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Resinous Polypore: Identification, Foraging, and Lookalikes

Published: Oct 24, 2023 · Modified: Nov 13, 2023 by Jenny · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

Ischnoderma resinosum, commonly known as the resinous polypore, is a common fall mushroom across North America. It is edible when young and has a neat velvety texture and dark-zoned cap. When young, it is pretty easy to identify because very few polypores are so soft and fleshy. As it ages, though, it is easily confused with other brown polypore species.

  • Scientific Name: Ischnoderma resinosum
  • Common Names: Resinous Polypore, Velvet Polypore, Late Fall Polypore, Benzoin Bracket
  • Habitat: Dead and dying hardwood trees
  • Edibility: Edible when very young
Resinous polypores are attractive mushrooms; they stand out in the fall forest
Jump to:
  • All About Resinous Polypores
  • Resinous Polypore Identification Guide
  • Resinous Polypore Lookalikes
  • Resinous Polypore Edibility and Culinary Uses
  • Common Questions About Resinous Polypores

All About Resinous Polypores

The resinous polypore grows on hardwood logs and stumps, particularly during late autumn. Its unique velvety surface and dark red to brown color make it stand out. As the name suggests, when young, the resinous polypore exudes a red liquid. Its flesh is spongy but tough and has a sweet smell.

When foraged young, before it becomes tough and woody, it is edible. It has a robust, earthy taste and dense texture that works well in many recipes.

resinous polypores
Resinous polypore fruiting — there are often found in huge numbers

Resinous Polypore Identification Guide

Season

Late autumn into early winter

Habitat

This mushroom is widely distributed across North America but is more common in the East and Midwest. It also occurs in Africa, Asia, and Europe. It fruits on hardwood logs and stumps during the late autumn. It’s also been known to appear on the underside of dead logs, producing a capless version of itself.

Resinous polypore mushrooms do not grow on the ground or from mulch – they are found on dead and dying trees. They are saprobic and also cause a white rot on trees they inhabit. This mushroom generally only grows on newly dead trees, not well-rotted ones.

The resinous polypore may grow alone but more often appears in large groupings. Many times, the caps are clustered and overlapping. Or, they appear in great quantity as individual specimens.

resinous polypore
Look for resinous polypore on dead and dying hardwood trees

Identification

Cap

The cap of the resinous polypore is semicircular or bracket-shaped with a thick, white, rounded edge. It has zones of coloring, ranging in color from ochre to dark brown. It loses the white outer edge as it ages and gets much darker overall. When past maturity, the polypore is often entirely dark-brown or black. With age, it also loses the velvetiness and gets extremely tough.

Caps range from 5 to 7.5 inches wide but sometimes get quite larger. The texture is finely hairy (velvety), initially very fleshy, and may exude a resinous liquid when young. You cannot always see the resinous droplets that give it the common name.

resinous polypore bleeding
The caps usually “bleed” a dark red liquid
Ischnoderma resinosum
The pores are whitish

Pores

The resinous polypore lacks gills, as it is a polypore species. Instead, it has a pore surface on the underside of the cap. When young, the pores are whitish and bruise brown when touched. The pore surface is soft, rather squishy, and may have red droplets. As it ages, the pores turn light brown and harden.

Stem

This polypore does not have a distinct stem.

Flesh

The flesh is pinkish-brown and spongy when young. With age, the flesh turns brown and gets extremely tough.

Odor

The odor of resinous polypores is not particularly distinctive or may be slightly sweet.

Spore Print

The spore print of this mushroom is white.

young polypore emerging
The growth starts out like a white blob on the side of a tree with resinous droplets (this is Ischnoderma benzoinum – it grows the exact same way)
Ischnoderma resinosum
The caps are dense and fleshy, easily squished. They’re also brightly colored in the center with a thick white band
Ischnoderma resinosum
With age, they spread out and flatten out and start to lose the white around the edge
Ischnoderma resinosum
Mature resinous polypore gets very dark, and will eventually turn entirely dark brown to black
Ischnoderma resinosum
A fully mature resinous polypore doesn’t have white at the edges and is very dark overall. At this stage, it can be hard to separate from other similar looking polypores

Resinous Polypore Lookalikes

Ganoderma species

Ganoderma mushrooms, like Reishi, are woody and hard throughout their development, unlike the resinous polypore. They typically have a varnished appearance with a brownish-red coloration.

reishi
Reishi looks somewhat similar, but are never as fleshy

Ischnoderma benzoinum

This species is extremely similar with one key difference – it grows on conifers. It also is a bit skinnier and flatter overall.

Resinous Polypore Edibility and Culinary Uses

While the resinous polypore may not be as widely recognized for its culinary potential as some other mushroom species, it is indeed edible, particularly when young and tender. The texture of mature resinous polypores becomes tough and woody, making them unsuitable for eating. However, when harvested at the right stage, the resinous polypore can be a delightful addition to the pantry.

Ischnoderma resinosum
The flesh is soft and watery when young

Trim the young, tender edges and discard the tougher parts closer to the tree. If you’re unsure, feel the mushroom and test how difficult it is to cut. Your knife should cut through it easily. The flesh is soft at the edges, much like chicken of the woods.

The mushrooms can be sautéed with oil, salt, and butter, allowing their rich flavor to shine. However, the cooking process can make them a bit chewy even when only using the soft, tender pieces. They’re not bad with this method, but it may not be to your liking.

The best way to prepare them is to make a broth. This method allows the mushroom’s rich juices to come out, and they add an incredible flavor to vegetable stock. Then, you can use this stock for gravies, pasta, and stews.

Additionally, you can dry the polypore and then add the dried chunks to soups and stocks.

Resinous Polypore Recipes

  • Ischnoderma resinosum jerky
  • Ischnoderma broth

Common Questions About Resinous Polypores

Are resinous polypores medicinal?

There isn’t much research on this mushroom species, but early research shows antioxidant properties.

Can you eat resinous polypore?

Yes. When young and tender, this is a great edible species. It does take some special preparation (not complicated) to bring out its depth and flavor, though. More information is above in the culinary section.

Ischnoderma resinosum
This is a wonderful fall foraging find

More Edible Mushrooms

  • Bay Bolete: Identification, Foraging, and Lookalikes
  • Spike Cap Mushrooms: Identification, Edibility, and Lookalikes
  • Sooty Head Mushroom: Identification, Lookalikes, and Edibility
  • Shrimp Russula: Identification, Foraging, and Lookalikes

Reader Interactions

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  1. KC

    October 02, 2024 at 8:52 pm

    Thank you for sharing. Very informative! Absolutely love your pictures of the various stages.

    Reply
    • Jenny

      October 03, 2024 at 11:59 am

      Thank and glad it helped! Happy foraging 🙂

      Reply

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