Black Trumpet
Craterellus fallax
Europe's lesser known cousin.
Horn of Plenty - Trumpet of the Dead
QUICK ID:
Color - black to grey; fades with age
Height - up to15 cm
Cap diameter - 0.5 - 7 cm
Spore print - yellow orange
Edibility: Excellent
What's in a [common] name?
First considered to be Craterellus cornucopioides (and actually what I considered it to be up until doing research for this post), this black trumpet is actually its eastern North American cousin: C. fallax (Methany et al. 2010). The two can be distinguished by the color of their spore print. It is sometimes called the trumpet of the dead because they look like little trumpets dead people might be playing underground. Its European cousin is often referred to as the horn of plenty due to its cornucopia-like shape.
Description and Ecology
This black to grey mushroom has false gills or ridges running down its trumpet-shaped cap. Its flesh is thin and brittle and breaks with age. Its spore print is yellowish orange.
These black trumpets are commonly found from the spring to the fall anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. There is a closely related unnamed species that grows west of the Rockies as well. They form mycorrhizal associations with hardwood trees like oaks and are commonly found in wet areas.
Warning/Look Alikes
There are a couple of look alike mushrooms to consider. The devil's urn (Urnula craterium) and the snake tongue truffle club (Tolypocladium ophioglossoides). While neither are considered toxic, they can taste unpleasant.
Science and Medicine
The research described below actually refers to C. fallax’s European cousin: C. cornucopioides. However, given their closeness in relation, it is possible that some of these research findings still apply to C. fallax, but take these findings with an extra grain of salt regarding C. fallax.
Polysaccharides derived from black trumpets have also been found to modulate the immune system activating macrophages to potentially boost immune defense (Zhang et al. 2022).
Furthermore, polysaccharides from the fruiting bodies of the black trumpets have been found to be antioxidants and protect cells from oxidative damage (Yang et al. 2018).
Black trumpets are an excellent source of Vitamin B12, an important nutrient often needed to be supplemented in the diets of vegetarians and vegans (Watanabe et al. 2012).
It should be noted that mushrooms such as the black trumpet have the ability to concentrate heavy metals in their fruiting bodies (Sarikurkcu et al. 2020). Eating mushrooms that have grown in heavily contaminated soils could pose a health risk to humans. It is best practice to know about the land in which you are foraging to avoid areas with potential contaminants dangerous to humans.
Black Trumpets
Craterellus fallax
Photo taken by author.
Culinary Uses
To store - Common storage methods include freezing, dehydrating, and pickling. Because these mushrooms are so thin and hollow, they dry very easily. I have used oven-drying methods (bake at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 - 2 hours until the mushrooms are completely dry), but have recently invested in a dehydrator so we will see how improved the drying becomes.
To eat - I’ve seen that this mushroom can be eaten raw in small quantities (such as a garnish on a dish), but I always advise cooking wild mushrooms thoroughly. This mushroom is perfect for pasta, risotto, and treated almost like a truffle.
