# Black Witches' Butter (*Exidia*)

Black Witches' Butter is a squishy black fungus that grows on trees. It looks like a blob of jelly!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** On trees
- **Also known as:** Black Jelly Fungus

![Black Witches' Butter](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426618/objects/5159.jpg)

## Appearance

The Black Witches' Butter is a shiny, dark brown to jet-black, gelatinous fungus that looks like wavy, brain-like blobs or folds on dead wood. When wet, it is soft and slippery; when dry, it shrivels into a hard, brittle crust.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Tremellomycetes
- **Order:** Tremellales
- **Family:** Exidiaceae
- **Genus:** Exidia

## Interesting facts

- It can dry up like a piece of burned paper, then swell back to life with rain!
- It's named for its dark, gooey look, like a witch's mysterious potion!
- It's not actually butter, but a jelly fungus that feels rubbery or slimy!
- This fungus often grows on oak and other hardwood branches that have fallen.

## Special abilities

- **Wood Recycler:** Black Witches' Butter can break down dead wood, helping to recycle nutrients back into the forest soil.
- **Resurrection Power:** Black Witches' Butter has the ability to rehydrate after completely drying out, which helps them survive long dry spells.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 1-5 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Fall, winter, spring
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** European Oak (*Quercus robur*) — decomposes dead branches and bark
- **Depends on:** [European Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-beech) (*Fagus sylvatica*) — breaks down fallen logs and branches
- **Depends on:** [Sugar Maple](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sugar-maple) (*Acer saccharum*) — feeds on dead maple wood

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Black Witches' Butter?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Black Witches' Butter?

1-5 cm

### Is Black Witches' Butter edible?

edible

### Where is Black Witches' Butter usually found?

On trees

### What does Black Witches' Butter grow on?

wood

### When is Black Witches' Butter in season?

Fall, winter, spring

### What color are Black Witches' Butter spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Gallitzin State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gallitzin-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Black Witches' Butter: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-witches-butter)