What is the difference between shaggy mane mushroom and king oyster mushroom? A quick guide to tell them apart

The shaggy mane mushroom looks like a turkey leg, and its cap is usually white; the king oyster mushroom looks like a bowling pin or a club, and its cap is usually gray. The shaggy mane has a pointed top, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, and feels rather soft when squeezed. The king oyster has a flat top, is almost the same thickness from top to bottom, and feels firm when squeezed.

Difference one: different family and genus. The shaggy mane mushroom (scientific name Coprinus comatus) is a fungus of the family Coprinaceae, genus Coprinus, named for its chicken-leg shape and its texture resembling shredded chicken; the king oyster mushroom is a fungus of the genus Pleurotus, named for its almond aroma and its thick flesh with an abalone-like texture.

Difference two: different distribution. The shaggy mane mushroom is distributed in temperate and subtropical humid regions; in China it is mainly produced in the northern provinces, and is mostly seen in grasslands, forests, and on the ground, especially near tree roots; the king oyster mushroom is distributed in the Mediterranean region of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, but also grows in parts of Asia.

Difference three: different appearance. The shaggy mane mushroom looks like a turkey leg, and its cap is usually white; the king oyster mushroom looks like a bowling pin or a club; the bowling-pin type has a small cap and a large belly, while the club type is about the same thickness top and bottom, and its cap is usually gray. The shaggy mane has a pointed top, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, and feels rather soft when squeezed; the king oyster has a flat top, is almost the same thickness from top to bottom, and feels firm when squeezed.