THE SWEET TOOTH or HEDGEHOG Mushroom
Scientific names: Hydnum repandum and H. umbilicatum
IMPORTANT NOTICE
The TEXT on this Webpage regarding
EDIBLE WILD MUSHROOMS
is as important to your SAFETY as the photographs!
IF IN DOUBT, THROW THE MUSHROOM OUT!
I assume responsibility for the accuracy of information provided at americanmushrooms.com regarding edible wild mushrooms. However, I cannot assume responsibility for the integrity of your use of the information I present here regarding edible wild mushrooms. It is up to you to exercise your own best judgement in the event that you choose to consume edible wild mushrooms. Specifically, it is encumbent upon you to read all the text presented here that relates to the particular edible wild mushroom species involved to ensure that you have effectively ruled out dangerous poisonous/toxic wild mushrooms. Hurriedly comparing wild mushroom specimens to photographs of known edible wild mushrooms in hopes of determining that they are indeed the edible species can readily be FATAL!
Keep in mind that some of these pages include photographs of poisonous mushrooms which resemble edible wild mushroom species; again, reading the accompanying text and applying that information is absolutely vital to your safety!
Note that even with some of the best, safest, most popular edible wild mushroom species, it is possible for an individual human being to have an allergic reaction to a particular species. This happens with the grocery-store button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), it happens with edible wild morel mushrooms, and it happens with strawberries.
It is also possible for illness to result from consuming mushrooms that are decaying, contaminated by pollution, or otherwise not in good condition. Before perusing the section of this Webpage that presents photographs of and text about edible wild mushrooms (and some of their toxic "look-alikes"!), you must read "The Mycophagist's Ten Commandments," which explains several hazards and provides advice on how to avoid those hazards.
Most importantly, be doubtful and be skeptical: Use the mushroom's description to seek evidence that the mushroom you've found is NOT the edible wild mushroom species whose photograph it resembles!
–David Fischer, Author of Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America (1992, Univ. of Texas Press)
THE SWEET TOOTH or HEDGEHOG Mushroom
Scientific names: Hydnum repandum and H. umbilicatum
The Sweet Tooth Mushroom (Hydnum repandum), slightly smaller than actual size
The delicious Sweet Tooth or Hedgehog mushroom (Hydnum repandum) is about as close to "foolproof" as an edible wild mushroom could be: If it's orange, several inches wide, grows on the ground in the forest, and has a stalk bearing a cap whose undersurface is covered with downward-pointing, yellowish to pale orange spines or teeth, you've found a wonderful, firm mushroom that's closely related to the highly esteemed (but far less "foolproof") Golden Chanterelle!
The only other mushroom that comes close to matching its description is its little brother, H. umbilicatum, which is quite a bit smaller but (if you find enough) equally worth a few minutes in a sauté pan.
As it is symbiotic (mycorrhizal) with various trees, it can reasonably be expected to fruit in the same spot year after year after year, so don't forget where you found it! In areas where there are plenty of Eastern hemlocks, that's the best place to look, and late summer through mid-autumn is the right time.
There's a lot more information about this and other choice edible wild mushroom species in my best-selling book, Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America.
AMERICA'S BEST, SAFEST
EDIBLE WILD MUSHROOMS!
HEN OF THE WOODS (also known as MAITAKE or SHEEPSHEAD MUSHROOM)
Scientific name: Grifola frondosa
THE SULPHUR SHELF or CHICKEN MUSHROOM
Scientific name: Laetiporus sulphureus
THE SHAGGY MANE MUSHROOM
Scientific name: Coprinus comatus
THE YELLOW and BLACK MORELS
Scientific names: Morchella esculenta and M. elata
THE SWEET TOOTH or HEDGEHOG Mushroom
Scientific names: Hydnum repandum and H. umbilicatum
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