Maitake

Other Names

Hen of the woods, dancing mushroom, cloud mushroom, dancing butterfly, signorina

Latin Name

Grifola frondosa

Usually Found In

Asia, the USA, UK, Europe

Season

Autumn, but available all year

Considered a delicacy, this cultivated version of the wild Hen of the Woods forms in clusters of multiple grey feather-like thin caps, with no real stem or gills, which can be scattered like flower petals in dishes. This light, pretty mushroom is a polypore and has tiny pores on the underside of the caps.