ID this mushroom.fungus?

fugawee · Oct 12, 2011

I got off work early today so I took a bike ride
along the Chicago lakefront.
Saw this tree with something strange growing on it

these clusters are about 12 feet up the trunk.

here is a picture showing the foliage of the tree

the mushrooms started about 3 feet off the ground and went
up about 12 feet.

the one above looked really alien,like it had some kind of organ growing in it!

any idea what it is or what kind of tree that was?

Mistwalker · Oct 12, 2011

The fungus looks like sulphur shelf fungus and the tree looks like a willow, but I'm no expert on either...

richard j · Oct 12, 2011

thats what i was thinking they were too. they are edible but i would get a book and double check just to make sure if you plan on getting them. here is a link to check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laetiporus

dipbait · Oct 12, 2011

Chicken of the Woods?

fugawee · Oct 12, 2011

I think you guys are right
I googled sulfer shelf and came up with a local chicago link
http://www.chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/fall2003/sulphurshelf.html

It explains its a pretty hard to misidentify fungus around these parts.
Laetiporus sulphureus
Seems edible.
I might take a ride down there tomorrow and grab a few
young pieces and cook them up. I will eat just a small amount to
see if I have a bad reaction.
Cool
thanks folks!

(I also recall a recent thread showing this specimen...hen of the woods/chicken of the woods controversy)

gregorio · Oct 13, 2011

If at all in doubt rub some on the inside of your wrist and wait a few hours. Then just chew a little and spit it out and wait a few hours. Then if is goes well eat a little and wait a few hours. Then if still ok you should be good to go.

JV3 · Oct 13, 2011

no idea about the mushrooms but what about pics of that bike? mountain bike = bushcrafter's modern day horse is what i've read in the past

fugawee · Oct 23, 2011

So I had a chance to run the path
where I saw the Sulfur Shelf mushroom...
I was going to take a little bit to try out.

Seems someone beat me to it

He must have used something on the order
of a machete to harvest that specimen.
It was at least 14 inches and appeared to have been
removed with one slice.

A side bonus,
I spotted a Red Tailed Hawk circling overhead,
not far from that Willow Tree.
Pretty rare in downtown Chicago!

(you'll just have to trust me on that one

)