The Angel Wing Mushroom is a white fan-shaped mushroom that grows shelf-like. It is a very thin fleshed mushroom that feels dry and smooth to the touch, they could be hairy to the touch on top. The gills are quite crowded, and narrow range in colour from white to cream, the spore print is white.
Angel wings are one of my favourite wild mushrooms, if only for their beauty alone. There’s something magical about walking through our Vancouver Island rain forests, sparkling from recent rain, and spotting the bright white angel wing mushrooms among the green moss-covered trees.
Angel wings have more to them than just their beauty though, they are very tasty as well, but be careful when you clean them, as they are very delicate, fragile, and break easily. Some people have become ill from eating them, some have died. Eat a very small amount the first time.
They look a lot like small oyster mushrooms but are far more delicate and thin. They are one of the easiest mushrooms to find here on the island, they are easy to identify, easy to harvest, and they grow everywhere. These mushrooms are among the most unmistakable of all the Vancouver Islands species of edible wild mushrooms. They can be confused with only oyster mushrooms, but those are edible as well.
They are a very mild tasting mushroom, have a nice aroma, have a scent of moss about them and are quite sweet. But as with all wild edible mushrooms, the first time you try them, don’t eat large quantities. Wild mushrooms can cause physical distress, even if completely edible and choice, they just affect people differently. It should be noted that some people are allergic to angel wing mushrooms, and they can get quite ill from eating them, or die.