Turkey Tail Mushroom
Trametes versicolor
Turkey Tail mushrooms are bracket fungi characterized by their striking concentric zones of different colors, resembling a turkey's tail. The cap is fan-shaped or semicircular, typically thin and leathery, with a velvety to hairy surface. Colors vary widely, including shades of brown, gray, blue, purple, red, and white. The underside is typically white or off-white with very small pores, not gills.
Learn more about Turkey Tail Mushroom in the encyclopedia →Care instructions
This is a wild mushroom that grows on dead or downed wood, primarily hardwoods. It is not typically cultivated in a garden setting for ornamental purposes. For medicinal use, it is usually gathered from the wild (with proper identification) or purchased from reputable suppliers as extracts, powders, or supplements. It requires a substrate of dead wood and a moist, shady environment to grow naturally.