Artist Conk Ganoderma applanatum

Identification
This fungus has a hard brown top and white underside that bruises brown.

Location
Common statewide

Size
4 to 12 inch shelves

Diet
It feeds on decaying wood.

Habitat
It occurs on dead hardwoods.

Activity Period
Year round

Behavior
It forms large perennial shelves. It is visible year round.

Lifecycle
Fruiting bodies persist for years.

Population
The population is stable statewide.

History
It has long been present in Ohio.

Human Interactions
It is used for artistic etching.

Facts
It can grow for many years in the same spot.

Sources
ODNR NatureServe

Wood decay | Logs stumps hardwoods | Statewide