If you think mushrooms only pop up from the ground, think again—some of the most fascinating fungi are climbing the ladder, setting up shop on tree trunks, branches, and bark. These sneaky sprouters are the real “top shelf” dwellers of your yard, turning your trees into high-rise habitats.
From shelf-like clusters to eerie bark barnacles, these 18 mushrooms are hiding in plain sight—ready to turn your backyard into a full-blown fairy tale forest. Let’s shake a few trees and see what’s growing!
1. Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
Fan-shaped and sporting vibrant concentric rings of brown, orange, blue, and white, Turkey Tail mushrooms resemble their namesake bird’s plumage. These common fungi appear year-round on dead logs and wounded trees.
Despite their tough texture making them unsuitable for eating, they’ve gained popularity in traditional medicine. Research suggests they contain immune-boosting compounds.
Look for their thin, flexible bodies growing in overlapping clusters, creating a cascading effect on tree trunks. They help decompose dead wood, returning nutrients to the soil.
2. Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)
Bright orange-yellow shelves cascading down tree trunks make Chicken of the Woods impossible to miss. This edible delicacy earned its name from its remarkably chicken-like taste and texture when cooked properly.
Growing mainly on oak trees but occasionally on other hardwoods, these sulfur-colored beauties appear from late spring through fall. When young and tender, they’re prized by foragers.
Always cook thoroughly before eating and avoid specimens growing on conifers, as these can cause stomach upset in some people.
3. Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum)
Named for its use by artists who scratch designs into its white underside, Artist’s Conk develops a hard, woody texture as it ages. The upper surface features a brown, lacquered appearance with concentric growth rings marking its years.
Unlike many mushrooms, these can persist for decades, growing larger each year. They’re parasitic on living trees but continue growing long after the tree dies.
While not good for eating due to their woody consistency, they’ve been used in traditional Asian medicine for centuries. Their presence often indicates internal decay in the host tree.
4. Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
Growing in overlapping clusters that resemble stacked oyster shells, these mushrooms range from white to gray or tan. Their stems are short and often off-center or entirely absent, with gills running down the stem.
Oyster mushrooms are aggressive decomposers, breaking down dead or dying trees rapidly. They’re among the few carnivorous mushrooms, paralyzing and consuming tiny nematode worms to supplement their nitrogen intake!
Prized for their delicate flavor and meaty texture, they’re widely cultivated commercially. Wild specimens commonly appear on deciduous trees after fall rains.
5. Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
Looking more like a waterfall of icicles than a typical mushroom, Lion’s Mane grows in shaggy, cascading white clusters. Unlike most tree mushrooms, it lacks the traditional cap and stem structure, instead producing long, soft spines.
Found primarily on hardwoods like oak, maple, and beech, this unique fungus typically appears in late summer through fall. Its taste resembles seafood—many compare it to crab or lobster.
Beyond culinary uses, Lion’s Mane has sparked scientific interest for potential cognitive benefits. Research suggests compounds in these fungi may support nerve growth and brain health.
6. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
With its glossy, reddish-brown surface resembling polished wood, Reishi stands out among tree fungi. The kidney-shaped caps develop a distinctive lacquered appearance as they mature, often featuring yellowish edges on new growth.
Ancient Chinese medicine revered this mushroom as the “mushroom of immortality.” Modern research has identified compounds that may support immune function and reduce inflammation.
Typically growing at the base of deciduous trees, particularly oaks and maples, Reishi prefers warm climates. Its woody texture makes it unsuitable for cooking, but it’s commonly dried and used for teas and extracts.
7. Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa)
Resembling a fluffy hen with ruffled feathers, this mushroom grows in massive clusters that can weigh up to 100 pounds! Individual grayish-brown caps overlap like feathers, creating a distinctive ruffled appearance.
Oak trees are the preferred host for Hen of the Woods, particularly aging ones. Fall is prime hunting season for enthusiasts who prize its rich, earthy flavor.
Unlike many wild mushrooms that appear unpredictably, Hen of the Woods often returns to the same tree year after year. This reliability, combined with its unmistakable appearance, makes it a favorite for beginning foragers.
8. Dryad’s Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus)
Featuring distinctive brown scales arranged in patterns across a yellowish background, Dryad’s Saddle resembles a leather saddle fit for a mythological forest nymph. These large, fan-shaped mushrooms often reach dinner-plate size.
Spring is their primary growing season, emerging when many other mushrooms are still dormant. They prefer wounded or dead elm, maple, and ash trees.
Young specimens have a cucumber or watermelon rind scent and are edible when tender. As they mature, they quickly become too tough for consumption but remain decorative additions to the woodland landscape.
9. Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis betulina)
Resembling a horse’s hoof protruding from tree trunks, Birch Polypore exclusively grows on—you guessed it—birch trees. The upper surface appears smooth and light brown, while the underside contains tiny pores instead of gills.
Historically significant, this mushroom was found with Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old mummy discovered in the Alps. Scientists believe he carried it for medicinal purposes.
When young, the flesh is flexible and can be sliced thinly for use as a natural bandage with antiseptic properties. As it ages, it becomes woody and can persist on dead trees for years.
10. Tinder Fungus (Fomes fomentarius)
Gray, hoof-shaped caps with concentric rings make Tinder Fungus instantly recognizable on birch and beech trees. This hard, woody mushroom earned its name from historical use as fire-starting material.
Ancient people would harvest the spongy inner flesh, treat it with saltpeter, and use it to catch sparks for firemaking. The same material, known as amadou, was later fashioned into hats and other items.
Unlike seasonal mushrooms, these perennial fungi grow larger each year, adding new layers like tree rings. They’re parasitic on living trees and continue decomposing wood long after the tree dies.
11. Honey Mushroom (Armillaria mellea)
Honey-colored caps growing in dense clusters give these mushrooms their common name. A distinctive ring around the stem helps identify this species that appears in fall after rainy periods.
Despite their innocent appearance, Honey Mushrooms are aggressive tree parasites. Underground, they form black root-like structures called rhizomorphs that spread between trees, earning them the nickname “bootlace fungus.”
In Oregon, a single Armillaria colony spans 2.4 miles, making it one of the largest living organisms on Earth! While edible when thoroughly cooked, they cause digestive upset in some people.
12. Shaggy Bracket (Inonotus hispidus)
Rusty-orange and covered in coarse hair when young, Shaggy Bracket transforms dramatically as it ages. The fuzzy texture that gives this mushroom its name eventually becomes black and crusty, looking like charcoal attached to the tree.
Apple trees frequently host these parasitic fungi, though they also grow on ash and other hardwoods. Their presence indicates significant internal decay within the living tree.
Historically, fabric dyers prized these mushrooms for the rich yellow-brown pigments they produce. The colorful brackets appear in summer and fall, often high up on the main trunk or larger branches.
13. Conifer False Tinder Fungus (Fomitopsis pinicola)
Sporting a distinctive red-varnished band along its growing edge, this shelf fungus creates multi-colored brackets on coniferous trees. The mature portion appears gray to black, creating a striking contrast with the glossy red margin.
Though similar in shape to true tinder fungus, this species prefers evergreen trees like pine, spruce, and fir. It serves as both parasite and decomposer, infecting living trees and continuing to break down the wood after death.
Wildlife benefit from these persistent brackets. Small mammals and birds often use them as lookout perches, while certain beetles have evolved to live specifically within their tough flesh.
14. Jack O’Lantern (Omphalotus illudens)
Glowing an eerie green in the darkness, Jack O’Lantern mushrooms create a magical nighttime forest display. Their bright orange caps resemble edible chanterelles, but these imposters contain toxins that cause severe digestive distress.
Growing in dense clusters at the bases of hardwood trees or from buried roots, they typically appear in late summer and fall. Unlike most tree mushrooms, they have true gills rather than pores on their undersides.
The bioluminescent gills that give these mushrooms their spooky name contain luciferin, the same compound that allows fireflies to glow. Visit them after dark for a truly enchanting woodland experience!
15. Bearded Tooth (Hericium erinaceus)
Cascading white spines give Bearded Tooth mushrooms an appearance resembling a waterfall of icicles. Unlike typical mushrooms, they lack caps and instead form ball-shaped clusters covered in soft, downward-pointing teeth.
Oak, maple, beech, and other hardwoods host these distinctive fungi, which typically appear in late summer through fall. Their flavor resembles seafood when cooked, with many comparing them to crab meat.
Beyond their culinary appeal, scientists study these fungi for potential cognitive benefits. Research suggests compounds in Bearded Tooth may support nerve growth and brain health, earning them attention in neurodegenerative disease research.
16. Violet-toothed Polypore (Trichaptum biforme)
Thin, flexible brackets with striking purple edges make Violet-toothed Polypore a woodland gem. These small shelf mushrooms begin with vibrant purple coloration that fades to gray-brown with age, though the distinctive purple tint remains along the margins.
Fallen branches and logs of hardwood trees, particularly birch, provide the perfect habitat. The underside features a maze-like pattern of pores rather than gills.
Though too tough and bitter for eating, these mushrooms add splashes of unexpected color to forest floors. They play a vital role in wood decomposition, breaking down fallen branches and returning nutrients to the soil.
17. Cinnabar Polypore (Pycnoporus cinnabarinus)
Brilliant orange-red brackets that maintain their vibrant color even when dried make Cinnabar Polypore unmistakable in the forest. These small to medium-sized shelf mushrooms grow on dead hardwood branches and logs.
Ancient cultures used these colorful fungi as natural dyes for textiles. The pigments remain remarkably stable over time, creating lasting oranges and reds.
Scientists study compounds from these mushrooms for potential antibacterial properties. While not considered edible due to their tough, leathery texture, they add spectacular splashes of color to woodland settings year-round.
18. Sulphur Shelf (Laetiporus sulphureus)
Brilliant yellow-orange shelves stacked like cosmic pancakes make Sulphur Shelf one of the most visually striking tree mushrooms. Also called Chicken of the Woods, these shelf-like growths can span several feet across when conditions are favorable.
Oak trees most commonly host these vibrant fungi, though they occasionally appear on other hardwoods. They signal internal decay, often growing from wounds or damaged areas.
Young, tender specimens offer a remarkable chicken-like texture and flavor when properly cooked. Always cook thoroughly and avoid specimens growing on conifers, as these may contain irritating compounds.