Hoof Fungus - Fomes fomentarius

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Alternative names
Tinder Fungus
Description

Large perennial hoof-shaped brackets vary in colour from a silvery grey to brown and almost black.  The caps are hard and woody, with broad, concentric ridges and a blunt rounded margin.  Pores pale grey, small, rounded, 4 - 5 per mm.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Photograph upper and lower fertile surface to show pores; note host plant and substrate

Habitat

Mainly on Birch,occasionally beech or other deciduous trees.

VC55 Status

Formerly rare in Leicestershire and Rutland but now frequent.

  • Jane Hollingworth
    Beacon Hill
    03 November 2023
  • Ron.stevens
    Ulverscroft NR
    08 September 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft NR
    16 April 2011
    underside pores
  • c butterfield
    Beacon Hill
    16 February 2013
  • Mark Skevington
    Ulverscroft NR
    12 March 2014
  • Denise Stretton
    Martinshaw Wood
    09 June 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft NR
    16 April 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft NR
    05 November 2004
  • David Gould
    Beacon Hill
    16 February 2014
  • Lostash
    Swithland Woods
    19 September 2015

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Hoof Fungus, Tinder Bracket
Species group:
Fungi
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Polyporales
Family:
Polyporaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
201
First record:
05/11/2004 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
14/01/2026 (Gaten, Ted)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Aylestone Meadows, Leicester
    18 May 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Aylestone Meadows, Leicester
    18 May 2013
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft NR
    16 April 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Cloud Wood
    24 June 2011
  • Ron.stevens
    Ulverscroft NR
    08 September 2011
  • Ron.stevens
    Ulverscroft NR
    08 September 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft
    18 May 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft
    18 May 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Ulverscroft
    08 September 2011
  • Alan Semper
    Stathern Wood
    15 November 2013