# Witches' Butter (*Tremella*)

Witches' Butter is a bright yellow fungus that looks like jelly! It grows on trees and is a fun sight in the woods.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** On decaying wood in forests
- **Also known as:** Tremella Fungi

![Witches' Butter](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426542/objects/5124.jpg)

## Appearance

The Witches' Butter is a bright yellow to orange, brain-like or jelly-like fungus. It has a wrinkled, lobed surface that feels gelatinous and moist to the touch, often appearing as slimy blobs on dead wood. Its vibrant color and unique texture distinguish it from most other fungi.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Auriculariales
- **Family:** Auriculariaceae
- **Genus:** Exidia

## Interesting facts

- Ancient superstitions believed it was butter churned by mischievous witches or fairies!
- It's sometimes added to Chinese desserts and soups for its unusual, delicate texture!
- Its wiggly texture makes it feel like edible jelly, but it's often crunchy when dry!
- This fungus can freeze solid in winter and then thaw out to continue growing again!

## Special abilities

- **Moisture Magnet:** Witches' Butter has a gelatinous texture that helps them absorb and retain water, allowing them to swell and survive dry spells.
- **Shape Shifter:** Witches' Butter can shrink and shrivel during dry weather, then rehydrate and expand again when it rains, like a natural sponge.
- **Wood Wizard:** Witches' Butter can parasitize other fungi that decompose wood, helping speed up the recycling of nutrients in forest ecosystems.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2-7 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Fall, Winter, Year-round
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Parasitizes:** Rusty Crust Fungus (*Peniophora rufa*) — Grows on this fungus to absorb its nutrients.
- **Depends on:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Thrives on dead or decaying branches and logs.
- **Depends on:** [American Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-beech) (*Fagus grandifolia*) — Often found growing on its fallen wood.

## Traits

- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [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 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 Witches' Butter?

2-7 cm

### Is Witches' Butter edible?

edible

### Where is Witches' Butter usually found?

On decaying wood in forests

### What does Witches' Butter grow on?

wood

### When is Witches' Butter in season?

Fall, Winter, Year-round

### What color are Witches' Butter spores?

White

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