Bear's head tooth vs lion's mane: how to tell them apart
Quick answer
Only bear's head tooth is branched. Lion's mane is a single rounded mass with long spines hanging from it; bear's head tooth hangs its spines in tufts from the ends of its branches. Both are white, turn yellowish with age and grow on hardwood.
Side by side
The tell for each
The tellWhite, branched mass with long spines hanging in tufts from the branch tips.
The tellA single white, unbranched clump of long hanging spines on hardwood.
How they differ
| Feature | Bear's Head Tooth | Lion's Mane |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Bear's Head ToothBranched, with spines in tufts at and along the branch tips. | Lion's ManeA single unbranched clump. |
| Spines | Bear's Head Tooth0.5 to 1.5 inches (1 to 4 cm) long, in tufts. | Lion's Mane0.5 to 2 inches (1 to 5 cm) long, all hanging from one central mass. |
| Size | Bear's Head Tooth4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm) across. | Lion's Mane3 to 10 inches (8 to 25 cm) across. |
| Where on the tree | Bear's Head ToothDead hardwood logs and stumps, and wounds on living trees. | Lion's ManeOften high on trunks of living trees at wounds, or on recently fallen logs. |
| Range | Bear's Head ToothEastern North America, east of the Great Plains. | Lion's ManeWidespread, including eastern hardwood forests and oak woods on the West Coast. |
FAQ
Common questions
Is bear's head tooth the same as lion's mane?
No. Bear's head tooth is Hericium americanum and lion's mane is Hericium erinaceus. Both are in the same genus, but bear's head is branched and lion's mane is not.
Where do bear's head tooth and lion's mane grow?
Both grow on hardwood. Bear's head tooth grows on dead logs and stumps and on wounds of living trees, especially beech, oak and maple, east of the Great Plains. Lion's mane grows at wounds on living trees or on recently fallen logs across much of North America.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Hericium americanum
MushroomExpert.com
- Hericium erinaceus
MushroomExpert.com
Keep checking
Read both pages in full
- More on the bear's head tooth
- More on the lion's mane
- Not sure it is either? Narrow it down with the identification key
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