Witch’s Butter in the Kootenay Winter: A Field Guide and Two Ways to Use It

Witch’s Butter in the Kootenay Winter: A Field Guide & Two Ways to Use It

If you’ve been walking the wet woods of the Kootenays this winter, you’ve likely spotted it. A bright, jelly-like blob of orange or yellow stuck to a dead branch. It looks out of place. This is Tremella mesenterica—most folks call it Witch’s Butter or Brain Fungus.

You’re seeing more of it this year because of our weather. This warm, damp, foggy winter with its few hard freezes is ideal for this fungus. It thrives on moisture and mild temperatures. It’ll shrivel in a freeze, then rehydrate and pop back to life during a thaw. It’s tough, and it’s having a good year.

First, The Honourable Harvest Talk.
I won’t be selling Witch’s Butter in any form. It’s a common fungus, but it plays a key role in the forest’s decay cycle. Harvesting enough for a commercial product wouldn’t be right. This guide is for your personal, mindful use. If you choose to gather some, follow these rules: Only take from a large, abundant colony. Use clean scissors to snip no more than one-quarter of what you see. Leave the rest. Ensure you’re on public land where foraging is permitted, and always be 110% certain of your identification.

What Is It & What’s It Good For?

Witch’s Butter grows on dead hardwood, like alder and birch. It’s a parasite on other wood-decaying fungi, which is a clever way to make a living. It’s not a prime eating mushroom—it’s bland and gelatinous—but its value is in its properties.

In traditional practices, especially in Asia, Tremella fungi are renowned as moisturizers. Modern research supports this: it’s rich in polysaccharides that are exceptional humectants. They attract and hold water. This makes it a powerful, gentle hydrator for both internal and external use. It’s also noted for being soothing and rich in antioxidants.

Think of it as a deep forest hydrator. Its magic is unlocked through slow, patient preparation.

Two Practical Ways to Use Your Find

Here’s what to do if you bring a small handful home.

Important Prep: Rinse your harvest gently under cool water to remove any debris or little bugs. It can be used fresh or dried. To dry, spread it on a rack or screen in a warm, airy room for a few days. It will shrink into hard, dark little nuggets. Store dried pieces in a jar.

1. The Simplest Witch’s Butter Hydrating Tisane

This is a gentle, nourishing drink for a dry winter throat or just to experience the fungus as a simple tea.

• What You Need:
• 1 tablespoon of fresh Witch’s Butter, OR 1 teaspoon of the dried pieces.
• 2 cups of filtered water.
• A small pot with a lid.
• A fine-mesh strainer.
• Honey (optional, but local fir honey is excellent).
• What To Do:

1. Combine the Witch’s Butter and water in the pot.
2. Bring to a bare simmer, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover with the lid.
3. Let it steep very gently for at least 2 hours. You’re not boiling it hard; you’re coaxing the compounds out slowly. The water will become slightly viscous.
4. Strain out and compost the fungal material.
5. Sip warm. You can add a spoonful of honey. The flavour is very mild, slightly woody, and earthy. Drink it within 24 hours, or keep it refrigerated.

• Why It Works: The long, slow steep extracts the hydrating polysaccharides. It’s a simple way to bring the forest’s moisture-supporting properties inside.

2. A “Forest Dew” Hydrating Face Mist (A Home Skincare Recipe)

This is a brilliant, simple way to use Witch’s Butter topically. It’s soothing, plumping, and a direct link to the winter woods. Always patch test first.

• What You Need:
• ¼ cup of the prepared Witch’s Butter tisane (from the recipe above), fully cooled.
• 1 tablespoon pure vegetable glycerine (a natural humectant that boosts Witch’s Butter’s effects).
• 1 tablespoon distilled witch hazel (optional, for a slight toning effect; you can use more tisane instead).
• A 4 oz (120 ml) clean glass spray bottle.
• A small funnel.
• What To Do:

1. Ensure your tisane is completely cool.
2. Using the funnel, pour the tisane, glycerine, and witch hazel (if using) into the spray bottle.
3. Cap the bottle and shake well to combine.
4. Label it with the date.
5. To Use: Shake lightly before use. Mist over clean skin morning and/or night. Follow with your favourite facial oil or balm (like our Sacred Sunrise Nectar or Midnight Serenity Balm) to seal in the hydration. Store in the refrigerator; it will feel extra refreshing. Use within 7-10 days.

• Why It Works: This pairs the humectant power of Witch’s Butter with glycerine, drawing moisture to your skin. The witch hazel adds a touch of astringency. It’s a minimalist, effective potion you made yourself.

The Bottom Line

Witch’s Butter is a winter oddity with a practical superpower: holding water. Spotting it is a sign of a healthy, damp, decaying forest at work. If you choose to engage with it, do so sparingly and with respect. Use it to create simple, effective preparations that connect you to the season’s specific offerings.

That’s the heart of wildcrafting: understanding a gift from the forest, taking only what is truly given, and transforming it with your own hands into something that nurtures.

P.S. This same wet weather is deepening the resin in the evergreens. That slow, cold-time process is what gives our small winter batches of Fire Balm Salve their unique, grounding potency. The forest’s timing is everything