Most of our Chicken of the Woods strains are isolated from native stock on the East Coast of the U.S., meaning they prefer hardwoods, specifically varieties of Oak. This species is a polypore, with no gills, and is best harvested young by slicing the outermost tender, silky tissue on the tips, which can regenerate more tips if you go back and harvest a week or so later! Fruiting bodes range from light salmon to bright orange in color and wither white or yellow tube color depending on the species. This mushroom must be chopped and boiled in water, then tossing the water, and cooked like you normally would chicken. It is delicious soaked in organic chicken broth, then cooked it into a curry dish or cubed and breaded to make chicken-of-the-woods nuggets. Chicken of the Woods mushrooms may take 2-3 years to fruit, but they’re well worth the wait!
Chicken of the Woods “Phil” (White Pored) – Laetiporus gilbertsonii var. pallidus Isolated from a White Oak stump on our friend Phil’s property in Georgia, this one will adapt to many oak species. Inoculate fresh cut stumps or rounds or you can stack oak rounds “iced” with sawdust spawn in between for best fruiting.Preferring White Oak, this species is a tender, silky tissued, juicy form of Chicken of the Woods that is salmon-orange with alpine white pores underneath that typically fruits in the fall.
Chicken of the Woods “ANDERSON” (Peach-Pored) – Laetiporus persicinus Isolated from a large rosette fruiting underneath a living Red Oak tree in downtown Anderson, SC, this species is a tender, pink or salmon-colored form of Chicken of the Woods. Fruiting body is light orange with peach to cream colored pores underneath. More of a terrestrial strain, this species prefers to fruit from oak rounds that are partially to fully buried.
Chicken of the Woods “Isaqueena”(Yellow-Pored) – Laetiporus gilbertsonii var. pallidus Preferring conifers, this species is a crunchier, meaty form of Chicken of the Woods. Isolated from a fallen Hemlock near Isaqueena Falls, Walhalla, SC, this one may adapt to many aromatic wood species. Absolutely beautiful strain with bands of orange and yellow on the upper cap surface, with an intense yellow pore surface underneath, this strain fruits in the fall. Great for planting along nature trails!
Chicken of the Woods “Cherry”(Yellow-Pored) – Laetiporus sulphureus What grows on Cherry wood? This new strain was found by folks like you and cloned to make spawn that everyone could use to inoculate Cherry trees and related species. This unique find is bright orange with yellow tubes underneath, and was found COVERING a standing dead cherry tree in Pennsylvania.
| Edibility and Taste | Like white chicken meat, great texture |
| Grows On | Oaks, except for a few strains for Hemlock and Cherry |
| Fruiting Temps | Varies, Spring to Fall |
| Availability | Year-Round |
