the giant saddle fungus straddling fallen timber
- Size
- Width: 10–30 cm
- Lifespan
- 1 years
- Diet
- Saprotrophic and parasitic. Feeds on dead and living wood of introduced broadleaf trees. Grows on trunks of living trees as parasite and on dead logs as saprotroph. Dual nutritional strategy.
- Habitat
- Grows on dead and living wood of introduced broadleaf trees. Forms large, fan-shaped pale yellow to brown brackets with dark brown scales arranged in concentric rings. Underside has large angular pores.
- Range
- Throughout North Island and northern South Island on introduced broadleaf trees, particularly in urban parks and gardens. Most common in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Introduced from Europe.
- Endemism
- Introduced
- Main Threats
- None significant. Localised threats include removal of old, decaying trees from urban parks and gardens. Habitat loss affects local populations. Generalist nature provides some resilience.
- Population
- A large, scaly bracket fungus on dead and living wood of introduced broadleaf trees. Fan-shaped brackets are pale yellow to brown with dark brown concentric scales. Edible when young. Found in urban parks.
- Conservation Status
- Introduced
Dryad's Saddle is the scaly giant of the urban forest. A fungus that looks like a saddle for a forest spirit. The bracket measures ten to thirty centimetres across. It is fan-shaped. The colour is pale yellow to brown. Dark brown scales are arranged in concentric rings. It looks like a seat for a tree nymph. The underside is covered in large, angular pores. They are white to cream. They look like a honeycomb made by a giant bee. A fungus that belongs in a fairy tale. The appearance is mythical. The reality is biological.
When the mushroom is young and fresh, it has a strong, cucumber-like smell. This scent fills the air around it. Some people find it pleasant. Others find it odd. Either way, it is distinctive. Once known, it can be recognised from metres away. The olfactory cue is reliable. The identification is sensory. The memory is lasting.
Biologically, Dryad's Saddle is both a parasite and a saprotroph. It grows on the trunks of living trees. It enters through wounds in the bark. It slowly rots the heartwood from the inside out. It can take years to kill a tree. But eventually, the tree will fall. The fungus will continue to feed on the dead wood. The transition is seamless. The role shifts. The survival is assured.
Dryad's Saddle is edible when young. This is before the flesh becomes tough and woody. The young brackets have a soft, flexible texture. They have a mild, nutty flavour. They are good sautéed in butter. But they have to be caught early. Once they are fully grown, they are too tough to eat. The window is narrow. The reward is culinary. The timing is critical.
To find Dryad's Saddle is to find a piece of European folklore growing on a New Zealand tree. The urban park is quiet. The saddle grows on the trunk of an old oak. It is fan-shaped and scaly. It smells of cucumber. It does not know it is from Europe. It does not know it is edible when young. It just wants to rot the wood. The urban forest is never static. The saddle is proof.
The scales are dark. The pores are large. The smell is distinct. The taste is mild. The growth is rapid. The decay is steady. The tree weakens. The fungus thrives. The cycle continues. It carries on. It does not seek permission. It seeks substrate. And that seems to be enough.