Never eat a wild mushroom identified only from a website, a book or an app. Have every find checked in person by an expert, such as a mycological society.
Identification
The hedgehog mushroom is a fleshy, rather irregular mushroom with a cream, buff or pale orange cap that is dry and matte, often lumpy, with a wavy margin. Neighbouring caps sometimes fuse together.
The decisive feature is under the cap: instead of gills or pores there are dense, soft, brittle spines (teeth) a few millimetres long, cream to pale salmon-coloured, which break off easily and run slightly down the stem. The stem is short and stout, whitish, often set off-centre. The flesh is white to cream, firm but brittle, and may turn yellowish-orange when bruised. The spore print is white to pale cream.
The closely related Hydnum rufescens is smaller and more orange, with spines that stop short of the stem; both are edible. Molecular work has shown that several similar Hydnum species exist worldwide.
Habitat and ecology
Hydnum repandum is ectomycorrhizal, forming associations with both broadleaf trees such as beech and oak and conifers such as spruce and pine. It often grows in rings or long rows on the forest floor, on both acid and calcareous soils, among moss or leaf litter.
Fruiting runs from late summer to late autumn and, in mild regions, into early winter. The fruit bodies are long-lasting and are rarely attacked by insect larvae. The species is widespread across Europe and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
Uses and importance
The hedgehog mushroom is a well-regarded edible with firm flesh and a mild, slightly nutty flavour, sometimes compared with chanterelle. It is sautéed, added to stews, sauces and pies, and keeps its texture well. Young specimens are best; older ones can become bitter, and many cooks scrape off the spines, which may become slightly bitter and detach in the pan.
It is not cultivated commercially; supplies come from wild harvesting.
Safety and edibility
The hedgehog mushroom is a good edible when correctly identified and cooked. Its spines make it relatively distinctive, but have every wild mushroom checked in person by an expert, such as a mycological society or a trained mushroom adviser, before eating it.
- Other tooth fungi, such as Sarcodon, Hydnellum and Phellodon species, are tough, corky or bitter and not eaten; many of them are also rare and protected in some countries.
- Viewed from above, the cap can resemble a pale chanterelle or even toxic gilled mushrooms; always check the underside.
- Eat only fresh, firm specimens and cook them thoroughly.
- Like many mycorrhizal mushrooms, it can accumulate radioactive caesium in regions affected by fallout.
If you suspect mushroom poisoning, call your local emergency number or poison centre straight away, even before any symptoms appear, and keep the remains of the mushrooms.
Look-alikes
Turn the mushroom over: Hydnum repandum has soft spines. Cantharellus cibarius has blunt ridges and is yellow throughout. Hydnum rufescens is smaller and more orange, also edible. Sarcodon and Hydnellum species have brown or zoned, tough caps and are inedible. Albatrellus species look similar from above but have pores, not spines.
Around the world
Worldwide, hedgehog mushrooms are collected in Europe, North America and Asia. In North America, several look-alike Hydnum species, such as Hydnum umbilicatum, are collected under the same common name. In France it is sold as pied de mouton.
