Angel wings vs oyster mushroom
- Toxic: Angel Wings
Angel wings are pure white, paper-thin and grow on conifer wood. Oyster mushrooms are thicker, often gray or tan, and grow mostly on hardwoods.
Elm oyster vs oyster mushroom: how to tell them apart
Quick answer
The elm oyster's gills attach to the stem, often notched, and do not run down it; the oyster mushroom's gills run down to the point of attachment. The elm oyster also has a distinct, thick stem and often grows alone or in small numbers, while oyster mushrooms grow in overlapping shelves with little or no stem.
Side by side
The tell for each
Hypsizygus ulmarius
Photo coming
Edible
The tellLarge whitish cap with a distinct stem and gills that attach to it without running down.
Edible
The tellFan-shaped caps in overlapping shelves on dead hardwood, with white gills running down to a short stub of a stem.
How they differ
| Feature | Elm Oyster | Oyster Mushroom |
|---|---|---|
| Gills | Elm OysterAttached to the stem, often notched, not running down. | Oyster MushroomRunning down the stem or to the point of attachment. |
| Stem | Elm OysterDistinct and thick, often off-center or curved. | Oyster MushroomA short stub or none. |
| Growth | Elm OysterUsually alone or a few together, from wounds and dead wood. | Oyster MushroomOverlapping shelves. |
| Cap | Elm OysterWhite to buff or pale tan, without watery spots, sometimes cracking with age. | Oyster MushroomWhite to gray, tan or brownish. |
| Favored wood | Elm OysterElm and box elder, among other hardwoods. | Oyster MushroomAspen, poplar, beech, maple and oak. |
| Spore print | Elm OysterWhite to buff. | Oyster MushroomWhite to pale lilac-gray. |
FAQ
Common questions
Is the elm oyster an oyster mushroom?
No. The elm oyster is Hypsizygus ulmarius, in a different family from the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus. A close relative, Hypsizygus tessulatus, is the species cultivated and sold under the name Hypsizygus marmoreus.
Does the elm oyster only grow on elm?
No. It grows from wounds and dead wood on many living or dead hardwoods, but elm and box elder are frequent hosts.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Hypsizygus tessulatus and Hypsizygus ulmarius
MushroomExpert.com
- Pleurotus ostreatus
MushroomExpert.com
Keep checking
Read both pages in full
- More on the elm oyster
- More on the oyster mushroom
- Not sure it is either? Narrow it down with the identification key
This page states what field guides record. It is not advice to eat, taste or handle anything, and a photo cannot settle edibility. If someone has eaten a wild mushroom that may be toxic, call poison control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) right away, before symptoms start: the deadliest species act hours later.
More comparisons
Oyster mushroom vs shiitake
Shiitake has a distinct tough stem and gills that stop at it. Oyster mushrooms grow in shelves with little or no stem and gills running down.
King oyster vs oyster mushroom
King oysters have a thick white stem bigger than the cap. Common oyster mushrooms grow in shelves on wood with little or no stem.
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