Horse Hoof fungi

[Bonzo Frog]

Hi, I've been trying to find myself some horse hoof fungi to use as tinder but I'm stuggling to find some. I believe I should find it on beech and birch but our local woods tend to be oak and pine/spruce. Am I looking for the right trees and should I be looking on standing trees as well as rotting ones?
I've been looking for King Alfred cake as weel on Ash but hey seem to be even more rare these days.
I'm in Worcestershire by the way (near Kidderminster) if my location has any bearing.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Dave

 

[Clouston98]

Horses hoofs are on birch and beech, usually on nearly dead standing, aswell as lying. King Alfred's cakes are usually found on dead lying ash trees. Cramp balls seem to be more common the further south you go, but I find them up Northumberland way so there should be plenty near you, horse hoofs are pretty widespread, I have also found them on willow before, but only once. You should find them if you look at enough trees, I found 8 in scotland and made a ton of amadou but me being me its nearly all been used now! Just keep looking mate you'll find them!

Good look! Hope this helps .

 

[stuey]

You will be lucky to find horses hoof outside of scotland. Common up there, rarer the further south you go. Best plan is to go and find Alfs cakes and try and swap them with a scot for horses hoof. Alfs cakes are not so common up there.

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[Macaroon]

I find horse's hoof here in the Wye Valley, but they're certainly not common; I've also found them in North Herefordshire from time to time so you may have a chance there in Worcs. The old dry ones can be hard to spot 'till you "get yer eye in", but look around the base of Beech and Birch that are old and on their last legs...............

The Cramp balls will be on dead/dying Ash, if it's on the ground roll the log over or if it's big, run your hand low down under the bits you can't see and you'll feel them in places you wouldn't have seen them; there's plenty of those up your way, although this hasn't been the best of years for them for some reason.

If after searching a bit more you can't find any, I'd be happy to see what I've got kicking around and let you have some for playing with..........................

 

[Chiseller]

You will be lucky to find horses hoof outside of scotland.

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My interpretation of the above is.....
I think stuey is confusing horse hoof with true tinder fungus/chaga.

Horse hoof is found outside of Scotland but chaga is not.

I find horse hoof grows more on willow down here in west Yorkshire.

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[Chilliphil]

I've found hoof fungus down here in Hampshire. On beech if I remember rightly.

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[Leigh Robinson]

Plenty of Horses Hoof and King Alfred's around Cambridgeshire. What I have found is that some woods are way more productive than others. One of my regular woods doesn't produce much horses hoof so I go elsewhere. I have a site with a quite young Birch stand which produce perfect shaped horses hoof and large amount of king alfreds. I recommend Buying some guides that list woods in your area. You can get them from Woodland Trust for example. Then go and have a scout out and see whats available. You will find sweet spots in each wood. I have found each wood has its specialism. If you get some of those woodland guides they will tell you have type of trees are there.

 

[gowersponger]

I see the horses hoof all the time I thought it was easy to find every where

 

[Bonzo Frog]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and feedback. I'll widen my search and look into getting some local guides (thanks Leigh). I'll keep looking and if I can't find any i might take you up on your kind offer Macaroon.

Dave

 

[stuey]

No. No confusion here.
Horses hoof : Fomes fomentarius becomes rarer the further south you go.
Hence the statement "you will be lucky to find it outside Scotland"
I'm not saying it doesn't exist outside Scotland... Just that it is rarer the further south you go so when you find it you are lucky

My interpretation of the above is.....
I think stuey is confusing horse hoof with true tinder fungus/chaga.

Horse hoof is found outside of Scotland but chaga is not.

I find horse hoof grows more on willow down here in west Yorkshire.

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[mountainm]

Plenty in the York area too.

 

[Mouse040]

I think you are missing a trick as most of the larger conks will have a trama layer big enough to produce amadou such as artist conk "Ganoderma applanatum" which you will find in most of the uk



Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise
@mouseinthewood

 

[Toddy]

That's a very good point; it's not only fomes, piptoporus, concentrica and inonotus that make good tinder fungus.

Those four though, they're excellent, but they are also among the most noticeable and recognisable fungus, so maybe we need to think a little about what is available in the area you use and know as much as relying on the known goodies.

I wonder if some of the 'fomes' that people are finding down south are actually the false or willow bracket, tinder fungus ? Phellinus igniarius.
http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/phellinus-igniarius.php

atb,
M

 

[Mouse040]

I would almost put money on it toddy but in all honesty it is as good as tinder so looking at the use rather than a mycology interest I think that it goes unnoticed frequently , I make amadou frequently and often mix the trama from different species within one pack , no one has ever noticed and to be honest I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference once I've processed them


Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise
@mouseinthewood

 

[tom.moran]

I have never found any horses hoof fungus near me, I've never really looked tbh, but I do have some spores for it that's was given, how do I get these bad boys to grow?

 

[Mouse040]

Hi Tom.moran Fomes fomentarius is a stem decay plant pathogen. The species' mycelium penetrates the wood of trees through damaged bark or broken branches, causing rot in the host tree basically you are killing a tree and the fruiting body takes about 4-5 years to amount enough trama layer to be worth harvesting for amadou ,
In all honesty I'd rather send you some amadou and save you a lot of hassle and the fact you had to ask HOW does concern me within respect of educated insemination ( no disrespect intended )


Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise
@mouseinthewood

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

and the fact you had to ask HOW does concern me within respect of educated insemination ( no disrespect intended )


Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise
@mouseinthewood

Ooo get you. You still supping the acorn coffee and eating the weird mushrooms.

 

[Mouse040]

Ooo get you. You still supping the acorn coffee and eating the weird mushrooms.

Always but seem to be having a sensible day I'm sure it will wear off soon

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

After meeting you last weekend I would say don't let it wear off. I don't think I have laughed as much in ages.

 

[Mouse040]

I'm blushing.

After meeting you last weekend I would say don't let it wear off. I don't think I have laughed as much in ages.