Coral Tooth

Where it grows

Coral tooth fungus fruits from late summer through autumn on standing dead and fallen hardwoods, especially beech, in mature broadleaf forest. It is rarer and more sensitive to disturbance than its cousin lion’s mane, and in several European countries it is a protected species. Pick conservatively, if at all.

How to recognise it

A white branching coral-like cascade of fine arms, each arm tipped with short pendulous icicle-like spines. There is no cap or stem — the whole fruitbody is attached by a single point and may hang from a log or tree wound. It is pure white in youth, slowly yellowing or browning with age.

Edibility & cautions

A choice edible (where legal to gather). The whole Hericium genus is edible and there are no toxic look-alikes among toothed fungi. Pick young, fully white specimens — yellowed and ageing flesh is bitter.

Culinary use

Tear into pieces and dry-fry hot to drive off the water before adding butter; the texture and faintly sweet flavour are reminiscent of crab. Where this species is rare or protected, defer to cultivated lion’s mane instead.