While out hiking along the northern edge of the Hassayampa River in the Prescott National Forest I spotted a large colony of beautiful
Turkey Tail mushrooms growing on an old dead log alongside the river gorge.
Really a pretty sight as the fungi gradually return the deadfall back to Mother Nature - the mycelium slowly breaking down the wood and feeding the growing colony and preparing for the next step in the growth/decay cycle.
Turkey Tail or Trametes versicolor is a common fungus here in the US but is world-wide in its distribution. Its a member of the Polypore group of mushrooms that are so named because of the numerous minute pores on the underside of the fungi.
The Turkey Tail displays disc-like shapes in various colors and shades, including brown, grey, white, and orange - hence the term versicolor in its scientific nomenclature and the common name of Turkey Tail for its resemblance to the bird's plumage.
It really is a beautiful fungus when viewed up close, almost as though it has been coated with a bit of lacquer to accentuate it's woodland beauty
In Japan, it is known as “kawaritake” or “cloud mushroom” because of its natural layered shapes while in China Turkey tail mushrooms have been used for more than 1,000 years. Turkey Tail, otherwise known as “Yun Zhi” in Chinese, has been used for several conditions in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which can be seen here:
TCM characteristics:
temperature – slightly cold, therefore usable for hot diseases, inflammations (some sources say slightly warm)
taste – sweet
tropism – spleen, heart, stomach (some sources also mention the kidneys, kidney essence)
Effects according to traditional Chinese medicine:
replenishes the spleen
drains moisture and transforms mucus, removes pathogens/toxins
nourishes the heart and spirit Shen
replenishes the yin of the liver and kidneys
cools down heat
🍄https://www.mycomedica.eu/coriolus.html
🍄http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/herbal/yunzhi.html
I gathered a good amount of the mushrooms to dry at home and prepare some tincture/extract to see if they can help with some of my nagging health issues. Nothing better than using Nature's wild medicine cabinet to improve one's health and well-being.
If you're interested in more information on this amazing fungus check out some of these articles. Some are in-depth research articles while others are more casual in their format.
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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247854972_Medicinal_Value_of_Turkey_Tail_Fungus_Trametes_versicolor_LFr_Pilat_Aphyllophoromycetideae_A_Literature_Review
🍄https://grocycle.com/turkey-tail-mushrooms/
🍄https://bastyr.edu/news/general-news/2012/11/fda-approves-bastyr-turkey-tail-trial-cancer-patients
🍄http://www.thefullmonte.com/fda-approves-cancer-busting-turkey-tail-mushroom-for-clinical-trial/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/turkey-tail-mushroom/
🍄http://shagbarkfarmohio.com/pdfs/Turkey-Tail-Mushrooms.pdf
🍄https://mycognosis.com/turkey-tail-look-alikes/
🍄https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/cancer/turkey-tail-mushrooms-for-cancer-treatment/
🍄https://www.10news.com/news/coronavirus/can-mushrooms-fight-covid-uc-san-diego-launches-first-of-its-kind-clinical-trial
🍄https://themedicinalmushroomcompany.com/blogs/the-medicinal-mushroom-co-journal/turkey-tail-the-multifaceted-medicinal-mushroom
https://www.organicfacts.net/turkey-tail-mushrooms.html