Hydnum repandum

Hedgehog Mushroom

Beneficial

HabitatMycorrhizal on conifers and hardwoods, on the ground in mossy woodland; often in scattered troops or arcs.

Background

The hedgehog mushroom is one of the safest woodland fungi to recognise because of a single feature: under its pale buff to orange, irregularly-lobed cap it carries neither gills nor pores but a dense mat of short, soft, downward-pointing spines or 'teeth' that rub off easily. No dangerously toxic mushroom in North America combines that toothed underside with this pale terrestrial, mycorrhizal form.

It is a mycorrhizal partner of conifers and hardwoods, growing from soil rather than wood, and often appears in the same mossy patches as chanterelles. The spined underside is exactly what separates it from those chanterelles and their toxic jack-o'-lantern mimic, both of which have ridges or gills rather than teeth. For a gardener learning to read fungi, the toothed group is a reassuring place to build confidence.

Beneficial — mycorrhizal

Partners mycorrhizally with conifers and hardwoods, supporting tree water and nutrient uptake. Indicates undisturbed woodland soil.

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