King Alfred's Cakes - Daldinia concentrica

Click here to support NatureSpot by making a donation - small or large - your gift is very much appreciated. Thank you.
Alternative names
Cramp Balls
Description

Sub-spherical, smooth, initially reddish brown, then black, to about 8 cm across

Identification difficulty
Habitat

On dead trunks and branches of Ash. 

When to see it

Fresh growths from June to November but persisting all year round

UK Status

Very common and widespread in Britain

VC55 Status

Very common on fallen Ash wood in Leicestershire and Rutland.

  • Lostash
    Enderby Road (Fields) Enderby
    24 April 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Granitethorpe Quarry, Sapcote
    12 March 2009
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    28 March 2006
  • David Nicholls
    Bosworth Battlefield
    15 March 2006
  • Alan Semper
    Harby, canal
    29 November 2013
    Note concentric rings
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    01 March 2014

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
Cramp Balls, King Alfred's Cakes
Species group:
Fungi
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Xylariales
Family:
Xylariaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
322
First record:
15/03/2006 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
20/03/2025 (Pochin, Christine)

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
    Sapcote
    30 April 2013
  • David Nicholls
    Highway Spinney
    05 May 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby Burroughs
    24 November 2011
  • David Gould
    Narborough Bog, Leics
    21 May 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Great Wood, Ratby
    17 December 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Narborough Bog NR
    13 October 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common and Woods
    13 February 2014
  • David Nicholls
    Burbage Wood
    13 February 2014
  • Alan Semper
    Harby, canal
    29 November 2013