Chicken of the Woods - Laetiporus sulphureus

Discovering Chicken of the Woods in nature for the first time can feel almost unbelievable. These vibrant saffron and sulfur-yellow mushrooms can completely cover a stump or log, forming large, plush clusters. Some specimens have even been found weighing up to 40 kilograms. When fresh, they have a sweet smell and a delicious taste that remarkably resembles chicken. The texture is also similar to chicken breast and remains intact during cooking. Unlike many other mushroom varieties, sliced Laetiporus freezes well, making it convenient when you come across a large find, such as 20 kg at once!

Although traditionally difficult to cultivate indoors commercially, recent advances have shown promise in growing Laetiporus on sterilized, supplemented hardwood sawdust bags. Encouraging the mushrooms to fruit through the filter patch of a mycobag, rather than cutting the bags open as done with other species, has shown the most potential.

Alternatively, inoculating stumps or hardwood logs with colonized plug spawn generally yields good results. Laetiporus is also one of the few species that can grow on conifers (pine), though it prefers hardwood.

Interestingly, the mycelium of this species has been found to be highly antagonistic to Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, and it can destroy E. coli on contact. It also shows strong activity against Serratia marcescens, a common cause of urinary tract infections.