Hedgehog Mushroom
Hydnum washingtonianum
Do not eat any fungi that has not been properly identified by a qualified professional, some are DEADLY when ingested. All edible wild fungi MUST be cooked.
A cousin of chanterelles, American hedgehog mushrooms are a popular sought-after mushroom and commercially sold. There are over thirty species of hedgehog mushrooms in North America. Many websites in the U.S. and Canada are not up-to-date and call Hydnum washingtonianum the Hydnum repandum. Hydnum repandum does not grow in North America. According to DNA-based evidence, sweet tooth mushrooms found in North America are Hydnum washingtonianum. All species in the genus Hydnum are edible, and typically most people just call them "hedgehog" mushrooms because of their unique teeth-like undersides instead of gills. The Hydnum umbilicatum (bellybutton hedgehog) mushroom is a related, smaller species with a deep depression in the centre of its cap. Its relatively long spines are attached only on the underside of the cap and not at the top of the stem.
Type
Distinguishing Features
As with most other Hydnum species, this mushroom has a unique look due to the spines on the underside of the cap. Measuring 2 to 17 cm (0.8–6.7"), the young cap surface is usually convex. As it matures, it grows to be almost completely flat with an extremely small depression in the middle. It’s typically whitish to pale orange. The cap becomes dark orange or yellowish brown when damaged. On the underside of the cap and the upper part of the stem there are dense teeth. These measure up to 1cm (.39") long, cream to pale apricot-coloured, and they break off easily. Hedgehogs have a fruity to indistinct odor.
Height
These mushrooms grow anywhere from 3 to 10cm (1–4"). The stipe is 1 to 4 cm (.39 to 1.5") wide, often widest just above the base. White, but staining ochre when damaged. The stem is solid, and firm.
Habitat
These mushrooms are mycorrhizal with beech, birch, Scots pine, spruce and western hemlock. You can often find these in the same areas as chanterelle mushrooms. They are generally found in moss but also in grass areas.
Spore Print
White.
Season
Hedgehog mushrooms can be found in grass and moss usually between July and November (depending on location).
Gills
There are no gills. They are a toothed fungi.
Edibility
Hedgehog mushrooms are one of the most delicious edible wild mushrooms. Hedgehogs are versatile, with a mildly sweet, nutty flavor. They are firm, making it easy to work with in the kitchen.
Other Name
Sweet Tooth Mushroom.
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