{"id":9698,"date":"2021-10-15T21:33:18","date_gmt":"2021-10-15T21:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9698"},"modified":"2021-10-22T10:36:10","modified_gmt":"2021-10-22T10:36:10","slug":"how-to-identify-lions-mane-mushrooms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/how-to-identify-lions-mane-mushrooms\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Identify Lion’s Mane Mushrooms?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re just getting into mushroom foraging, you may have heard that the lion\u2019s mane mushroom is a good one to start with. But if you\u2019ve never seen them before, you are probably wondering how to identify lion\u2019s mane mushrooms. What do they look like? Smell like? Are there any other mushrooms that are easy to confuse with lion\u2019s manes<\/a>? Keep reading! In this article, we\u2019ll answer all of these questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do You Identify a Lion’s Mane Mushroom?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lion\u2019s mane mushrooms have several identifying features. The first and most obvious is their shaggy, white lion\u2019s mane appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These shaggy, globe-like mushrooms can be found growing on dead or decaying hardwood trees throughout the summer and fall. They often grow several feet off the ground on the sides of these trees.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These mushrooms can also be found in the wounds of live trees and trees that are slowly dying. They tend to come back year after year in the same areas, though they may grow from different spots on the same tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you can even find them growing<\/a> on dead logs. Lion\u2019s manes are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere in temperate forests and woodlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These mushrooms are easiest to identify based on their shaggy appearance and native habitat, but you can also identify them by their aroma. They have a relatively mild smell compared to many mushrooms, but the aroma has an unmistakable seafood undertone. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does a Lion\u2019s Mane Mushroom Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A lion\u2019s mane mushroom resembles MGM\u2019s lion\u2019s mane in much the same way as NBC\u2019s peacock resembles an honest-to-goodness peacock. Lion\u2019s Mane Mushrooms do sport an unmistakable mane, although the long shaggy spines are white and can also be compared to icicle-like teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This mane grows from a globe-shaped fungus. Each spine, or tooth, is relatively short when the mushroom is young, but they can grow to be up to two inches long. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lion\u2019s mane mushroom consists mostly of this mane–opening one reveals a relatively small, bulbous little body. When fully grown and intact, each of these mushrooms can be nearly as large as a dinner plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This mushroom\u2019s mane, though generally white in color, can be tinged with yellow or pink; in fact, some start out with a pink tinge, only to become white in time. And when a lion\u2019s mane mushroom has \u201clost its roar\u201d and is past its prime, it will turn fully yellow, eventually discoloring to a faded orange.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re new to foraging mushrooms, the lion\u2019s mane is a good mushroom to start with because it\u2019s very distinctive and easy to identify. Of course, if you\u2019ve never seen it before, it may help to watch an identification video like the one below to get a solid visual of what it looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=m09yDk8LfZQ<\/a>