Skip to main content
Pleurotus citrinopileatus, commonly known as the Golden Oyster, is a saprotrophic lignicolous fungus belonging to the family Pleurotaceae. Taxonomically, it is closely related to Pleurotus cornucopiae and is sometimes treated as a subspecies (P. cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus). The species is morphologically distinct due to its vibrant, citrine-yellow pileus (cap) and cespitose growth habit, forming dense, overlapping clusters from a common base. As the fruit bodies mature, the intense yellow pigmentation often fades to a pale cream or white, particularly towards the margins. The flesh is thin, white, and fragile compared to P. ostreatus.
Native: Eastern Russia (Primorsky Krai), Northern China, Japan. Introduced: United States (Upper Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic). Widely cultivated globally. In the United States, it has escaped cultivation and is now considered an established non-native, potentially invasive species, particularly prevalent in Iowa, Wisconsin, and surrounding states since approximately 2012.
Join WeMush to log cultivation data, discover strains, and connect with fellow growers.
