oyster mushroom

American  

noun

1. oyster cap.

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oyster mushroom British  

noun

1. an edible fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus, having an oyster-shaped cap, commonly found growing in clusters on the trunks of broad-leaved trees

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Etymology

Origin of oyster mushroom

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Although it is an attractive and edible species, the golden oyster mushroom has demonstrated its ability to escape cultivation and establish itself in the wild, where it can outcompete native fungi.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

The oyster mushroom produces chemicals to paralyze its nematode prey within a few minutes of contact.

From National Geographic • Dec. 12, 2023

“Somebody sees this thing and they think it looks wild and extraterrestrial,” she said, “but it’s a pink oyster mushroom that cooks beautifully into something that tastes like barbecue pork.”

From Washington Post • Apr. 13, 2023

But applying the substance to worms made it clear 3-octanone had all the gruesome effects of a brush with an oyster mushroom.

From New York Times • Jan. 18, 2023

Professor Peck says that in edible qualities it resembles the oyster mushroom, P. ostreatus.

From Among the Mushrooms A Guide For Beginners by Dallas, Ellen M.