Polyporus umbellatus (Umbrella Polypore)

This is mainly medicinal mushroom, although I personally think it is very good edible. Some info about benefits can be found here.

For medicinal use the underground part of the fungus should be extracted and used and I am reluctant to disturb habitat to great extant.

According to the literature, the mushroom is widespread but not common. They start to show up in May and will regrow in the same spot several times during the season (I assume that if the underground part is disturbed and removed, this will not be the case).

Unfortunately they are loved by bugs and parasites. It is also very hard to clean dirt and leaf debris stuck in the mushroom due to quick growth. On the other hand it does make magnificent soup and my wife use it for very good mushroom stock.

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