Last September I came a cross a log that had several of these beautiful Chicken of the Woods mushrooms (Laetiporus sulphureus). Although I don’t forage this was tempting as they are known to be delicious. I left it where I found it but I’d not be surprised if the next person walking by snagged a gourmet ingredient for that night’s dinner.
I posted a similar shot of a different mushroom on the log last year but recently processed this one with a few tweaks the other didn’t receive. It looks like an exploding fungus.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
I saw this as if looking down on a mushroom cloud.
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Or a spouting volcano.
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I like the dark background Steve. It really shows off this magnificent shroom! We have them here but I don’t believe I have seen one with such a bright colour as this one. Very nice photo and one worthy of a frame to be mounted in an art exhibition.
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Thanks, Pete. It was one of the more brightly colored I’ve seen and I was quite happy to see it on this dark rotting log. No doubt the unseen part of the fungus were at least partly responsible for the log’s condition.
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I remember last year’s photo. Since then, I’ve seen occasional photos of ones that others have found in their woods, but I’ve never seen one with such vibrant color. It certainly adds to the visual impact, but it makes me even less enthusiastic about eating one. It looks like something that’s been in the back of the refrigerator entirely too long.
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Yeah, it is a bit “fungusy” but some of the most enjoyable foods, I am told, are not that appealing. There’s that coffee that has to go through a civet cat…I don’t drink coffee anyway and maybe it is delicious but no way. This was the most colorful of this species I ahve seen.
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A pretty mushroom. Too bad that folks like to eat this one . That just means fewer mushrooms of its kind if it removed from its habitat.
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Yes, that is true. But they do survive and the real important part of the mushroom exists in all the mycelial strands within the host, in this case a rotting log. But, like you, I’d rather let the fungus go though its natural paces.
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It does look like it’s exploding – crazy! Well done.
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That was not my intent but you go with what works, I guess. A more benevolent mushroom cloud.
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