Finally a fungi!

I found a mushroom! Well, my sister Robyn did. She has this growing in her front yard and she lives just blocks away from me. It’s all about the tree! This is called a Maitake mushroom and it feeds on the dead roots of aging trees. They prefer oaks and elm trees but will also be found at the base of some maple trees as well.
She told me she had a ‘brain’ growing in her front yard and it really does look like one!! It actually has a nickname called ‘hen of the woods’ because it’s growth resembles feathers. The Japanese actually pioneered it’s cultivation hence the name Maitake. In Italy, it’s known as signorina, or "the unmarried woman." Haha. I guess nobody thinks it’s particularly attractive.
Believe it or not these mushrooms can grow up to 50 pounds!! They are edible although I wouldn’t eat one. If I never see what it looks like before it’s cooked I can be convinced to try just about anything. However, now that I saw this growing in my sisters front yard…no way will I try it. It’s certainly not the prettiest fungi and definitely not the most colorful Blip but I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to photograph it. There were so many interesting mushrooms that have been posted on Blipfoto and I was determined to find something cool. My fungi search is now over.
Thank you Robyn!