The white cheese polypore belongs to the Polypore family. Its scientific name derives from the Greek words “tyros,” meaning “cheese,” and “mykes,” meaning “fungus,” which perfectly describes its rather dense but spongy texture. This mushroom is commonly referred to as the white cheese polypore due to its appearance and characteristic aroma. The cheese polypore is a saprobic fungus that thrives on decaying hardwood, particularly birch trees. It causes white rot, a process in which it breaks down the lignin in the deadwood. This mushroom grows alone or in groups, sometimes overlapping or fused together. It is always found growing on wood, never from the ground. Visible from July through to December.