tail though, the key to identifying it lies on the underside of the mushroom.

False Turkey Tails have a smooth non-porous underside, usually beige in color.

The good news is False Turkey Tails are not poisonous, although they are not particularly tasty or useful as far as we know.

Violet Toothed Polypore

The Violet Toothed Polypore or Trichaptum biforme can also look very similar to a Turkey Tail.

The key difference is the violet-tinged outer edge and purple colored underside which usually has larger, tooth-like pores.

Multicolor Gilled Polypore

A Multicolor Gill Polypore or Lenzites betulina can also look extremely similar to a Turkey Tail…at least when viewed from the top.

Once you flip it over though, the gill-like underside should easily distinguish it from the white pores you should see on a true Turkey Tail.

How to Use Turkey Tail

DISCLAIMER: Please make sure you can 100% identification before consuming any wild mushrooms. Always consult an expert!

Turkey Tail is a little too tough to munch on, but it can be made into teas, tinctures, and extracts.

How to make Turkey Tail Tea:

• Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut fresh or dried Turkey Tails into thin strips.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the strips to a small sauce pan and cover with 4 cups of water.
• Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about one hour.
• Strain the liquid and serve with fresh lemon and/or honey.

Health Benefits

There are a lot of exciting reports about the medical properties of Turkey Tail.

It has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine as a treatment for respiratory diseases.

Immune support

Even in Western medicine, Turkey Tail has long been regarded for it’s immune benefits.

It can be used to strengthen the body’s defense against colds and flus, particularly in the winter months.

Cancer Treatment

Some studies have shown promising results about Turkey Tails effectiveness in helping fight cancer.

It is important to note that the mushroom was used as a supplement to other treatments like chemotherapy.

There has yet to be any conclusive peer reviewed research proving turkey tail mushroom extract effectiveness as a stand alone cancer treatment, but recent research is promising.

It is incredible to imagine what future studies will determine about this this humble, commonly found mushroom!

More Mushroom Posts

• How to Cook Oyster Mushrooms
• Shaggy Mane Mushroom Soup
• How to Cook Chicken of the Woods

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