Oregon Grown Reishi Cultures

Reishi mushroom cultures are potted, allowed to incubate and grow up naturally branched hardwood sticks.  The result is a nursery pot sprouting spectacular fungal conks.  Growing as an annual, the sculpture like caps reach a maximum size and eventually dry into a long lasting specimen.

 This fungus has many names: Reishi, Ling  Chih, The Lacquered Bracket Fungus, The Mushroom of Immortality, The Panacea Polypore.  A member of the Polypore Family, it has a bracket or kidney shaped top with thousands of tiny round pores on the underside.  The cap is usually mahogany red, with a shiny lacquered appearance when wet.  Reishi grows naturally all over the world, especially in hardwood forests, preferring oak and maple.  Reishi is a white rot fungus, recycling the tough lignin of dead hardwoods into forest humus.   Reishi has been used medicinally for thousands of years, especially in China.  A tea made from this fungus has been associated with an improved immune system, increased vigor and well being. 

The process starts with Alder wood chips, Oak sawdust and wheat.  The feed stock is wetted and placed in a special breathable grow bag. Selected branching hard wood sticks are added, then a batch is sterilized and  innoculated with pure culture spawn. 

The bags, now fitted into nursery pots are allowed to incubate in a warm climate controlled grow room.  After about a month the bags can be opened which triggers the formation of Reishi stalks and caps.