Deepen your knowledge of unique fungi with this exclusive list of Mushrooms that Look Like Coral but are not!
If you’re a mushroom lover or a student of mycology, these mushrooms that look like coral will surely amaze you with their peculiar appearance.
Mushrooms that Look Like Coral
1. Golden Spindles
Botanical Name – Clavulinopsis fusiformis
Just one glance and you can tell that this mushroom resembles underwater corals. This is because of its erect fruit bodies that appear in clusters with pointed tips similar to coral branches.
2. Crested Coral
Botanical Name – Clavulina coralloides
This mushroom mimics underwater corals by its intricate, multi-branched structures with tiny tooth-like tips. It’s 2.5–7.5 cm tall and 2–4 cm wide, white to cream in hue.
3. Comb Tooth
Botanical Name – Hericium coralloides
The comb tooth mushroom features irregularly shaped clusters of spiny white branches. This edible fungus grows on dead hardwood trees from August to October.
4. Salmon Coral
Botanical Name – Ramaria Formosa
Salmon coral has a similar appearance to sea corals due to their upright coral-pink branches. Its flesh is pale white to pinkish with an unpleasant smell.
5. Wrinkled Coral Fungus
Botanical Name – Clavulina rugosa
Belongs to the Clavulinaceae family, this coral-like mushroom grows under conifers and hardwood trees. It has fleshy, branch-like structures that are white in color.
6. Purple Coral
Botanical Name – Alloclavaria purpurea
The purple coral fungus displays tightly packed, spindle-like, fruiting bodies that spread out like coral branches. It can become 2.5-10 cm tall in spruce-fir forests.
7. Crown-Tipped Coral
Botanical Name – Artomyces pyxidatus
This edible fungus looks similar to sea coral, with its pale upright branches and crown-like tips. It flourishes on dead wood deciduous trees from June to September.
8 Bear’s Head Tooth
Botanical Name – Hericium americanum
Bear’s head tooth is another mushroom that looks like a coral with its spiny branches. This species is often mistaken for Hericium coralloides due to their similar appearance.
9. Gray Coral Fungus
Botanical Name – Clavulina cinerea
Gray coral fungus stands out with coral-like branches that are 2-5 mm thick and white to grayish in hue. It’s typically found in hardwood and conifer forests.
10. Violet Coral
Botanical Name – Clavaria zollingeri
Violet coral mushroom is a spitting image of underwater coral because of its purple, branch-like fruiting bodies. This fungus is edible and tastes somewhat like radishes.
11. Bitter Coral
Botanical Name – Ramaria fennica
Native to Australia, Europe, and North America, bitter coral fungus is popular for its coral-like appearance. It boasts numerous upright-growing branches on a thick, fleshy base.
12. Strict Branch Coral
Botanical Name – Ramaria stricta
This botanical specimen produces vertical branches that look identical to sea corals. You can easily spot this mushroom on stumps and trunks of deciduous and coniferous trees.