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Where to find beefsteak fungus
Beefsteak fungus is common in the UK. It is usually found in broadleaved woodland, low on the trunks of oak trees and sometimes on recently-cut oak stumps.
Beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica)
Sticky and gruesome, beefsteak is a woodland fungus with the disconcerting appearance of a raw cut of meat. It even oozes a blood-like substance when cut!
Quick facts
Common names: beefsteak fungus, ox tongue fungus
Scientific name: Fistulina hepatica
Family: Fistulinaceae
Fruiting season: late summer to autumn, but not persisting through the winter
Habitat: broadleaved woodland
What does beefsteak fungus look like?
When young, this bracket fungus looks like a tongue poking out of a tree trunk. As it matures, it begins to look more like a piece of raw steak or liver.
Cap: a semi-circular red or red/pink/brown bracket up to 25cm across and 6cm thick. It has an inflated edge when young which flattens with age. Feels moist or sticky to the touch.
Gills/spores: the underside is made up of small, cream-coloured pores – which release spores – turning reddish-brown as it ages and bruising deep red-brown. Spores are pale pink, egg-shaped and smooth.
Not to be confused with: shaggy bracket (Inonotus hispidus), which is similar, but yellow in colour.
Did you know?
It causes brown rot in oak, giving the timber a rich colour known as brown oak, which is much sought after by furniture makers. If the tree is only partially infected, the result is the beautiful ‘tiger stripe oak’.
Uses of beefsteak fungus
Although considered edible, beefsteak fungus does not live up to the promise of its appearance, having a strongly acidic flavour and rubbery texture.
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