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    Wood ear

    Auricularia auricula-judae (Bull.) Quél. · Auriculariaceae

    Also: Jelly ear, Jew's ear

    ✓ EdibleRisk of confusion: low

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Wood ear
    Photo: Björn S... · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The wood ear is an ear-shaped, jelly-like, reddish-brown fungus that grows mainly on elder. It is edible and related to the Asian mu-err.

    Seasonyear-round
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyAuriculariaceae
    1. Cap. The fruiting body is 3 to 10 cm across, ear- or shell-shaped, reddish brown on the outside and finely velvety-haired.
    2. Underside. The inner side is smooth to veined-folded, glossy and reddish brown to grey. There are no gills or tubes.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. It is attached sideways to the wood without a stem.
    4. Smell and taste. It has hardly any smell or taste.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is jelly-like and elastic, and becomes hard when dry.

    Lookalikes

    It is a filler mushroom without much flavour of its own; cook it well.

    Habitat & Season

    Living or dead broadleaved wood. Mainly lower altitudes.

    Host trees

    Mainly black elder, also false acacia, elm, birch.

    Season

    possible good main season

    All year round, especially in damp winter months.

    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. Eat only mushrooms you have identified with certainty, 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

    Not specially protected.

    No species-specific rule known.

    Red List Germany: Least concern

    In the kitchen

    In strips for soups, stir-fries and mixed dishes. Cook thoroughly.

    Very well suited; it swells up again when soaked. There are indications that Auricularia has a blood-thinning effect; be cautious if you take anticoagulants.

    Frequently asked questions

    Wood ear: Is it edible?

    Yes, it is regarded as an edible mushroom. Cook thoroughly. It is a filler mushroom without much flavour of its own; cook it well.

    Wood ear: When and where does it grow?

    It can be found all year round. All year round, especially in damp winter months. Partner and habitat: mainly black elder, also false acacia, elm, birch. Soil: living or dead broadleaved wood. Altitude: mainly lower altitudes.

    Wood ear: What are its lookalikes?

    The most important one to rule out is the tripe fungus (Auricularia mesenterica, inedible): it has a zoned, shaggy-haired upper side and tends to grow in overlapping tiers on broadleaved wood. Other lookalikes: cup fungi.

    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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