Springing Up — Dryad’s Saddle

By John Paul Schmit

Dryad’s saddle (Cerioporus squamosus)

NPS

One of the few large fungi species that can be found in the National Capital Region (NCR) during spring, dryad’s saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) is a wood-decay fungus that can grow to be a foot or more across. Most fungi in the NCR do not produce mushrooms or other fruiting bodies until the summer or fall when a combination of factors, including warmer weather and rain, promotes fungal reproduction.

The upper surface of dryad’s saddle is a brownish color and is typically covered in large dark-brown to black scales. The pattern is somewhat similar to the coloration of a pheasant—which is why this fungus is sometimes also called pheasant’s back. A dryad is a mythological tree nymph. The name dryad’s saddle comes from the sometimes saddle-shaped cap of the fungus—depressed in the middle and rising towards the edge. The underside of this fungus is white and composed of numerous small pores where spores are produced. The pores are found all down the stem except for the very bottom where it is smooth and black. The fungus will grow in a mushroom shape from downed wood or as shelves coming out of standing dead wood.

Can you eat Dryad’s Saddle?

Technically dryad’s saddle is an edible fungus—eating it will not hurt or kill you—however, no one thinks that it tastes very good. It is only tender enough to eat when it is very young, so I can’t recommend it. An indication of its palatability might come from the fact that it is often used by amateur paper makers who make pulp from the fruiting body to produce a thick, stiff paper.

Dryad’s saddle (Cerioporus squamosus)

NPS

The fungus consumes dead wood from the heart rot of living trees. Most flowering trees have a living wood underneath their bark, but at their core contain dead wood that helps support the tree. A heart rot occurs when a fungus decays this dead wood, making it more likely that a storm or wind will knock the tree over. As a result, the appearance of dryad’s saddle on a living tree can be taken as warning sign that a tree is weakened and could be a hazard if near a building or road. Cerioporus squamosus occurs on a wide variety of trees in the eastern US—most frequently on the dead wood of elms (Ulmus) and maples (Acer). It is also found on buckeyes (Aesculus), alders (Alnus), hackberry (Celtis), tulip poplars (Liriodendron), cottonwoods (Populus), willows (Salix), and basswoods (Tilia). Given this wide variety of host trees, it is no surprise that this fungus is common throughout the NCR.

A Note About Foraging in Parks

Collecting or disturbing mushrooms is prohibited on many National Park Service lands. Always check regulations in the superintendent's compendium for each park. Also note that many mushrooms are poisonous and should not be eaten unless you are able to correctly identify the species and know that it is edible. 

This material was originally published in a newsletter in 2011, and was republished in an online format in 2024.