Turkey Tail

Trametes versicolor

Turkey tail is one of the most widespread and ecologically significant bracket fungi in the world. It produces thin, fan-shaped fruiting bodies in overlapping tiers on dead hardwood. The undersides are white and porous, made up of thousands of tiny pores which release spores into the air. The upper surface is marked by concentric bands of color in shades of brown, gray, blue, orange, and white, hence its common name [1][2].

In its ecological role as a wood decomposer, T. versicolor specializes in degrading lignin, the complex structural polymer that gives wood its strength. As it recycles dead logs into fertile soil, turkey tail is a keystone decomposer in forests worldwide. By speeding up the decay of organic matter, it plays a direct role in soil formation and forest regeneration [3][4][5].

The turkey tail mushroom is also well known for its use in traditional medicine. In East Asian cultures, turkey tail extracts have long been used to enhance immune function and aid in recovery from illness. Modern scientific research has since identified two primary bioactive compounds, polysaccharide-K (PSK) and polysaccharide-peptide (PSP), and explored their possible immune-modulating and antioxidant effects [6][7].

Present in temperate and tropical forests all over the world, Trametes versicolor can be found year-round on dead and decaying wood. It is both a symbol of renewal and a living agent of that process, bridging decay, regeneration, and healing.

[1] “Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) | Mushrooms of Nebraska.” https://nebraskamushrooms.org/species/trametes-versicolor/

[2] Macalester College. “The Turkey Tail Fungus.” https://www.macalester.edu/ordway/biodiversity/inventory/turkeytailfungus/

[3] OutdoorIllinois. “Fungus Fans (Turkey Tail Mushrooms).” https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/oi/documents/oct07turkeytailmushrooms.pdf

[4] “Decomposing Fungi – Muir Woods National Monument.” U.S. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/muwo/learn/nature/decomposing-fungi.htm

[5] LandConserve.org. “Turkey Tail – Gobbling Up Forest Debris.” November 25 2024. https://www.landconserve.org/news/2024/11/25/turkey-tail-gobbling-up-forest-debris

[6] Habtemariam, Solomon. “Trametes versicolor (Synn. Coriolus versicolor) Polysaccharides in Cancer Therapy: Targets and Efficacy.” Biomedicines 8, no. 5 (2020): 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines8050135

[7] “PSK, PSP, and Beta-Glucans in Turkey Tail Mushroom Extracts – Explained.” Antioxi-Supplements Blog. May 30 2025. https://antioxi-supplements.com/blogs/help-desk-and-faqs/active-compounds-in-turkey-tail-explained