While showing visitors around Grapes Hill Community Garden the other day I noticed a new species of fungus for the garden, growing on one of the logs on the log sculpture in the lawn (a Black Mulberry). I recognised it straightaway as the Jelly Ear Fungus, Auricularia auricula-judae, although I am much more used to seeing it growing on Elder (Sambucus nigra) bushes.
Jelly Ear Fungus is the commonly used name these days and describes the fungus very well – it is ear shaped and has a rubbery, jelly-like texture. Other names include Jew’s Ear, Wood Ear and Judas’ Ear. The scientific name of the fungus, Auricularia auricula-judae, means “ear” (Auricularia) and “the ear of Judas” (auricula-judae).
According to legend, Judas Iscariot hanged himself in shame after betraying Jesus Christ to his executioners. One possible candidate for Judas Iscariot’s tree of choice is the Judas Tree, Cercis siliquastrum and another is the Elder, Sambucus nigra, on which the Jelly Ear grows. But a couple of inconvenient facts get in the way of the latter version of the story. Firstly, the Elder is not native to the Palestine region and secondly it is far too springy and bendable to make a good gallows. However, it’s an interesting folk tale and it is important to be aware that the name “Jew’s Ear” relates to Judas (who was a Jew) and is not anti-semitic.
The Jelly Ear is easy to identify from its shape and texture, though it could possibly be confused with several Cup Fungi (Peziza spp), which are brittle rather than gelatinous, though they may be roughly ear-shaped and even the same red-brown colour. The First Nature, Nature Spot and Mushroom Expert websites are good online aids to identification. The specimen I photographed was on its own but the fungus usually grows in groups. It can be found for much of the year, particularly in late summer and autumn, through into winter.
Jelly Ear is edible, though the taste is mild and the texture is crunchy. John Wright casseroled some for eight hours once and they stayed as crisp as when they were picked. John recommends adding the fungi to a spicy soup or stew. According to Wikipedia the fungus is not edible when raw, but I know someone who snacks on them straight off the tree and was still alive at least a couple of days ago. Since there was just one Jelly Ear on the log in Grapes Hill Community Garden, we left it alone to disperse its spores.
Jelly Ear was sometimes used as a treatment for sore throats or to treat inflammations of the eyes. Wikipedia lists several possible medicinal applications for the fungus, including the treatment of tumours, diabetes and lowering blood cholesterol levels. On the other hand, the fungus may reduce blood clotting and Tom Volk refers to cases of internal bleeding in particularly sensitive people who accidentally ate too much sweet and sour soup and stir-fry, both containing this fungus.
The Jelly Ear is in the same genus as the Cloud Ear, Auricularia polytricha, which is available in dried form from Oriental food shops and can be used in stews and soups. It appears to contain similar compounds to the Jelly Ear and its effect on blood clotting makes it poisonous to people with poor blood clotting. It should also be avoided if you are about to have surgery. The Mykoweb website has more information, as does an article by Ha Won Kim in The Archives of Pharmacological Research. Ha Won Kim reports symptoms in mice such as “convulsion during the first 30 minutes …, coma or sleeping within an hour, tremor, lacrimation, nasal bleeding, congestion, and death in 24 hours”, though they didn’t eat the fungus but were injected with extracts of the active compound.
Finally, the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust blog has another good photo of Jelly Ear and the British Mycological Society’s website has a form for submitting records of this fungus – which I will do now.
