Will it kill me if I eat it?

[blackoak]

My neighbor has this growth on a very large oak tree. He has an old 1 bottom plow for decorations in front of the tree. This growth is huge. I have been told by some that these are called Hickory Jacks and that they taste just like mushrooms. I have seen these before, but none this large and I always have been afraid to eat one. This thing has a leathery texture. It would be hard pressed to fit in a bushel basket. Any body can feel me in on it? his thing got this big in like three days. Thanks

[possum]

Looks like a sulfur shelf mushroom to me. I've eaten them but didn't personally think they were all that good to eat. Much more flavor than a puffball, way different than a Hen of the Woods. One of my co-workers picks several each year and loves them.

[ducker]

got to it way too late .... old and rotting

[blackoak]

It's still has a lot of moisture in it. It felt pretty fresh the last time I checked, but that was last Sunday. I'm going to pass it up as a meal. I hate to go out on a " bad trip". I quit doing that 30 years ago. LOL

[ducker]

its a sulfur shelf (chicken of the woods) FOR SURE ... but i can tell by the color it is old ... they will toughen up as they age, to almost a cardboard texture .... you want to get them when they are super fresh, as they age i cut off only the outter edges to eat .... but like i said, that one is WAY old .... younger ones will look like this ....

[possum]

It is a sulphur shel, but it's not a chicken of the woods. We have those in my area (another fall mushroom and which I actually ate for breakfast and dinner yesterday -- one goes a long ways) . Hen of the woods are among the most highly prized mushrooms in the world. Far superior to morels, some say second only to truffles.

Both will grow again on the same tree next year. So watch for your sulphur shell next year a bit earlier.

[ducker]

sulfur shelf and chicken of the woods are one of the same ... hen of the woods is a maitake mushroom/frondosa