Jelly Ear
Auricularia auricula-judae · Auriculariaceae
Also called Jews Ear, Wood Ear
Rubbery brown ears growing on elder all year round. The same species sold dried in Chinese cookery.
Edible. None known, though it is very chewy if undercooked.
Read the full foraging safety guidance.
Season
All year
Where it grows
- Elder
- Dead broadleaf wood
Identification
- Cap
- 3-10cm, ear-shaped, tan to dark brown, velvety outside, smooth and veined within.
- Gills / pores
- None.
- Stem
- None, attached at one side.
- Flesh
- Gelatinous and rubbery, drying hard and reviving in water.
- Spore print
- White.
- Smell & taste
- Little smell.
Lookalikes
Nothing dangerous. Other jelly fungi are yellow or brain-shaped.
In the kitchen
Slice thinly and simmer in soups and stir-fries for texture rather than flavour. Dries and rehydrates perfectly.
Also edible
Penny Bun
Boletus edulis
The most sought-after wild mushroom in Britain: nutty, firm and richly scented, with a pale bun-like cap and a fat netted stem.
Chanterelle
Cantharellus cibarius
Egg-yolk yellow, trumpet-shaped and smelling faintly of apricots. One of the safest and finest edibles once learned.
Field Mushroom
Agaricus campestris
The classic mushroom of unimproved pasture: white cap, pink gills darkening to brown, and a clean mushroomy smell.