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Upcoming Events | Meet the Instructors | Plant Archive | Mushroom Archive
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Elm oysters (Hypsizygus ulmarius) are an edible and easy-to-identify mushroom. Elm oysters are in a different genus than the “true” oyster mushrooms. They are named after their appearance which resembles true oyster mushrooms in the Pleurotus genus.
![](https://eattheplanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/311719722_498156895694968_9106270929908346731_n-1.jpg)
Elm oysters are usually found on elm trees from August-December. They can be differentiated from true oysters by their gills which do not run down its stem. The caps develop a slight depression in the center and a cracked appearance when the mushroom is mature.
![](https://eattheplanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/311675649_498156892361635_7219572286359666072_n.jpg)
Elm oyster mushrooms are also cultivated, but the cultivated variety looks very different than the wild version. Elm oysters have a mild woodsy taste.
![](https://eattheplanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/311604604_498156889028302_4947504744880771423_n.jpg)
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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.