If you live in Northern Virginia, you know that last year (2018) was probably one of the wettest we have had in years. As a result, fungi proliferated in the forest. I became fascinated with fungi. During the week, I hike many of the same trails frequently after work, and each day, I’d see a new fungi pop up almost like magic. As I researched some of them, I realized that Trametes Versicolor or Turkey Tails are abundant in this area.
Trametes Versicolor
or the common name of Turkey Tail mushrooms can be found frequently on dead trees and logs in and around the woods in Great Falls and the surrounding areas. Let’s look at some of the characteristics of Turkey Tail fungi. Maybe you can find some of them on one of your hikes in the woods.
Interesting Growth Patterns
Turkey tails only grow in overlapping shelves on dead deciduous wood. The shelves can be up to 5” wide and they are usually no longer than about 2.5” from the attachment
Also, the outer edge can be either smooth and uniform or waved and lobed.
Turkey tails are a bracket fungi. On their topside they grow concentric striations that are like rings on a tree. Just like tree rings, each striation represents a year’s growth.
More Characteristics
Turkey tails are defined by bands of color that can be various shades of brown, beige, gray, blue, and sometimes purple. The edges are usually white or beige depending on the age of the mushroom. The pictures above and below are recent. These fungi are old, however I think these are genuine Turkey Tail mushrooms. The white / beige underside with suggested 3-8 pores per millimeter are the right characteristics. In addition to the underside fitting the right description, the thin flexible skin felt velvety and was covered with fine hairs.
Forage Carefully
This information is to help you try to identify Turkey Tail mushrooms for fun. There are many types of fungi in the genus Trametes that look like Turkey Tails, but aren’t the real thing. The only thing that I’m pretty sure of is that these photos are of fungi from the genus Trametes. I am not 100% confident that any of them are real Turkey Tails. This in no way is to be used to identify any type of food product. Foraging for any edible should be left to an expert and above all, always be careful, safe, and have fun!
Edible Turkey Tails
There is considerable information regarding the nutritional benefits of Turkey Tails mushrooms. The field of mushrooms and health is interesting and worth some time and energy.