Black fungus, sometimes known as wood ear, is a mushroom that is dark brown to black and native to such places with humid climates as Heilongjiang, Jilin, Fujian, Taiwan, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan. It is edible and often used in cooking. It is a beneficial herb in helping with improving circulation, lowering cholesterol, hemorrhoids, dryness, anti-viral, etc. Black fungus usually grow in group or individually on over 120 kinds of dead woods, but artificial cultivation has now been made possible.