# Golden Jelly Fungus (*Tremella mesenterica*)

The Golden Jelly Fungus is a wobbly, jelly-like mushroom that shines bright yellow. It looks like something from a magical world!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Epic
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 19
- **Habitat:** Decaying wood in forests
- **Also known as:** Witch's Butter, Yellow Trembler

![Golden Jelly Fungus](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426656/objects/5142.jpg)

## Appearance

The Golden Jelly Fungus is a bright yellow to orange, gelatinous fungus with a wrinkled or lobed appearance, often resembling a brain or crumpled mass. Its wobbly texture and vivid color make it stand out from typical mushrooms, often glistening when wet.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Tremellomycetes
- **Order:** Tremellales
- **Family:** Tremellaceae
- **Genus:** Tremella

## Interesting facts

- Ancient people used this wobbly fungus in soups and stews for centuries!
- It can shrink down when dry and then magically re-inflate after it rains!
- It’s also known as 'Witch's Butter' because of its gooey, yellow look!
- This fungus feels like soft, squishy jelly when you gently touch it.

## Special abilities

- **Moisture Magnet:** Golden Jelly Fungus can dry out to a small crust, then rehydrate and plump up like new with rain, helping it survive dry spells.
- **Fungal Parasite:** Golden Jelly Fungus is a unique parasite that grows on and gets its nutrients from other specific fungi already living on dead wood.
- **Wood Wrecker:** Golden Jelly Fungus helps decompose dead branches and logs, recycling nutrients back into the forest soil.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2-10 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Year-round
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Parasitizes:** Rusty Crust Fungus (*Peniophora rufa*) — Tremella feeds on this crust fungus
- **Depends on:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Decomposes dead wood of this tree species
- **Depends on:** [American Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-beech) (*Fagus grandifolia*) — Grows on and helps break down its dead wood

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [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 Golden Jelly Fungus?

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 Golden Jelly Fungus?

2-10 cm

### Is Golden Jelly Fungus edible?

edible

### Where is Golden Jelly Fungus usually found?

Decaying wood in forests

### What does Golden Jelly Fungus grow on?

wood

### When is Golden Jelly Fungus in season?

Year-round

### What color are Golden Jelly Fungus spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Anderson University](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-university) — South Carolina, US · Campus
- [Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/georgia-institute-of-technology-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District
- [North Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/north-park) — Pennsylvania, US · Park
- [Techwood Homes](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/techwood-homes) — Georgia, US · Historic District
- [John Ball Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-ball-zoo) — Michigan, US · Zoo
- [Woburn Safari Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/woburn-safari-park) — England, GB · Zoo

[View all places to see Golden Jelly Fungus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/golden-jelly-fungus)

## 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: [Golden Jelly Fungus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-jelly-fungus)