[2][3] It causes white rot on dead hardwood,[4] and is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere in temperate and boreal zones.

[10] They have moderately wide, (0.5-)1-1.5 mm large and roundish to almost diamond-shaped pores, which run down the stem a little (decurrent) and are therefore slightly elongated.

The binding hyphae of flesh has a similar colour and width, though it can sometimes swell up to 13 μm wide.

[12] L. brumalis produces the black pigment melanin,[13] especially under high levels of moisture content (35%-55%) in the wood substrate.

[15] The stipe of Lentinus brumalis is strongly phototropic (grows towards light) before its cap forms.

[16] It is saprotrophic on dead hardwoods, in particular, birch, beech and mountain ash, though in rare cases it grows on conifers such as hemlock and fir.

[12] In North America, Lentinus brumalis is more common in the east, where it grows June through October.

[2] A potential look-alike, Lentinus strictipes, can be distinguished from L brumalis as it does not fruit until April, as well as possessing smaller, and finer pores, that are rarely larger than 0.5 mm.

A closer look-alike, L.arcularius (the spring polypore), differs from Lentinus brumalis in its larger pores, which are up to 2.5 mm wide, and easily recognizable even on young fruiting bodies.

[2] Neofavolus alveolaris has a paler cap, larger pores and spores and a more lateral stipe.

A study in 2007 reported that dibutyl phthalate was nearly eliminated from a culture medium of L. brumalis within 12 days, potentially through transesterification and de-esterification.