Polypores

fungi · wood · mushrooms · nature

Shelf-shaped fungi. Polypores grow on tree trunks and branches, sticking out like little shelves or brackets. Their woody, hard texture helps them survive outside for a very long time, sometimes for years.

Pores, not gills. Unlike regular mushrooms with gills, polypores have tiny pores (little holes) underneath their caps. These pores are where they release their spores to spread and make new fungi.

Tree decomposers. Polypores are nature's recyclers. They break down dead wood and help return nutrients back to the soil so new plants can grow.

Super strong and tough. Their hard, woody bodies let polypores survive rain, snow, and extreme weather. Some species have been used by humans for thousands of years as tinder for starting fires.

Many colors and shapes. Polypores come in amazing colors like white, brown, orange, and red, with different textures and patterns on their caps.