By Greg Wagner
Allow me to introduce you to the Dryad’s Saddle mushroom, Cerioporus squamosus.
Referred to as the Pheasant’s Back, this is a diamond in the rough when it comes to edible fungi.
While you are foraging for morel mushrooms this season, I want you to consider harvesting the Dryad’s Saddle. The mushroom’s cap has a unique appearance, featuring large, brown scales that resemble a ring-necked pheasant’s back. It typically grows amid the same habitat as morel mushrooms (see my morel hunting blog for more info), including moist river and creek bottom woodlands. However, the Dryad’s Saddle differs from morels in that it grows on living or dead hardwood trees, particularly cottonwoods and elms.
Identification
Name
What’s a dryad? In Greek mythology, a dryad is a spirit or fairy that lives in a forest; they’re also called wood nymphs. Legend has it they could apparently fit and ride on this mushroom! The species name, squamosus, means “scaly,” and it refers to the scaly texture on the top surface of the mushroom, which becomes more pronounced with age.
Appearance
This large, scaly, fleshy bracket polypore fungus is typically light brown, roundish, and can be creamy yellow or whitish. It looks fan-shaped and possesses feather-like patterns. The Dryad’s saddle has big, brown scales that give it somewhat of a pancake-type appearance. It has a short stalk and yellowish white pores.
Lookalikes
The Dryad’s Saddle is actually very easy to identify and whose lookalikes are not edible due to their very leathery texture. Accurate identification is imperative to avoid health implications. Do not use AI for final identification. Make sure to do a spore print.
Spore print
The spore print of the Dryad’s Saddle is white. The spores magnified are oblong, elliptical and smooth.
Size
The Dryad’s Saddle can grow quite large, often exceeding a foot in diameter, but most are around three or four to six inches.
Flesh
The flesh or meat of this mushroom is firm and white but becomes tough and corky as it ages and gets larger. Larger specimens may possess insects as well.
Habitat
The Dryad’s Saddle grows on deciduous trees whether living, decaying or dead, and lower to the ground, whether singly or layered in a shelf-like manner. It can reappear for years in the same location, often fruiting more than once a year.
Scent
It has a distinct scent, often described as a unique blend of fresh cucumber, watermelon rind and earthiness.
Edibility
Prime Picking
The Dryad’s Saddle is a choice or good wild edible, especially when young and tender. Collect before the mushroom gets much bigger than the circumference of a standard ceramic coffee cup (3-4 inches).
Preparation
Remove the stem and any tough, woody portions of the fungus. Then, gently rinse the Dryad’s Saddle caps under cold running water. With a dampened paper towel, or dampened soft kitchen towel, carefully wipe the pores of the underside of the mushrooms or scrape them off with a paring knife. Next, drain and pat dry the remainder. Give it a quick salt-water soak and then a rinse.
Cooking
Like any wild mushroom, the Dryad’s Saddle needs to be well-cooked and never eaten raw. How do you cook it? Cut off the tender edges of the Dryad’s Saddle, slice them into small pieces and pan-fry or sauté them in butter and minced garlic with a little salt and pepper. Diced Dryad’s Saddle mushrooms are also nice additions and flavor enhancers to various meat entrées such as falafel or hamburger patties. The Dryad’s Saddle has a mild, nutty taste (the cucumber/watermelon/earthiness odor disappears with cooking) and a sort of crunchy texture. After cooking, remember to sample only a small amount of the mushroom at first, since some people are allergic to specific chemicals in certain fungi. Always check with your allergist or physician first before consuming any edible wild fungus.
Ecological Importance
Nutrient Cycling
The Dryad’s Saddle plays a crucial role in woodland ecosystems by breaking down wood and returning nutrients to the soil.