Spring Oyster
Mycologist out west consider that what the eastern
mycologists call
Pleurotus ostreatus consists of
three different species:
- Pleurotus ostreatus
- is a late fall and winter fungus
in Europe and North America and grow on hardwoods. I was told that in
New England it is usually found on dead Maple and Maple stumps.
- Pleurotus populinus
- is what I call Spring Oyster.
It grows on dead Aspen and Cottonwood. I found it only on dead Aspen.
It starts fruiting in the early May (May 9, 2004), and continues on and off
into the fall. In my experience they are worth harvesting only in the
Spring. It is hard to determine when and if a particular dead Aspen log
will again fruit. The once I keep track of, produce in the spring only.
- Pleurotus
pulmonarius
- Similar to ostreatus but the fruit
is lung shaped. It fruits from mid-summer through early fall.
Young Oysters emerging from underneath the bark of a dead
Aspen log in my back yard.
More mature Oysters on a dead, standing Aspen.
