Oak Moss, Evernia prunastri is a species of lichen inthe family Parmeliaceae, native to the mountainous temperate
forests throughout the Northern Hemisphere..
| Common Name: Oak Moss |
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Scientific Name: |
| Other Names: oakmoss, Evernia prunastri f. herinii |
| Family: Parmeliaceae |
| Range: Origin: Mountainous temperate forests throughout the Northern Hemisphere |
Physical Characteristics
Parmotrema perlatum is a Perennial lichen, a close symbiont between an alga and a fungus. The thalli of Evernia prunastri are short (3–4 cm in length [rarely up to 10cm] and 2-4mm broad) and bushy, and grow together on bark to form large clumps. Oakmoss thallus is flat and strap-like. They are also highly branched, resembling the form of antlers. Oakmoss grows primarily on the trunk and branches of oak trees, but is also commonly found on the bark of other deciduous trees and conifers such as fir and pine.
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| Edible Parts: Aerial parts, dried |
 Edibility Rating: 4 
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 Known Hazards: Oakmoss should be avoided by people with known skin sensitization issues.
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Monthly Availability:
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Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Oak Moss along with all the Oak Moss containing recipes presented on this site, with 1 recipes in total.
These recipes, all contain Oak Moss as a major wild food ingredient.
Evernia prunastri has thalli that are short (3–4 cm in length) and bushy, and grow together on bark to form large clumps. Oakmoss thallus is flat and strap-like. They are also highly branched, resembling the form of antlers. The colour of oakmoss ranges from green to a greenish-white when dry, and dark olive-green to yellow-green when wet. The texture of the thalli is rough when dry and rubbery when wet.
Thallus (1–) 2–6 (–10) cm long, 2–4 (–6) mm broad, about 1 mm thick, foliose; lobes rather soft, numerous, strap-shaped, ± palmately branched, often twisted and pendulous; upper surface green-grey to pale green-yellow, often with an incomplete network of elongate ridges spreading towards the margins and delimiting hollows; lower surface white, almost lacking photobiont but occasionally dotted green especially towards the tips; soralia marginal and/or laminal, at first rounded and often confined to eroded surfaces of ridges and/or lobe margins, later becoming confluent, paler or concolorous with the upper surface. Apothecia rare in Britain, 2–5 mm diam. Ascospores 7–11 x 4–6 μm. Pycnidia ca 0.3 mm diam.; conidia 6–7 × ca 0.5 μm. Medulla C–, K–, KC–, Pd–, UV– (usnic and evernic acids, atranorin).
Widespread and often abundant with a wide ecological amplitude, principally on sunny, often windswept, neutral to acid barked trunks or the canopy of wayside and parkland trees and in hedgerows; also on fence-posts, old stems of Calluna or on the ground on heathland and dunes, more rarely in sheltered woodland and boggy sites; sometimes on nutrient-rich siliceous rocks, gravestones, stabilised shingle, short turf and brick walls.
Oakmoss is commercially harvested in countries of South-Central Europe and usually exported to the Grasse region of France where its fragrant compounds are extracted as oakmoss absolutes and extracts. These raw materials are often used as perfume fixatives and form the base notes of many fragrances. They are also key components of Fougère and Chypre class perfumes. The lichen has a distinct and complex odour and can be described as woody, sharp and slightly sweet. Oakmoss growing on pines have a pronounced turpentine odour that is valued in certain perfume compositions.
Like the related black stone flower, Parmotrema perlatum in its raw state, black stone flower does not have much taste or fragrance. However, when put in contact with heat, especially hot cooking oil or ghee, it releases a distinctive earthy, smoky, woody flavour and aroma with sweet overtones. Because of this, oak moss can be useful when added to smoking mixtures. Just like black stone flower it's also useful in Indian-style tempering mixtures, where the hot oil will activate the lichen's aromas. These will persist as you top your curry/dish with the tempering.
Though oak moss can be foraged year round, I always think of it as a winter wild food, and that's predominantly because it's most visible during the winter months when deciduous trees are devoid of their leaves. As the predominant part of a lichen is a fungus, oak moss does have some basic food value. It can also be dried and saved as a spice, to release its aroma when heated.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
These recipes, all contain Oak Moss as a major wild food ingredient.
Evernia prunastri has thalli that are short (3–4 cm in length) and bushy, and grow together on bark to form large clumps. Oakmoss thallus is flat and strap-like. They are also highly branched, resembling the form of antlers. The colour of oakmoss ranges from green to a greenish-white when dry, and dark olive-green to yellow-green when wet. The texture of the thalli is rough when dry and rubbery when wet.
Thallus (1–) 2–6 (–10) cm long, 2–4 (–6) mm broad, about 1 mm thick, foliose; lobes rather soft, numerous, strap-shaped, ± palmately branched, often twisted and pendulous; upper surface green-grey to pale green-yellow, often with an incomplete network of elongate ridges spreading towards the margins and delimiting hollows; lower surface white, almost lacking photobiont but occasionally dotted green especially towards the tips; soralia marginal and/or laminal, at first rounded and often confined to eroded surfaces of ridges and/or lobe margins, later becoming confluent, paler or concolorous with the upper surface. Apothecia rare in Britain, 2–5 mm diam. Ascospores 7–11 x 4–6 μm. Pycnidia ca 0.3 mm diam.; conidia 6–7 × ca 0.5 μm. Medulla C–, K–, KC–, Pd–, UV– (usnic and evernic acids, atranorin).
Widespread and often abundant with a wide ecological amplitude, principally on sunny, often windswept, neutral to acid barked trunks or the canopy of wayside and parkland trees and in hedgerows; also on fence-posts, old stems of Calluna or on the ground on heathland and dunes, more rarely in sheltered woodland and boggy sites; sometimes on nutrient-rich siliceous rocks, gravestones, stabilised shingle, short turf and brick walls.
Oakmoss is commercially harvested in countries of South-Central Europe and usually exported to the Grasse region of France where its fragrant compounds are extracted as oakmoss absolutes and extracts. These raw materials are often used as perfume fixatives and form the base notes of many fragrances. They are also key components of Fougère and Chypre class perfumes. The lichen has a distinct and complex odour and can be described as woody, sharp and slightly sweet. Oakmoss growing on pines have a pronounced turpentine odour that is valued in certain perfume compositions.
Like the related black stone flower, Parmotrema perlatum in its raw state, black stone flower does not have much taste or fragrance. However, when put in contact with heat, especially hot cooking oil or ghee, it releases a distinctive earthy, smoky, woody flavour and aroma with sweet overtones. Because of this, oak moss can be useful when added to smoking mixtures. Just like black stone flower it's also useful in Indian-style tempering mixtures, where the hot oil will activate the lichen's aromas. These will persist as you top your curry/dish with the tempering.
Though oak moss can be foraged year round, I always think of it as a winter wild food, and that's predominantly because it's most visible during the winter months when deciduous trees are devoid of their leaves. As the predominant part of a lichen is a fungus, oak moss does have some basic food value. It can also be dried and saved as a spice, to release its aroma when heated.
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
The alphabetical list of all Oak Moss recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 1 recipes in total:
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| Wild Mustard and Spinach Curry with Oak Moss Tempering Origin: India |
Page 1 of 1