EDIBLE: Good edible mushroom with mild flavor, similar to cultivated oyster mushrooms. Cook thoroughly before eating. Safe when properly identified. The strong association with aspen and cottonwood trees is a helpful identification feature. Harvest young, fresh specimens for best quality.
Fan to oyster-shaped caps 2-6 inches wide, white to cream or pale tan, sometimes with grayish tones. Smooth surface with decurrent white gills and short lateral or absent stem. Distinguished by its strong preference for aspen and cottonwood trees. Grows in dense overlapping clusters. White spore print.
| Family | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Genus | Pleurotus |
| Edibility | Edible* |
| Toxicity | unknown |
| Season | May-Oct |
| Habitat | Saprobic specifically on dead and dying aspen (Populus tremuloides), cottonwood (Populus species), and occasionally other poplar trees. Forms dense clustered shelves on logs, stumps, and standing dead trees. Strongly associated with Populus species in mountainous and northern regions. |
| Region | Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, Intermountain West, Western North America, Northern North America |
Habitat: Saprobic specifically on dead and dying aspen (Populus tremuloides), cottonwood (Populus species), and occasionally other poplar trees. Forms dense clustered shelves on logs, stumps, and standing dead trees. Strongly associated with Populus species in mountainous and northern regions.
Region: Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, Intermountain West, Western North America, Northern North America
Late spring through fall, with peak fruiting in May-October. Most common in early summer. Fruits after spring rains in aspen groves and riparian cottonwood areas.
Typical months: May-Oct
Always verify identification to avoid these similar species. The differentiator is the point — learn the one or two tells that separate them:
toxic, pure white, on conifers only
Pin the patch before you leave it. Coordinates, photos, and field notes stay on your device — and the offline lookalike guide travels with you into the deep woods.
Download Mushroom TrackerDisclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes only. Never consume a wild mushroom unless you are 100% certain of its identification.