Finding ´urban´ Chaga-Inonotus obliquus

[Galemys]

I found some chaga (Inonotus obliquus, or true tinder fungus as the Americans call it) last week. I had found this fungus in the past before but that was after looking closely at thousands of birch trees for months in wooded areas. Now I just ran into it during a bicyle ride along a road in the middle of my hometown with my 8 year old daughter!
I broke a few pieces of one clump off the tree with my bare hands and returned a few days later with my camera and a mora knife.

The birch tree, two chaga specimens on top, below you can still see the spot where I removed a piece a few days earlier:

There were 4 ´clumps´of this fungus on the tree, here´s a close up of one:

This fungus forms a blackish irregular outer crust, bulging out of the stem of the tree

I used my Mora knife to remove a second clump. With the knife it is easy to feel where the fungus stops and the wood begins. The inside of the fungus has a kind of corky texture and breaks easily into big lumps.
After removal (I left two of the clumps at the tree unharmed). This fungus will eventually kill the tree so there was no need to protect the scar:

Chaga harvest, broken/cut into pieces to dry. The orangey/yellowy soft bits are best for use as tinder, the dark bits can be used to make a tea that apparently has anti-cancer properties:

Drying is enough to turn this fungus into a superior natural tinder for flint and steel and fire piston, it burns hot and gives off a very pleasant smell:

Cheers,

Tom

 

[bushcraftbob]

Great pics! Do these grow on birches in the UK? I have seen a similar looking fungus on an Ash, does it grow on any other species bar Birch?

 

[Shewie]

Good stuff Tom, I've heard of folk roasting it and making coffee from it too, never tried it though.

Great pics! Do these grow on birches in the UK? I have seen a similar looking fungus on an Ash, does it grow on any other species bar Birch?

I'm pretty sure I've seen it about.

 

[Galemys]

Great pics! Do these grow on birches in the UK? I have seen a similar looking fungus on an Ash, does it grow on any other species bar Birch?

As far as I know chaga grows exclusively on birch trees but it is worth investigating if you walk into that ash tree again.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[Rumi]

What part of the country was this found?

 

[Galemys]

What part of the country was this found?

I found it in my hometown, Zaandam, about ten miles north of Amsterdam, so the location is in the Netherlands but it should grow in the UK as well.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[gregorach]

I have heard of it in the UK, but it seems to be quite rare. I've never seen it anywhere up here.

Just goes to show that you should always keep your eyes open, as you never know what's going to turn up unexpectedly. Good find!

 

[addo]

Good find and haul.

I too looked a long time before finding some, most days for several years as I work with trees, but Ive only found it once and been taken to some one other time in the midlands of the UK. Its far better than Fomes fomentarius - horses hoof fungus or some call tinder fungus others false tinder fungus. Latin is usefull sometimes! Mainly because there no boiling, working or daft potions needed. Just dry and crumble.

I belive it only grows on Birch (betula) genera of trees. The one on Ash is Inonotus hispidus - Ash Heart Rot. It doesn't work like the Inonotus obliquus, but will smolder when exposed to flame as does the huge amount of punk wood that you will find with ash heart rot in advanced decayed stems.

 

[Galemys]

I too looked a long time before finding some, most days for several years as I work with trees, but Ive only found it once and been taken to some one other time in the midlands of the UK/QUOTE]

It´s quite a rare find in Holland as well; this was the 4th time I found chaga in about 8 years. But in contrast to the first three times, this one was found on a live tree. According to Mors Kochanski´s Bushcraft book, only stuff taken from live trees (i.e. a living fungus) is usable. The pieces I had got of dead trees before were made of much denser material and worked best for firestarting when ground into a powder.

I´ll return in a short while to the tree as I´m curious if the fungus will regrow at the places I harvested my pieces. The fungus is after all still alive.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[fishfish]

so anyone got some for sale or found some recently?

 

[Toddy]

I have a stash since HWMBLT went for a wander and came back with a big grin and a 'ginormous lump of the stuff.
Most of it's going down to Tony to take to the Moot, but I can liberate a bit for you

cheers,
M

 

[Teepee]

Nice find Galemys

Great pics! Do these grow on birches in the UK? I have seen a similar looking fungus on an Ash, does it grow on any other species bar Birch?

I've read that it grows on other species but much less commonly. I've seen it growing on an Alder in Scotland, a member of the Birch family though.

 

[huntergathereralex]

Nice find, especially in an urban setting. As yet in my city no luck. The vegetative zone I live in is classified as 'Aspen Parkland', and that's no misnomer. Untold number of aspens, with the occasional conifer mixed in for variety. No birch that I've seen yet, even planted ornamentally. Wonder if this or a similar type of tree fungus grows on aspen? Will have to research.
Good score, Galemys!
Cheers
Alex