Magnificent Mushrooms! #15

DISCLAIMER: This post is for information and interest only, it should not be considered a guide to edible wild mushrooms. Always go with a knowledgeable person when picking wild mushrooms.

Hi everyone and Happy Friday! Well, we are back with another interesting mushroom to look at today. There are so many different species of mushrooms, some are easy to identify and some are definitely hard to identify. I have photos of many of our mushrooms for this area, but most are found all across northeastern North America. I have been amazed to find out that so many are not edible and many being very toxic.

Today, however, we have something a bit different, the Wood Ear mushroom. It is also called Jelly Ear and Tree Ear. It grows mostly on upright, dead and decaying conifers and hardwood trees, but also on logs and stumps of these trees. It is gelatinous and quite rubbery and has a translucent quality to it. The color of the one in may photo is a tan color, but it can also be light to darker brown.

Wood Ear Mushroom, also known as Jelly Ear and Tree Ear.

They also develop veins and wrinkles on both the upper and lower parts. The mushroom can grow up to 6 inches (15cm) across. It has no odor or flavor but it is edible, though as mentioned, it is a bit rubbery. Personally, I don’t think I would want to eat this one, but that’s just me. That rubbery texture doesn’t sound appealing.

Also, if you are taking certain medications, such as for blood thinning, it is best to stay away from this mushroom. When dried it becomes tough and very dark but returns to normal with the addition of water. They can be found from spring through fall (most commonly found in fall) and are fairly common in our area. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

©2024 Steve McLeod.