"Çülküf" is a name that spread on Turkish social media, not a species name found in any academic or official source. In February 2026 mushroom expert İhsan Sabri Belalan told NTV that what scammers sell as çülküf is really tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius, Turkish kav mantarı). Some blogs instead link the name to morels or the saffron milk cap. Two traps are common: fake buyers who promise a high price and then ask you to pay for samples, lab tests or shipping, and sellers who take money for a "healing mushroom" and never deliver.
Why çülküf is not a real species name
We could not find çülküf in academic mushroom lists, collections of Turkish local names or official publications. Online, the same word is attached to three very different fungi: the woody tinder fungus, the morel and the saffron milk cap. That points to a word born in sales posts rather than in the forest, so we do not give it a species page.
What the news reported
NTV and other Turkish outlets reported in February 2026 that scammers advertise a "healing mushroom" said to help with insomnia, heart and kidney disease, take payment up front plus a 300 to 500 euro shipping fee, then block the buyer. The expert quoted said the product is tinder fungus and has no healing power.
Gıda Bülteni described the reverse trap: accounts showing luxury cars and stacks of cash claim to buy çülküf for huge sums, ask finders for a sample, then demand money for testing abroad and shipping, and disappear once paid.
Warning signs
- Health or cure claims for a food product.
- Prices or buying offers far above normal.
- You are asked to pay first: lab test, customs, shipping, registration.
- No company name, address, tax number or invoice.
- Pressure and show-off: cash, cars, "last day".
- No Latin name or origin for the product.
FAQ
What is çülküf mushroom?
It is not a recognised species name. An expert quoted in Turkish news says the product sold under it is tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius).
Is çülküf edible?
Tinder fungus is woody and too hard to eat. Never eat a wild mushroom whose identity is not confirmed.
Are çülküf buyers real?
News reports describe fake buyers who ask for money for samples, testing and shipping, then vanish. Do not pay a buyer up front.
Sources
- Vikipedi — Kav mantarı tr.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia (EN) — Fomes fomentarius en.wikipedia.org
- NTV — İnternette şifalı mantar dolandırıcılığı (15.02.2026, mantar uzmanı İhsan Sabri Belalan) ntv.com.tr
All sources (6)
- Türkiye Gazetesi — Adına 'çülküf' dediler, binlerce euroyu cebe indirdiler (15.02.2026) turkiyegazetesi.com.tr
- Gıda Bülteni — Çülküf mantarı dolandırıcıları! (01.02.2026) gidabulteni.com
- Ege'de Sonsöz — İnternette şifalı mantar dolandırıcılığı (15.02.2026) egedesonsoz.com
