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    Craterellus sinuosus

    Craterellus sinuosus (Fr.) Maire · Hydnaceae

    ✓ EdibleRisk of confusion: low

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Craterellus sinuosus
    Photo: Dendrofil · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Craterellus sinuosus is a small to medium-sized, light brown funnel-shaped mushroom with a frilly, wavy cap margin and a beige, veined underside. It grows mainly under European beech and is considered edible. It is declining because of nutrient inputs into forest soils.

    SeasonAugust to November
    Spore printwhitish to pale cream
    FamilyHydnaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is funnel-shaped and depressed, light loam to sepia brown, often slightly felty in the centre. The margin is frequently frilly and wavy.
    2. Underside. The underside is beige to beige-brown, relatively smooth when young and later veined.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is hollow, 3 to 8 cm long and 3 to 8 mm thick, sand yellow to brown-beige, tapering to a point downwards, irregularly roundish and grooved lengthways. Up to three small caps can grow from one stem, and secondary caps can also form on the cap. There is no ring and no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. There are no striking features of smell and taste.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is thin and hollow.

    Lookalikes

    Craterellus sinuosus is light brown with a frilly cap margin and a beige, veined underside. No poisonous look-alikes are known; the similar Craterellus species are edible.

    Side by side

    Craterellus sinuosusHorn of plentyAshen chanterelle
    Caplight loam to sepia brown, funnel-shaped, margin frilly and wavyblackish brown to grey-black, funnel-shapedblackish brown to ash grey, smooth margin
    Undersidebeige to beige-brown, smooth when young, later veinedsmooth to slightly wrinkled, greyishforked, ash-grey ridges
    Stemhollow, sand yellow to brown-beige, grooved lengthwayshollow, merging into the capsoot grey, no yellow tones
    Fleshthin, hollowthin, brittlethin, brittle
    EdibilityEdibleedibleedible

    Habitat & Season

    Moderately to distinctly damp, rather nutrient-poor soils, mainly in beech woods, more rarely in mixed oak woods. No reliable information.

    Host trees

    Mainly European beech, also oak and other deciduous trees.

    Season

    possible good main season

    Rough estimate; the fruiting time depends on the weather.

    Mushroom regions with a daily forecast

    There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.

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    Chance near you

    How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.

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    Safety

    Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Only eat mushrooms you have identified beyond doubt, and always cook them thoroughly.

    Advice for your country

    United Kingdom

    Poison centre:

    NHS 111 (England)111

    Emergency: 999 · 112

    Ireland

    Poison centre:

    National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166

    Emergency: 112 · 999

    Germany

    Poison centre:

    Giftnotruf Berlin030 19240Giftinformationszentrum München089 19240GIZ-Nord Göttingen0551 19240

    Emergency: 112

    Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).

    Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.

    Austria

    Poison centre:

    Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43

    Emergency: 112 · 144

    Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.

    Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.

    Conservation and collecting rules

    It is declining because of growing nutrient inputs into forest soils. Better to leave rare finds standing.

    In the kitchen

    Fried or in sauces. The mushroom is thin-fleshed and hollow; cook it right through. Cook for at least 15 minutes.

    No reliable information on drying.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is Craterellus sinuosus edible?

    Yes, it is considered edible. Like all wild mushrooms, it must be cooked thoroughly.

    How do you recognise Craterellus sinuosus?

    By the light brown, funnel-shaped cap with a frilly margin, the beige, veined underside and the hollow, sand-yellow to brown-beige stem.

    How does it differ from the horn of plenty?

    The horn of plenty is dark blackish brown with a smooth grey underside; Craterellus sinuosus is light brown with a beige, veined underside.

    Where does Craterellus sinuosus grow?

    As a mycorrhizal fungus, mainly with European beech, on damp, rather nutrient-poor soils in beech woods.

    Related species

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    Sources

    Photo credits

    No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.

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