Yellow oyster mushrooms grow in small to medium-sized clumps, sometimes referred to as bouquets, and are comprised of many layers of tightly packed mushrooms growing from a single base attached to a tree. The overlapping caps average 2 to 6 centimeters in diameter and change in appearance, depending on age. Young Yellow oyster mushrooms have a flat, plump, smooth, and taut cap with a small indentation in the center and curled edges. As the mushrooms age, they begin to uncurl and open, developing a funnel-like shape around the indentation. The caps have a curved, semi-circular nature with a velvety, dry, delicate, easily bruised surface. The caps also showcase a pale to saturated, golden-yellow hue, varying with temperature. Underneath the caps, cylindrical white stems range from 2 to 5 centimeters in length and are curved to bent due to their overlapping positioning in the mushroom bouquet. There are also white to ivory gills that extend slightly down the stem, and these gills are widely spaced and have a white spore print. Raw Yellow oyster mushrooms easily break apart due to their fragile nature, and the caps have a spongy texture and a bitter, unpalatable flavor. The mushrooms also have a light and fresh scent that some consumers say smells like watermelon. When cooked, Yellow oyster mushrooms develop a fleshy, tender, and pleasantly chewy consistency, release a fruity aroma reminiscent of aged red wine, and have a mild, nutty, and sweet taste with cashew-like nuances to citrus or cinnamon-like undertones, depending on the mushroom's growing environment.