---
title: "Horror mushrooms: forests of Ukraine hide 'ears', 'tentacles', and 'dead man's fingers'"
description: "Styler collected five unusual mushrooms of Ukrainian forests — from the 'human ear' and black chanterelle to 'dead man's fingers'. We examine which ones are edible and which should be avoided."
date: 2026-10-16T12:48:03.946Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/horror-mushrooms-ukraine-ears-tentacles-dead-mans-fingers
tags: [mushrooms, ukraine, nature, foraging, fungi, edible-mushrooms]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Horror mushrooms: forests of Ukraine hide 'ears', 'tentacles', and 'dead man's fingers'

![Man in the forest pointing at unusual black and red mushrooms near a tree stump](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/neobychnye-griby-lesov-ukrainy-uhishchupaltsa-i-paltsy-mertvetsa/neobychnye-griby-lesov-ukrainy-uhishchupaltsa-i-paltsy-mertvetsa-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Forests of Ukraine feature mushrooms externally resembling human ears, tentacles, and blackened fingers.
- Auricularia and black chanterelle are considered edible after cooking or in culinary uses.
- Clathrus species (Clathrus ruber, Clathrus archeri) and Xylaria ('dead man's fingers') are not recommended for food.
- Any wild mushroom should only be eaten after precise species identification by a specialist.

The forests of Ukraine conceal inhabitants that look like props from a horror movie: some mushrooms resemble a human ear, others look like bloody tentacles or blackened fingers protruding from rotten wood. According to Styler, some of these species are considered edible, while others pose no known mortal threat, but consuming them is not recommended. Below are five unusual mushrooms that strike with their appearance, and what is known about them.

### 'Human Ear': Auricularia

The 'cutest' of the listed species truly resembles a human ear. As blogger Yaroslav Fishchenko explains in a video published on the 'Kharakternyk Show' Facebook page, Auricularia has a brown jelly-like fruit body with wavy edges. Most often, the mushroom grows on dead elder wood, although it is occasionally found on other deciduous trees. According to the First Nature mushroom guide, Auricularia is edible after cooking; related species are especially valued in East Asian cuisines, where they are added to soups for their characteristic springy texture. Gathering such a mushroom for food is only safe with exact species identification.

### 'Trumpet of Death': Black Chanterelle

The black chanterelle (Craterellus cornucopioides) has the shape of a deep funnel narrowing downward, with colors ranging from grey-brown to almost black, making it easy to miss among fallen leaves. At the same time, the species is valued in cooking: according to a scientific review published in the journal Nutrients, the black chanterelle is an edible species used in sauces and dried. In English, the mushroom is called the Trumpet of Death, but the name is related to its eerie appearance rather than mortal toxicity.

### Red 'Cage' and 'Tentacles': Clathrus

The red cage (Clathrus ruber) first develops in a white egg-like shell formation, after which a bright red hollow lattice-shaped fruit body emerges. Inside the mature mushroom is a dark mucous mass with a pungent odor resembling rotting meat, which attracts flies and other insects that spread spores. Experts note that the edibility of the species has not been properly confirmed, so it should not be considered safe for consumption. A related species, Clathrus archeri, also resembles a white egg in its early stage, from which bright red processes resembling fingers or tentacles extend; the surface of the mature mushroom is covered with a dark mucous mass smelling of rot. Although the species is not among the well-known deadly poisonous ones, eating it is not recommended: toxicity is unconfirmed, and safety is not established.

### 'Dead Man's Fingers': Xylaria

Xylaria polymorpha grows on stumps, at the base of dead trees, and on rotten wood. Young fruit bodies can be light, grey, or whitish, but with age they darken and become almost black; their uneven wrinkled surface truly resembles charred fingers — hence the eerie folk name. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation and the British organization Woodland Trust, the species is not recommended for consumption: the fruit body is tough, woody, and unsuitable for normal cooking. In nature, the mushroom performs an important function by helping to decompose dead wood and return nutrients to the ecosystem.

### Safety Rule

An unusual mushroom appearance does not in itself indicate toxicity, nor does the absence of obvious danger signs guarantee that it is safe to eat. As Poison Control experts note, wild mushrooms should not be consumed unless their species has been identified by a competent specialist. That is why even the most 'edible'-looking mushroom should only be gathered after precise identification.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Какие необычные грибы растут в Украине: от черной лисички до "пальцев мертвеца" (фото)](https://styler.rbc.ua/ukr/trends/nezvichni-gribi-ukrayini-shozhi-lyudski-vuha-1792153893.html) - Primary source: description of five species (Auricularia, Craterellus cornucopioides, Clathrus ruber, Clathrus archeri, Xylaria polymorpha), their appearance, edibility status, and references to guides/organizations. All article claims are taken from this text.

## FAQ

### Which of the listed mushrooms can be eaten?

According to the source, Auricularia and Craterellus cornucopioides are considered edible after cooking. Clathrus species and Xylaria are not recommended for consumption.

### Why is the black chanterelle called the 'Trumpet of Death'?

The name Trumpet of Death is related to the mushroom's eerie appearance rather than deadly toxicity — the species is considered edible.

### Can you eat a mushroom if it doesn't look poisonous?

No. Poison Control experts remind that wild mushrooms should not be consumed unless their species has been identified by a competent specialist.