Wood ear mushroom

No. The wood ear on this page is an edible jelly fungus that grows on trees (Auricularia auricula-judae). The ear infection called kulak mantarı in Turkish is otomycosis, a separate medical condition that should be seen by a doctor.

Yes, the wood ear is edible, but only once it is identified with certainty and cooked thoroughly. Its taste is mild; it is used mostly for its crunchy texture in soups and stir-fries.

It grows mostly on dead or weakened elder branches, and also on broadleaf trees such as beech, sycamore and ash. In Turkey most records come from İstanbul.

It can be found all year, but mostly in cool, damp weather from autumn to spring. It shrivels in dry weather and swells again after rain.

Sources say Auricularia species are widely used in East Asian cooking, and European folk medicine is reported to have used the wood ear for sore throats and eye complaints. This is traditional use only, not a health claim; the wood ear does not treat any illness.

Soak dried wood ear in cold or lukewarm water until it swells, trim the hard base, rinse and cook it thoroughly without leaving it standing. Never eat it raw.

The wood ear is reddish brown, rubbery and ear-shaped. The tripe fungus (Auricularia mesenterica) is hairier and zoned, while black witches' butter (Exidia glandulosa) is black and brain-like; neither is worth eating.

Yes. Kikurage is the Japanese name for wood ear mushrooms of the genus Auricularia. The dried black wood ear sold in Asian shops is usually a cultivated Auricularia; in Turkish we call it kulak mantarı.

In cooking, 'black fungus' usually means dried wood ear or cloud ear (Auricularia species), sold as thin black-brown flakes that swell in water. It is the same group as the wood ear, Auricularia auricula-judae, which grows wild in Turkey. It has nothing to do with the medical term 'black fungus' (mucormycosis).

We soak the dried pieces in cold water for about an hour until they swell, trim off any hard base, slice them and cook them in stir-fries, soups or salads after a quick blanch. Soaked wood ear is used the same day.

They are close relatives. Cloud ear usually means Auricularia cornea (or A. polytricha), a thinner, slightly hairy species sold dried in Asian shops; wood ear usually means Auricularia auricula-judae. Both are prepared the same way.

We soak dried wood ear in water until soft, trim the hard spots, cut it into strips and boil it for a few minutes. Then we drain it and toss it with garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, a little sesame oil and fresh coriander or chilli.

Wood ear adds a crunchy texture to stir-fries, hot and sour soup, dumpling fillings and ramen. It has little flavour of its own and takes up the sauce, so we add it in the last minutes of cooking after a short boil.

Fresh, correctly identified wood ears are not poisonous, but soaked dried wood ear can become dangerous if it is left in water at room temperature for a long time: bacteria can grow and produce a toxin. We soak dried wood ear in the fridge, use it the same day and cook it.

We soak dried wood ear, cut it into thin strips and simmer it briefly in the broth or sauté it with a little soy sauce, then add it to the bowl. It keeps its crunchy texture.

White wood ear usually means snow fungus (Tremella fuciformis), a different, jelly-like mushroom used in Asian sweet soups. True wood ear (Auricularia) is brown to black.

Yes. Tree ear, wood ear, black ear and jelly ear are English names for the ear-shaped Auricularia fungi. We soak the dried form in water until it swells, trim the hard base and use it in stir-fries, soups and salads.

Yes, the wood ear mushroom is an edible species. Eat a wild one only after an expert has identified it with certainty: it can be confused with cup fungi (Peziza spp.). Never eat wood ear raw; cook it thoroughly. Dried wood ear should be cooked soon after soaking rather than left standing.

In our calendar, wood ear mushroom season runs Oct–May. The wood ear can be found all year, but it is most common in cool, damp months from autumn to spring. In Turkey, GBIF records cluster in January, February and May.

The wood ear grows singly or in clusters on dead or weakened branches and trunks of broadleaf trees, above all elder (Sambucus nigra), and also on beech, sycamore and ash.

The wood ear is recorded in Turkey; most of its 63 Turkish GBIF records come from İstanbul, with others from Samsun, Kırklareli, İzmir, Karabük, Manisa and Trabzon.

The wood ear mushroom can be confused with tripe fungus (Auricularia mesenterica, inedible), black witches' butter (Exidia glandulosa, inedible) and cup fungi (Peziza spp., poisonous). Look-alikes are compared on this page.

In Turkish, the wood ear mushroom (Auricularia auricula-judae) is called Kulak mantarı; other local names include ağaç kulağı and Yahuda'nın kulağı.