While we could go to the store to purchase it ourselves we would be depriving ourselves of the opportunity to spend time in nature foraging for it (and saving money!)
There are many lookalikes to Turkey Tail and before using it (or any foraged good), it is imperative that you understand Turkey Tail identification to confidently get a 100% positive ID!
Turkey tail mushrooms are one of the most common mushrooms found growing in the wild. Their vibrant colors and distinctive shape make them stand out in the forest. But before collecting these mushrooms to enjoy their many benefits, it’s essential to learn how to properly identify them
Misidentifying mushrooms can be dangerous, so confirming you have the right mushroom is crucial Luckily, turkey tails have some clear identifying features that, once you know what to look for, make them easy to recognize
In this beginner’s guide I’ll walk through the step-by-step process for identifying true turkey tail mushrooms so you can forage these beneficial fungi with confidence.
Distinctive Features of Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Turkey tail mushrooms have several key characteristics that set them apart from lookalikes:
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Pore surface underneath: The underside of turkey tails have tiny pores rather than gills. These pores contain the mushrooms’ spores.
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Multiple color bands: The top cap shows concentric rings of different colors, like the bands on a turkey’s tail.
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Velvet texture: The cap has a velvety feel. This comes from the surface having fine little hairs.
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Thin and pliable: Fresh turkey tail mushrooms are thin and somewhat flexible. Older specimens become more brittle.
Step-by-Step Turkey Tail Identification
Follow these steps when trying to confirm a mushroom is turkey tail:
1. Check the Underside for Pores
The most important step is to examine the underside. True turkey tail mushrooms will have tiny pores covering the entire surface. These pores should be white or cream colored on fresh specimens.
If the underside lacks pores, you do not have turkey tail. Some lookalikes like Stereum ostrea have smooth, pore-less undersides.
2. Look for Multiple Color Bands
Flip the mushroom over and examine the top cap. Turkey tail caps feature concentric rings of different colors, usually in shades of brown, orange, gray, blue, and green. The vibrant bands resemble the pattern on a turkey’s tail.
3. Feel the Velvet-like Texture
Run your fingers over the top cap. Turkey tail mushroom caps feel velvety due to the surface being covered in fine fuzzy hairs. This is a useful identifying feature.
4. Check Thinness and Flexibility
Hold the mushroom up and gently bend it. Fresh turkey tails are quite thin. They’re also somewhat flexible when fresh, bending rather than snapping when you apply pressure. Older specimens will be more brittle.
5. Take Some Close-Up Photos
Capture some detailed photos of the mushroom’s pores, topside pattern, texture, shape, and flexibility. These will allow online identification forums to better assist if you need a second opinion.
Common Turkey Tail Lookalikes
There are a few other mushrooms often mistaken for turkey tail:
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Stereum ostrea – False turkey tail; smooth underside with no pores
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Trichaptum biforme – Violet toothed polypore; underside has teeth rather than pores
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Trametes betulina – Gilled polypore; has gills instead of pores below
Using the identification steps will quickly rule out these imposters. But if unsure, don’t consume the mushroom until you have expert confirmation.
Harvesting and Using Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Once confident you have properly identified turkey tail mushrooms, you can begin enjoying their many benefits!
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Harvest sustainably by cutting mushrooms rather than pulling them off trees. And only take a portion, leaving some behind to continue growing.
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Dry the mushrooms to make medicinal tea, or use fresh in soups and broths.
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Turkey tail extracts can also be purchased in capsule or powder form.
With this comprehensive beginner’s guide, identifying turkey tail mushrooms should now be easy. Follow the step-by-step instructions during foraging to confirm you have the real deal. Then reap the delicious and healthy rewards of proper turkey tail ID!
“False Turkey Tail” – Stereum ostrea group
The first and most common lookalike comes from the Stereum ostrea group ( I say group because it looks like classic Stereum ostrea is not actually found in North America, so I’ll let the mycologists just sort that one out – article here to learn more)
Starting with Step 1 of the test, we’ll look at the underside of our specimen to check that it actually has a pore surface. Immediately we’ll notice that Stereum has a completely smooth surface, being a “crust” fungi, no pores to speak of! So we’ll know that it isn’t Turkey Tail.
Here is another detail to look for. It definitely isn’t a hard and fast rule, but I find it to be true in most cases. Turkey Tail (especially if growing on the side of a log) will tend to have a more plane growth, whereas Stereum will almost always start to curve upward at the edges. This may save you a few trips across the forest floor to double check if a fungi in the distance is Turkey Tail or Stereum!
What do “tiny” pores look like?
Step 2 of the test states, to look for “tiny” pores. Technically speaking, this means that per 1 mm there would be about 3-8 pores across. In order to better see that I took a photo with my macro lens to actually show turkey tail pores against a ruler.
There are two photos, taken at the same distance. The first is of Turkey Tail pores showing how with the specimen captured it has about 6 pores/mm. The second is of a false turkey tail which has large pores, there are only 3/mm.
These are the most common lookalikes of Turkey Tail that you’re likely to run into:
- “False Turkey Tail” – Stereum ostrea group
- Violet Toothed Polypore – Trichaptum biforme
- Gilled Polypore – Trametes betula
The above list contains, in my opinion, the most common lookalikes to Turkey Tail that you are likely to encounter when scouting for it out in the woods! There are of course many more, but this will get you started on seeing a few major differences between Turkey Tail. If you are using the test, these will all be eliminated fairly quickly!
How to Identify Turkey Tail Mushrooms ( and distinguish from false lookalikes )
FAQ
How do you identify a false turkey tail mushroom?
So how can you tell if you have a “true” turkey tail? From the top side or cap of a mushroom, many of the bracket fungus species look quite similar. Turkey tail has a highly variable color range, most often within the brown to red range while false turkey tail often has a bright orange hue.
How does turkey tail mushroom make you feel?
… extracted from turkey tail mushroom called polysaccharide krestin (PSK) have reported nausea, vomiting, low white blood cell counts, and liver problems
What does turkey tail mushroom smell like?
Most mushroom books say the smell is indistinctive but we think it smells really fresh like fruity mushrooms. As Turkey tail ages it becomes flatter, thinner, less flexible and is often covered by a fine green algae, the underside pore surface also turns from a fresh white/cream colour to grey/brown.