Nordic mushrooms – get to know the species
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Lamb Polypore

Lamb Polypore

Albatrellus ovinus
Edible
★★★☆☆
Taste rating: 3 out of 5

How to identify it

Cap
The fruiting body is white to grey-white or yellow-white. The cap is often irregularly rounded, sometimes fused with several caps, with a smooth to slightly scaly surface.
Underside
The underside consists of dense, small white to grey-white pores. The pores may darken somewhat with age and when touched.
Stem
The stem is short and stout, white to grey-white and often somewhat offset from the centre of the cap.
Smell
Mild, slightly mushroom-like smell.

Occurrence and habitat

It grows on the ground in coniferous woodland, especially under spruce and pine. It forms mycorrhiza and occurs mainly in older woodland and mossy forest habitats.

Look-alike species

These mushrooms can resemble Lamb Polypore. Look closely at features, habitat and images to see the differences.

Bread polypore
Bread polypore
Albatrellus confluens
★★★★★
Fair edible mushroom

Sheep polypore has small pores and its fruiting body is usually white to grey-white. Bread polypore is also a whitish polypore but differs in shape, structure and ecological details.

Read more about Bread polypore ›

Preparation

Use young, firm specimens. Clean thoroughly, cut away hard or old parts and cook by frying or other thorough heating. Older specimens can become tough.

Recipe suggestions

Fried Lamb Polypore with butter: cut young specimens into pieces, fry dry first so the liquid evaporates, then add butter, salt and pepper. Finish with parsley and a little garlic.

Images – study the mushroom from several angles

Click an image to display it as the main image.

⚠ Important safety information

Eat only specimens that have been safely identified. Confusion with other white polypores is possible. Do not use old, tough or infested specimens.

Facts and sources

Sources
Svampguiden; SLU Artdatabanken/Artfakta. Fact-checking should be made against current taxonomy and species description before final publication.
Batch 11 supplemented – should be finally checked against a