The Birch Polypore, Fomitopsis Betulina.

[Xaro]

Hi All,

Out and about on my travels in the woods, I have found loads of these lovely things.

However, they are all either black or very very solid and dried out. Am I too late? Too early perhaps?

Very new to mushrooms, but would love to get into at least knowing 1 or 2 of them and bieng able to forage them.

Thanks

 

[Mesquite]

If they're black and or solid then they've gone over. Fresh birch polypore is white and or a very pale brown and can be squeezed.

Just out of curiousity do you think you might have mistaken what you've found and they could actually be King Alfred Cakes?

 

[Xaro]

If they're black and or solid then they've gone over. Fresh birch polypore is white and or a very pale brown and can be squeezed.

Just out of curiousity do you think you might have mistaken what you've found and they could actually be King Alfred Cakes?

Perhaps, but I am 90% sure they are polypores.

It’s strange to me as my books say August. But these are over? I’ll take a photo. Heading out now.

 

[baggins]

Birch polypore can hang around on host trees for a long time. Young and healthy ones, as Mequite says, are light brown on top and white underneath. The flesh is pure white and like a very firm rubber texture. As they go over, they often get a green tinge or just dry out, depending where they are.
Always worth getting pics of fungus if you want to get a positive ID. Preferably of tops, undersides, stalks, host or area they are growing.
Many similar species will only grow with a certain host, aiding ID.