The Fungi World (325) : Chicken of the Woods

Fungi are mostly associated with autumn, but a few of them can already be found from late spring, like this chicken of the woods.

This fungus is most commonly growing on wounds of trees (mostly oak) between may and october.

It produces however heavy red-brown rot in the host on which it grows and this nearly always ends in the collapse of the host tree as it can no longer flex and bend in the wind.

This fungus can be prepared in most ways that one can prepare chicken meat and can also be used as a substitute for chicken in a vegetarian diet (hence its English name).

Dutch name : Zwavelzwam
German name : Schwefelporling
Latin name : Laetiporus sulphureus

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With just one click below, you can see here my whole fungi series so far
http://portfolio.fotocommunity.com/nature-in-belgium/folder/436644