Wood Ear

Auricularia americana

no photo — written note
photo: Wikimedia Commons
Fungi

Rubbery brown ear-shaped jellies on damp dead wood after rain.

Field facts
HabitatDead hardwood, especially elder and elm
RangeStatewide
When to lookSpring through autumn after rain
StatusSecure (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesBlack Witches' Butter

Field note: It dries to a hard flake and swells back to full size in the next rain.

Lesson
Watching responsibly

Harvest sparingly, leaving the smaller ears to rehydrate again.

Your records

No sightings yet. Log one from the Observe tab to earn this stamp.

Log a sighting