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Edibility
Edible
Lookalike Danger
3 / 5
Habitat
🌳 Oak base
Season
Jul – Sep⏳ Soon
"'The other hen.' A big gray rosette at the foot of oaks that bruises jet black. Edible young — and the classic Hen of the Woods look-alike."
🌳 Host Trees & Plants
This species is found with or partners with the following hosts. Ectomycorrhizal hosts (green border) form a root-level partnership; ericoid / arbutoid shrubs (purple border) share the same mycorrhizal networks.
Oak
Quercus spp.
Ectomycorrhizal · Forageable
Truffle / bolete / chanterelle host. Acorns edible after leaching.
Look for this on the ground
Dead hardwood stump
Weathered oak/maple stump, bark sloughing off, exposed rotting heartwood.
Found Black-Staining Polypore?
Photograph it and log your observation on iNaturalist. The community can help confirm your ID — always get confirmation before eating.
Safety: Never eat any wild mushroom without 100% certain identification from multiple sources. This page is for informational purposes only. When in doubt, throw it out.