While hiking in the woods, looking to harvest some spruce resin from the bountiful lands here in Alberta, I came across this magnificent mushroom for the first time. I was easily able to identify it, due to the host trees that they were growing on and the color, and shape of the mushroom. It has a white underside with pores not gills, and is in the shape of a kidney. Has a ligh brown topside and kind of to me looks like a squished toasted marshmallow. The flesh inside is white and firm, and the spore print is also white.
Birch polypore exclusively grow on dead and dying Birch trees and are plentiful in late August to November.
So I was walking , head in the clouds and eyes on the trees and in the distance , I saw a massive whiteish mass hanging off of a pearly white trunk if a birch tree. I yelled at my husband, " look hunny, it's a Birch polypore!!"
I was so excited. Another generous medicinal mushroom to add to my apothecary, I headed towards the tree. As I got closer, I noticed that there were many many more ! How exciting.
So maybe your thinking , what's so great about this mushroom anyways? Well I'll tell you !
Fomitopsis betulina has been long used traditionally for its antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer and anti inflammatory properties. Modern research and pharmacological studies has since confirmed with evidence supporting this mushroom for its antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral, antinflamatory, anticancer, neuroprotective, snd immunomodulating activities. More about these studies can be read herr ! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5380686/
So let's get into this a bit further without getting too sciencey.
Antiviral : this fact was the most impressive for me. In test extracts of Birch polypore actually blicked reproduction of cells from the HIV virus. Also it was shown to incapacitate encephalitis infections and proved positive for treating the flu, yellow fever and west Nile virus.
Antibiotic : Birch polypore contains the antibiotic piptamine which has been used to treat ecoli.
Anti inflammatory: Birch polypore contains several tripartite acids which are known anti-inflammatory sunstances
Anti-tumor : betulinic acid and other chemicals in this fungi have been shown to cause opoptosis, which is the destruction of cancer cells without effecting healthy cells in the body.
Antiseptic : for cleaning wounds and aidibg in healing.
Some other ways this fungi can be used is by making a plaster from the thin underside of the mushroom. A strip can be easily cut from the membrane of the mushroom and used on wounds, to stir bleeding while providing anti bacterial and antiseptic properties.
So now you have some of the PROVEN benefits of the birch polypire, let's discuss how we can use this mushroom and incorporate it into our daily lives. Everyone has their own story and so everyone will use a powerful medicine like this in their own way.
Most commonly is cutting into slices and simply using as a water extract for tea. This can give tour immune system a sturdy boost as a daily tonic.
Another way, which would certainly give you the most benefits when using medically would be as a double extract decoction. Using water and soluble alcohol will pull the most medicine out of your mushroom.
Another way is to simply eat it. I tried that and did not find it tasty at all ! It has a tough mushrooms taste and rubbery texture when cooked. The experience might be alot better if I brought with me a garlic butter pack.... and maybe used a younger specimen. You live and learn right??
What a beautiful fungi. I just live finding them and learning all about them! It's like a treasure hunt every time! Please remember to properly identify and mushrooms that you plan to harvest. Spore prints are a great way to make sure you have the right one. Lucky for this mushroom it does not have any look alike. Truly one of a kind.
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