Auricularia auricula, Auricularia polytricha

Edible and Good

Auricularia auricula, Auricularia polytricha

(Wood Ears, Tree Ears)

Auricularia auricula

Photograph by John C. Tacoma, copyright held by Indiana University

(see http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/special/mss019.html).

Recipes on the Web - Links to recipes for this species on the web (in many languages)

Auricularia auricula is rather common in the high mountain douglas fir forests of the southwest. I have never found it in this area except on dead douglas fir, usually the fallen upper branches but sometimes covering a whole fallen tree. In other areas this fungus appears on a wide variety of trees but I have not observed it on anything but douglas fir in the southwest. This might be a function of where I am used to looking for it or it may be that that is where it grows most commonly in this area. It will forever be tied to chanterelles in my mind because they are both found among the same vegetation. The first A. auricularia I found in the southwest happened to be growing on a fallen branch in the middle of a fairy ring of chanterelles. I would never have noticed the subtle little purplish-brown ears had I not already been on my hands and knees picking the chanterelles. When it has been raining the fungus fruits are usually rubbery and rather ear-shaped, with a purplish brown tint to them. If it has rained for a long period they can become very waterlogged and will need to be dried completely for storage. When highly waterlogged they are not particularly good for cooking, but usually dry fairly easily. If it has been dry they become dark brown or even blackish and hard. If it rains again hard fruits will return to their soft and pliable state. Being thin this species will usually dry easily and quickly so long as they are not exposed to additional rain. A. auricularia retains flavor well after drying which is the most common method of preservation.

The following information and links are compiled by B.W. Freyburger of Gallup, New Mexico, who regularly collects Auricularia auricula during the late summer and fall in the mountains near there. Please notify him of persistently dead links, additional links regarding this species, or errors in information or links herein through email by clicking on his name above. This site contains links to other sites which are not authored by or controlled by the webmaster of this site. Unfortunately these sites sometimes diasppear or or are reorganized or moved leaving the link nonfunctional. I try to check for dead links and update or remove them as often as possible. Information, recipes, photographs, illustrations, and other material on these sites is likely subject to copyright protection. Please respect the legal rights of persons creating this material. This site also utilizes some clip art obtained from sources which identified it as public domain or authorized for use on non-commercial sites. If you notice any material on this site which you believe to be used in violation of copyright laws please notify the webmaster immediately. Some clip art appearing here is original. All original material contained on this page not otherwise copyrighted is ©2001 by B.W. Freyburger. All rights reserved.

English: wood ear, tree ear, Judas' ear, cultivated Chinese fungus, jew's ear, cloud ear fungus, szechwan fungus, hunan fungus, yunnan fungus

English: wood ear, tree ear, cloud ear, Chinese black fungus, large cultivated Chinese fungus, jelly mushroom, soup fungus, wood ear fungus, western (China) cultivated fungus

Einheimische Pilze in Süddeutschland Nafoku Natur- und Foto-Kunst S. Jelinek (text in German)(At the request of Sabine Jelinek this link now ties to the general page of mushroom photographs and not specifically to the two nice photographs of Auricularia auricula which can be found at the bottom of that page and can be enlarged by clicking on them. I am sorry to make you have to look around for them but you will see some other nice photographs in the process.)

There is a saying in German that translates roughly as "All mushrooms are edible, but some kinds only once." Put another way, there are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old bold mushroom hunters.

Don't overdo it. Most adverse reactions I have had to wild mushrooms have usually been tied to over-consumption. Most of all, if you aren't absolutely sure what it is, it is generally wiser not to eat it. When in doubt throw it out.

Hot & Sour Soup (scroll down-several Hot and sour Soup recipes in the same file)

Hot and Sour Soup (scroll down-several Hot and sour Soup recipes in the same file)

HOT AND SOUR SOUP (scroll down-several Hot and sour Soup recipes in the same file)