Great Lakes region, USA. September 5, 2026.
From a distance I thought it was a COTW. It's definitely not. Probably something in the Hericium genus? Supposedly they promote nerve growth.
This is pretty conclusive as H. Americanum, but you’re 100% free to call it Lion’s Mane outside of academic discussion with a mycologist.
All the similar Hericium species in this cluster are edible and cook similarly, so any further distinction is a matter of taxonomic interest rather than culinary — kinda like how P. Ostreatus is “the” oyster mushroom, but there are additional species (e.g. golden oysters) that fall under the common-name umbrella of “oyster mushrooms”.