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Red-belted conk Fomitopsis pinicola
inedible
It usually has a reddish margin band, paler flesh and often grows on conifer wood.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
The tinder fungus is a perennial, hoof-shaped bracket fungus on beeches and birches. It was once used to make tinder for lighting fires.
Seasonyear-round
Spore printwhite to yellowish
FamilyPolyporaceae
- Cap. The fruiting body is hoof-shaped, 10 to 40 cm wide, with a grey to grey-brown, hard crust and concentric growth zones.
- Underside. The pores are small, round and grey-brown.
- Stem, ring and volva. There is no stem; the fungus is attached broadly to the trunk.
- Smell and taste. It smells slightly sour.
- Flesh and colour change. The inside is cinnamon brown, fibrous and softly felty, and can be pressed in; the crust is hard.
Lookalikes
Woody and hard; not an edible mushroom.
Willow bracket Phellinus igniarius
inedible
It is very hard and woody throughout; the crust cannot be pressed in.
View on the mapGanoderma species Ganoderma spec.
inedible
Their upper surface is a rich brown, and the pores turn dark brown when pressed.
View on the mapHabitat & Season
Living, weakened or dead wood. From the lowlands to the hills and mountains.
Host trees
Common beech and birch, less often other broadleaved trees.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
Visible all year round; perennial.
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.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Not an edible mushroom: do not collect it for the kitchen.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
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
Not specially protected.
Salzburg: collecting inedible mushrooms is banned.
Red List Germany: Least concern
Why it is not edible
Woody and indigestible.
It is traditionally used as tinder and craft material.
Frequently asked questions
Tinder fungus: Is it edible?
No, it is regarded as inedible. Woody and hard; not an edible mushroom.
Tinder fungus: When and where does it grow?
It can be found all year round. Visible all year round; perennial. Partner and habitat: common beech and birch, less often other broadleaved trees. Soil: living, weakened or dead wood. Altitude: from the lowlands to the hills and mountains.
Tinder fungus: What are its lookalikes?
The most important one to rule out is the red-belted conk (Fomitopsis pinicola, inedible): it usually has a reddish margin band, paler flesh and often grows on conifer wood. Other lookalikes: willow bracket, Ganoderma species.
Related species
- Turkey tail Trametes versicolor
- Bitter bolete Tylopilus felleus
- False chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca
- Splitgill Schizophyllum commune
- Fleecy milk-cap Lactarius vellereus
- Variable brittlegill Russula versicolor
Sources
- Zunderschwamm (Wikipedia DE)
- GBIF: Fomes fomentarius (L.) Fr.
- Index Fungorum Record 194860
- Rote-Liste-Zentrum: Großpilze Deutschlands (Dämmrich et al. 2016)
- ÖMG: Pilzschutzbestimmungen in Österreich (Stand 29.01.2021)
- RIS: Forstgesetz 1975 § 174
- DGfM: Giftnotrufe in Deutschland, Europa und der Schweiz
- Gesundheitsportal Österreich: Vergiftung durch Pilze, VIZ 01 406 43 43
Photo credits
- Photo: Heinonlein · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Red-belted conk: Photo: Jason Hollinger (Mushroom Observer) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Willow bracket: Photo: George Chernilevsky · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- Ganoderma species: Photo: Eric Steinert · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.