[2][3] It grows on dead trees including oak, hornbeam, and ash, in Europe and North America.

The cap of Bulgaria inquinans is generally between 0.5 and 4 centimetres (1⁄4 and 1+1⁄2 in) wide and 1 cm tall.

[5] Pseudoplectania species form black cups without a rough brown outer surface.

It also grows in parts of the United States,[3] where it can be found from November to March on the West Coast and from May to October further east.

[4] Research into the colouring materials found in the fungus by H.Lockett and R.Edwards at Bradford University gave name to three purple pigments as two bulgarhodins and bulgarein.