Lobster Mushroom

Hypomyces lactifluorum

Also called: Lobster Mushroom, Lobster Fungus, Lobster Claw

Overview

Not a mushroom — an ascomycete that parasitizes Russula brevipes / Lactarius piperatus and transforms them. Found wherever its (mycorrhizal) hosts fruit: oak-beech, hardwood-hemlock.

Edibility

Edible

Rarity

common

Trophic mode

mycoparasitic

Typical peak

Sep

Season

Aug–Oct — typical fruiting months: Jul, Aug, Sep.

Host trees & substrate

Hemlock

Where it grows

Northeast
Upper Midwest / Great Lakes
Pacific Northwest
Appalachian Highlands
Southeast Coastal Plain
Great Plains
Texas
Rocky Mountains
Desert Southwest
Sierra Nevada & Nor-Cal

See live fruiting predictions for Lobster Mushroom on the forecast home page, or browse the full field guide.

Always confirm wild-mushroom identification with multiple sources and a knowledgeable local expert before consuming. Read the foraging safety guide.