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Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus species complex)

, , Matthew Smith, and

Release Date: 10/20/2020

Reviewed At: 8/5/2026

DOI: 10.32473/EDIS-pp358-2020

Agriculture

Abstract

Members of the Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.) Murrill species complex, also known as "chicken of the woods," are wood-decay fungi that are widely distributed in North America. All of the species of the "chicken of the woods" group cause brown rot in a variety of tree host species, and this brown rot can cause wood to lose its structural integrity and turn powdery. Fruiting bodies in this group can be recognized by their bright yellow-orange colors and their soft, suede-like texture.

About this Publication

This document is PP358, one of a series of the UF/IFAS Department of Plant Pathology. Original publication date October 2020. Visit the Ask IFAS website at https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/ for the currently supported version of this publication.

How to Cite

Benitez, B., Paez, C., Smith, M., & Smith, J. A. (2020). Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus species complex). EDIS, 2020(5). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-pp358-2020

Authors

Brianna Benitez
Brianna Benitez

graduate student, UF/IFAS Doctor of Plant Medicine program, Gainesville, FL

Claudia A. Paez
Claudia A. Paez

research scientist I, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Section of Plant Pathology, Gainesville, FL

Matthew Smith
Matthew Smith
Contact
Specialist
University of Florida

professor, UF/IFAS Department of Plant Pathology, and curator, UF Fungal Herbarium (FLAS), Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL

View Matthew Smith's Profile
Jason Smith
Jason Smith

director and Endowed professor of biology, Huston-Brumaugh Nature Center, University of Mount Union, Alliance, OH, former professor of forest pathology (2006-2023), UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences

 

Publication #PP358