Turkey Tail
Trametes versicolor
Identification: Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail)
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Key Features
- Thin
- flexible
- bracket-like fruiting body
- Cap surface distinctly zoned with concentric color rings (brown
- tan
- white)
- Velvety or finely hairy texture on the cap
- Pore surface white to cream
- visible pores (polypore)
- Grows sessile on decaying wood
Color:
Cap zoned brown, tan, gray, and white; Pore surface white to cream.
Smell:
No distinctive smell
Growth Pattern:
Overlapping clusters
Environment:
Wood
Habitat & Distribution
Habitat:
Decaying hardwood logs or stumps, often moss-covered
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan (Worldwide)
Seasonality:
Year-round, especially fall and winter
Economic Value
Market Demand:
High - widely used in traditional medicine and supplements
Price Range:
$15-40/lb dried
Commercial Use:
Medicinal extracts, teas, and dietary supplements
Similar Species
False Turkey Tail
Stereum ostrea
Key Differences:
- Underside is smooth (resupinate), not porous
- Lacks true pores
Hairy Bracket
Trametes hirsuta
Key Differences:
- Cap is thicker and much hairier (hirsute)
- Cap colors are typically whiter or grayer, less distinctly zoned
Recommended Action
Document and leave undisturbed. Do not consume.