Identifying Bearded Tooth Fungus on an Oak Stump

That Strange Growth on Your Dead Oak Stump Is Lion’s Mane

The large, oblong, white-to-orange fuzzy growth with half-inch hair-like structures on your dead oak stump near a creek is Hericium erinaceus, commonly called Bearded Tooth Fungus, Lion’s Mane Mushroom, Hedgehog Mushroom, or Satyr’s Beard. It’s a wood-decay fungus that fruits on dead hardwood. It’s edible and prized in cuisine, but always confirm identification with an expert before consuming.

No action needed—it’s just nature recycling the stump.