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Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), whole fruiting body
Thomas Boe · CC BY 4.0
Inedible

Tinder fungus

Fomes fomentarius · Polyporaceae

The tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) is a woody, perennial, inedible bracket fungus that grows in a hoof shape on the trunks of broadleaved trees such as beech and birch.

Last updated: Prepared by the Poros Mantar editorial team8 sources checkedReport a correction

FamilyPolyporaceae
SeasonAll year
Spore printWhite to pale yellow
Cap width5–45 cm
Records in Turkey27 records
CultivationWild only
StatusInedible

The tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) is a woody, perennial, inedible bracket fungus that grows in a hoof shape on the trunks of broadleaved trees such as beech and birch. It is known by its grey to brown, ridged upper surface and cream, pored underside. Its inner tissue was used for centuries as tinder for lighting fires, and pieces were found with Ötzi, the 5,000-year-old Iceman.

Also called: hoof fungus, tinder conk, Iceman fungus, amadou Turkish: Kav mantarı, kav, at nalı mantarı, ağaç mantarı Synonyms: Polyporus fomentarius

Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), in its natural habitat

What was the tinder fungus used for?

The tinder fungus was used for centuries to start fires: the inner tissue of the fruit body was processed into amadou, a felt-like material that catches a spark easily (Wikipedia). Amadou was also used to make hats and clothing. The four pieces found with Ötzi, the 5,000-year-old Iceman from the Alps, show how old this use is.

The tinder fungus is not eaten; its hard, woody flesh has no place in the kitchen. To learn bracket fungi in the woods, compare it with others such as reishi. See Turkish records on our mushroom map and every species on our species page.

Does the tinder fungus harm trees?

Yes. The tinder fungus enters damaged trees and causes white rot, slowly weakening the trunk (Wikipedia). It is usually found on old, wounded or dying trees and keeps decaying the wood after the tree dies, returning it to the soil. On trees in parks or by roads it is a sign that an arborist should check the trunk for breakage risk.

How to recognise it

Tinder fungus, part by part

No ring or volva Spore print: White to pale yellow Mildly fungal; the flesh is tough and corky and not edible. Potassium hydroxide turns the upper surface dark blood red (Wikipedia).

Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), cap seen from above
Cap5–45 cm, hoof-shaped, hard and woody; upper surface silver-grey to brown, sometimes almost black, with ridges from each year's growth; rounded, paler margin.
Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), pores under the cap, seen from below
PoresNo gills; cream underside that browns with age, with 2–3 round pores per millimetre.

When and where

All year

  1. Janin season
  2. Febin season
  3. Marin season
  4. Aprin season
  5. Mayin season
  6. Junin season
  7. Julin season
  8. Augin season
  9. Sepin season
  10. Octin season
  11. Novin season
  12. Decin season

The tinder fungus is perennial; its fruit bodies can stay on the tree for up to 30 years, so it is seen all year (Wikipedia). It releases spores mostly in spring. Turkish observations on our map are spread across the year, peaking in October and January.

Type Inedible

Months seen JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

Colour GreyBrown

Regions Black Sea RegionCentral Anatolia RegionMediterranean RegionMarmara RegionTekirdağYozgatOsmaniyeSamsunKocaeliYalovaIstanbulKırklareli

Where does tinder fungus grow?

The tinder fungus grows on the trunks of broadleaved trees, mostly birch in the north, beech further south and oak in the Mediterranean; it enters through damaged bark, can stay latent in living trees for a long time and causes white rot. It keeps fruiting for years after the tree dies.

Where is tinder fungus found in Turkey?

Our map has 26 Turkish observations of the tinder fungus, most from Kırklareli (the Istranca Mountains) and Istanbul, with others from Samsun, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ, Bolu, Yalova, Bilecik, Yozgat and Osmaniye. It is common in the beech forests of the Marmara and Black Sea belt.

Which months

  1. Jan5
  2. Feb1
  3. Mar1
  4. Apr4
  5. May2
  6. Jun0
  7. Jul1
  8. Aug2
  9. Sep2
  10. Oct7
  11. Nov1
  12. Dec1

tinder fungus map of Turkey: all provinces and months →

10 provinces, 27 observations (GBIF, iNaturalist); months from observation dates. Record density also reflects where observers work.

Latest tinder fungus observations

On "illustrative" cards the image is a photo of the species; the observation photo cannot be shown here because of its licence, but can be seen at the source.

Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), in its natural habitat
In its habitat
Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), in its natural habitat
In its habitat

Look-alikes

What could it be confused with?

Tinder fungus can be mistaken for the species below. Each card shows the look-alike and how it differs from Tinder fungus.

Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), whole fruiting body
This species Tinder fungus
Red-belted conk (Fomitopsis pinicola) Inedible

not Tinder fungus

Red-belted conk Fomitopsis pinicola

Mostly on conifers; has a clear red-orange band near the margin and a resinous shine.

Willow bracket (Phellinus igniarius) Inedible

not Tinder fungus

Willow bracket Phellinus igniarius

Darker, often black and cracked on top; rust-brown underside and very hard, rusty flesh. Common on willow and poplar.

Artist's bracket (Ganoderma applanatum), whole fruiting body Inedible

not Tinder fungus

Artist’s bracket Ganoderma applanatum

Flatter and shelf-like; brown upper surface often dusted with cocoa-coloured spores; marks drawn on its white underside stay brown.

The tinder fungus is woody and tough, so it is not eaten; Wikipedia classes it as inedible. We make no recommendation about any health use.

Frequently asked questions

Is the tinder fungus edible?

No. The tinder fungus is woody and tough and is not eaten; Wikipedia classes it as inedible.

What is amadou?

Amadou is a felt-like material made from the inner tissue of the tinder fungus that catches a spark easily; it was used to light fires with flint.

Which trees does the tinder fungus grow on?

Broadleaved trees: mostly birch in the north, beech further south and oak in the Mediterranean. In Turkey it is common in beech forests.

How long does a tinder fungus live?

The fruit body is perennial and can stay on the tree for up to 30 years, adding a new layer each year.

What is the tinder fungus confused with?

With the red-belted conk (Fomitopsis pinicola), the willow bracket (Phellinus igniarius) and the artist's bracket (Ganoderma applanatum); none of them is eaten.

When is tinder fungus season in Turkey?

In our calendar, tinder fungus is recorded all year. The tinder fungus is perennial; its fruit bodies can stay on the tree for up to 30 years, so it is seen all year (Wikipedia). It releases spores mostly in spring. Turkish observations on our map are spread across the year, peaking in October and January.

Where does tinder fungus grow?

The tinder fungus grows on the trunks of broadleaved trees, mostly birch in the north, beech further south and oak in the Mediterranean; it enters through damaged bark, can stay latent in living trees for a long time and causes white rot. It keeps fruiting for years after the tree dies.

Where is tinder fungus found in Turkey?

Our map has 26 Turkish observations of the tinder fungus, most from Kırklareli (the Istranca Mountains) and Istanbul, with others from Samsun, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ, Bolu, Yalova, Bilecik, Yozgat and Osmaniye. It is common in the beech forests of the Marmara and Black Sea belt.

What can tinder fungus be confused with?

Tinder fungus can be confused with red-belted conk (Fomitopsis pinicola, inedible), willow bracket (Phellinus igniarius, inedible) and Artist's bracket (Ganoderma applanatum, inedible). Look-alikes are compared on this page.

What is tinder fungus called in Turkish?

In Turkish, tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) is called Kav mantarı; other local names include kav, at nalı mantarı and ağaç mantarı.

Related species

All species → · Identify by photo →

Sources

  1. Gáper ve ark. (2016), International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms: Fomes fomentarius taksonomisi pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Adanacıoğlu ve ark. (2014), ANADOLU (Ege Tarımsal Araştırma Enstitüsü): Türkiye makromantar genetik kaynakları I. Ege Bölgesi dergipark.org.tr
  3. Wikipedia (EN): Fomes fomentarius en.wikipedia.org
All sources (8)
  1. First Nature: Fomes fomentarius first-nature.com
  2. Wikipedia (EN): Fomitopsis pinicola en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia (EN): Phellinus igniarius en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia (EN): Ganoderma applanatum en.wikipedia.org
  5. GBIF: Fomes fomentarius, Türkiye kayıtları gbif.org
Photo credits (15)