Is this chaga?

[Walkswithdog]

Hi

New to this site. I've joined as I've decided its about time to indulge & develop my long standing interest in fire lighting.

I've been hunting for hoof fungus and have found a plentiful source but am also looking for chaga. I don't know too much about it (aside from reading some stuff on its fabled medicinal properties of which I'm not really interested), i.e. its scarcity or otherwise in Scotland but I thought I found an example on an old twisted birch trunk until I broke it off. It was rotten through and maybe the trunk was too far gone to support viable chaga, or else the growth was a fungus of another type. Can anyone tell me what this is? Hope this link works

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMQw1TKC_JqRludqQZpToYeSHIDGPJHhV61y5f8

 

[Toddy]

Hello, and welcome to the forum

I can't see your photo. Google says,

404. That's an error.
The requested URL was not found on this server.
That's all we know.

 

[TLM]

I think one has to to share the specific picture so that others can see it.

 

[Walkswithdog]

Apologies. Hope this works

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zty7Ewve4q6UrFjZ7

 

[Walkswithdog]

Hello, and welcome to the forum

I can't see your photo. Google says,

404. That's an error.
The requested URL was not found on this server.
That's all we know.

Thanks.

The link works for me...possibly something to do with settings on the album. I've created a shared album so I hope that works

 

[Toddy]

Himself, who collects chaga for me says the stuff on the left hand side looks like chaga, but to check by breaking a bit off and if it's orangey brown inside then it is. Sometimes birch get other things that look a bit crusty too. I don't think I've ever seen such burnt black looking hoofnail fungus (fomes) though.

M

 

[TLM]

That does not look like any that I have gathered, but that is not even near absolute negative ...

 

[TLM]

I think that advice of breaking off a small part and looking at the colour of the inside is good.

 

[Namar]

I don't think it is, from what I have seen, chaga usually looks like it exploded, like here :
https://i.etsystatic.com/16153221/r/il/dedf25/1818481124/il_570xN.1818481124_2lgx.jpg
Yours have a typical "trunk mushroom" look and shape, it's just that they're black.
Also, I have been told it's only growing where cold temperatures appear in the winter (like around -15/-20°c), if this may help.

 

[Namar]

double post mistake ,sorry about that

 

[Le Loup]

We do not have chaga here walkswithdog, but there are plenty of other plant & fungi tinders that you may want to try out.
https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2015/03/my-book-primitive-fire-lighting-ebook.html
https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2012/02/part-four-closer-look-at-flint-steel.html

Keith.

 

[Toddy]

Thanks.

The link works for me...possibly something to do with settings on the album. I've created a shared album so I hope that works

It's easy to see now. Your profile says that you live in Scotland. I do too, and that coarse black/brown stuff coming out of the bark looks like the start of the chaga that we find here.
Try to break off a bit of it; it'll keep growing until the tree is dead and exhausted of stuff it can use; and see what colour it looks like inside.
If it'll help I can post you a piece of the stuff that we have, a bit with the outer crust still on it. If I cut it small enough it'll just go in through the letter box, but you'll have some to compare.

M

 

[Sundowner]

The bit on the bottom looks suspiciously like chaga, just break a bit off and look at the colour, then post it here?
Good luck

 

[Walkswithdog]

The bit on the bottom looks suspiciously like chaga, just break a bit off and look at the colour, then post it here?
Good luck

I'll go back & have a look.

 

[Walkswithdog]

It's easy to see now. Your profile says that you live in Scotland. I do too, and that coarse black/brown stuff coming out of the bark looks like the start of the chaga that we find here.
Try to break off a bit of it; it'll keep growing until the tree is dead and exhausted of stuff it can use; and see what colour it looks like inside.
If it'll help I can post you a piece of the stuff that we have, a bit with the outer crust still on it. If I cut it small enough it'll just go in through the letter box, but you'll have some to compare.

M

That's a very nice offer!

 

[Walkswithdog]

More photos added now. I think some may be chaga but that it's really poor quality due to the rotten condition of the host tree.

 

[Toddy]

Hmmmm... I'm saying yes, but it's dead stuff. Fine for firelighting, and it might well take a spark if you dry it out, no reason not to try, but I wouldn't boil it up for tea/coffee.
You're right; that tree's rotten and to be in that state, mind it's Birch, and the bark remains long after the wood has rotted out, it really has been exhausted and used up.

M

 

[Walkswithdog]

Duplicate post

 

[Walkswithdog]

Hmmmm... I'm saying yes, but it's dead stuff. Fine for firelighting, and it might well take a spark if you dry it out, no reason not to try, but I wouldn't boil it up for tea/coffee.
You're right; that tree's rotten and to be in that state, mind it's Birch, and the bark remains long after the wood has rotted out, it really has been exhausted and used up.

M

I've checked a load of other birch trees in the same wood: nothing at all.

 

[TLM]

From the pics I would vote no but quite unsure really. It looks almost as if the surface was reflective when all the chagas I have seen are matt. Break off a piece.