How to identify Tinder Fungus

To correctly identify Tinder Fungus (Fomes fomentarius), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   The cap is hard, woody, and hoof-shaped, typically 5-40 cm wide and 2-30 cm thick. The surface is smooth and can be various shades of brown or gray, often with concentric ridges.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Absent. The underside has pores instead of gills. The pores are small and round, with a brownish color.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   Absent. The fruiting body is sessile, meaning it attaches directly to the tree without a stem.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is tough and fibrous, with a dark brown color.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is a perennial bracket fungus, meaning it persists for multiple years, adding new layers each year.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Grows primarily on dead or dying birch trees, but can also be found on other hardwoods.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Smooth, Hard, Woody

Growth Form

Bracket/Shelf

Spore Print

White to Yellowish

Body color

Brown to Gray

Odor

Mild, fungal odor

Flesh bruises

No bruising reaction

Height

2-30 cm thick

Cap Diameter

5-40 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: N/A (Pores instead of gills)
• Stem shape: N/A (Sessile)
• Stem surface: N/A (Sessile)
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: N/A (Sessile)

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