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Jelly Ear

Auricularia auricula-judae / Jelly ear; Auricularia complex

A rubbery, ear-shaped brown jelly fungus on dead hardwood, especially elder, eaten widely after cooking.

Compiled by Mushroom Forage Map field deskExpert review pendingContent checked Sep 27, 2026

Identification warning

Cook before eating. Soak dried wood ears briefly and refrigerate; long room-temperature soaking has caused severe bacterial toxin poisoning.

Season: Year-round in mild, wet weather; most common in autumn and winter
Habitat: Dead branches of elder, sycamore, and other hardwoods
Underside: Smooth to faintly veined, with no gills or pores
Spore evidence: White

Where it grows

Tracked records and known growing zone

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Squares: where people recorded it, brighter where more people did

Verified records: 20,747
People who recorded it: 9,394
Most records (northern hemisphere): Oct–Feb, Apr
Records span: 1982–2026

Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.

Observation season

When field records occur

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Lookalikes to rule out

Black witch's butter

harmless

Exidia species are black, lumpy, and brain-like rather than cup- or ear-shaped.

Brown cup fungi

caution

Peziza cups grow on soil or dung and are brittle, not rubbery.

Amber jelly roll

harmless

Exidia recisa forms small amber, top-shaped blobs on willow and alder twigs.

Identification

Wood ear is an ear- or cup-shaped jelly fungus, rubbery when wet and brittle when dry. The outer surface is finely velvety and tan to reddish brown; the inner surface is smoother and often veined like an ear. It grows directly from dead wood with no stem, often in rows. It revives after rain.

Uses and ecology

Closely related species are cultivated and eaten throughout East Asia for their crunchy texture. Wild wood ears decompose dead hardwood and are especially common on elder in Europe. North American records are often Auricularia americana on conifers or A. angiospermarum on hardwoods.

Memorable fact

A dried wood ear can soak back to its original shape within minutes, which helps it survive long dry spells on exposed branches.

Sources

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