3.7K Views 3 years ago

Turkey Tail Mushrooms: Benefits, Foraging Tips and How to Use

Author Bio

Emma Gallagher is a Brit living in North Carolina. She grows organic gardens and... Read More

Once you have seen a turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor, also known as Coriolus versicolor), you will be left with no doubt about why it got that common name.

Turkey tail mushrooms resemble the fanned tail of a strutting male turkey. They have bands of beautiful colors ranging from brown and tan to grey and purple.

These amazing little mushrooms grow on dead wood and work hard to help decompose the matter, returning it to the earth.

They are extremely common and grow in almost all forests throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. If you have spent any time at all hiking in the woods, chances are you will have passed some turkey tails.

If you aren’t into foraging, don’t worry, turkey tail is a very common mushroom to buy as a health supplement in pharmacies or online.

The Health Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Turkey tail mushrooms have been found to be very high in antioxidants including phenols and flavonoids. In fact, one study found turkey tails to have 35 different antioxidants.
Turkey tail mushrooms also contain polysaccharopeptides. These are protein-bound polysaccharides, or carbohydrates. These polysaccharopeptides are said to naturally strengthen the immune system and ease inflammation in the body.
Turkey tail mushrooms are also a good source of prebiotics. Prebiotics act as food for healthy gut flora helping it to grow and flourish. It is particularly good at promoting Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus while fighting harmful bacteria, such as Clostridium and Staphylococcus.

How to Find Turkey Tail Mushrooms in The Wild

Source: Learn Your Land/YouTube

Turkey tail mushrooms are super common. What should be noted, though, is that two of its look-alikes are super common, too.

Check out these key identifying features of the turkey tail mushroom:

It grows on dead and decaying wood such as sicks, stumps, logs, and fallen branches.
It grows in shelf-like form or in rosettes with no stems.
It is very thin, tough, flexible, and leathery.
It has bands of colors; blues, greys, browns, whites, and even purples.
The top side of the mushroom is slightly velvety to the touch.
When fresh, the underside of this mushroom is white. As it ages, it will turn a yellowish, brownish color.
The underside is also made up of thousands of microscopic pores which puts it in the polypore family of mushrooms.
You will typically see it in June-January, depending on your location.

Its look-alikes:

False Turkey Tail mushrooms (Stereum ostrea) grow in a similar way to turkey tails and look similar on top. However, they aren’t polypores and have reddish, brownish undersides. There is also the Stereum hirsutum, which has similar characteristics to the Stereum ostrea.
Violet-toothed polypore (Trichaptum biforme) looks very similar to turkey tail from the top but isn’t quite as colorful. Its underside has pores, but they are much more visible to the eye and are less dense.
Lenzites betulina, again, looks very similar to turkey tail from the top but has gills on the underside making it distinctly different.

Practice great caution when foraging for wild mushrooms. NEVER consume a wild mushroom without 100% certainty that it is safe to eat.

Cross-reference several resources to make sure you have a correct ID, and consult local experts and guides until you are more experienced.

As well, check out this OGP guide to safe foraging practices: Dos and Don’ts of Food Foraging – and Living to Tell the Tale

How to Use Turkey Tail Mushrooms at Home

Though turkey tail mushrooms are generally safe to consume, they wouldn’t exactly be deemed a choice edible. That is to say that the mushrooms are very tough and cardboard-like. They are almost impossible to chew.

As a result, these mushrooms are usually bought from a pharmacy and taken in capsule form. They can also be purchased as turkey tail tea.

If you have been able to find some turkey tails for yourself, they are really easy to work with.

The easiest way to use turkey tail medicinally is to make it into a tea or broth. The tea is very simple to make, but making it into a broth with spices, garlic, and onion makes it feel quite comforting with extra health benefits, too.

Source: National Geographic/YouTube

To make tea, collect your mushrooms and clean them off the best way you can to get rid of any debris.

Then, tear them into little pieces and put them into a pot. Next, add water. Bring the water to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Try not to boil the water so as not to destroy any of the nutrients.

To make a broth, just add your other flavorings while you

simmer the water. You can strain the pieces of mushroom out or carefully sip around them.

Turkey tail has a classic ‘mushroomy’ flavor and may have a little bitterness, too.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Seek advice for a medical professional before using mushrooms medicinally.

Never consume a wild mushroom unless you are 100% certain you know what it is and that it is safe to ingest.

Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content.Click here to Support Us