Close-up of Cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis crispa) at the base of a tree in Little Lake Creek Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest in Richards, Texas. This beautiful specimen which doesn't look like either a mushroom, in shape of cauliflower, which likes to grow at the base of hardwoods, especially oak and conifer trees, is an edible mushroom with outstanding flavor, but the cleaning is not easy, and the cooking takes a while. Sparassis crispa is widespread in Eastern North America and in parts of Europe and also is farmed in Australia, Japan, Korea, and the USA. Cauliflower mushroom is used in traditional medicine to fight fungus infections and tumors. Experiments suggest that Sparassis crispa contains chemicals which may stimulate the immune system and increase hemoglobin.