Reishi mushrooms, Ganoderma lucidum, have been used for centuries to promote health and longevity and are known as” the mushrooms of immortality.”
I inoculated several oak logs over a year ago and put them in a shady spot behind my compost bin, partially nestled into the soil. They just began to fruit this spring.
They’re shaped differently from the reishi I cultivated by smearing some spawn onto the surfaces of a huge oak tree that fell in our yard. According to what I’ve read, these differences are caused by being different strains and/or by differences in temperature, humidity, and light.
The picture above was taken about a week or two ago. Below is what they look like today, slightly larger and beginning to develop the characteristic kidney shape of the mature reishi:
The reishi I grew on the oak stump that fruited last year is just beginning to fruit again this year. I fear for the longer term production on that stump, however, because the stump has been overtaken by another type of mushroom, a white/gray/brownish shelf mushroom I haven’t been able to identify. I’m posting a picture here and I’ll post it again on our FB page to see if anyone can give it a name. Holler if this looks familiar to you, mushroom people:
When I harvest the reishi, I’ll dry it and use it in tea and make tincture out of it.
I love mushrooms.
http://baynature.org/2013/11/28/can-tell-true-turkey-tail-imposter/
Based on looks alone, I would never dream of eating the yellow mushroom…. I am so glad for your posting… I am sure I have seen this growing wild though and wondered if it was edible. Thanks for such valuable information! Please post what the other mushroom is and if it is safe enough to eat. I used to pull these off the trees (as a child) and use them as a canvas to draw on. Mushroom people don’t hate me… I had no idea.
Congratulations !!
Daisy, last year’s mushroom you did was a better. This looks a bit freakish. I am sure it is not edible. But then again I have been a bit vary of mushroom and a limited knowledge of it. Perhaps due to stories of poison mushrooms. To this day, the store bought mushrooms are taken home, cooked and eaten immediately without being stored. Always fearing that storing mushrooms, especially a half opened box would become poisonous.
CV–Yes, this is a different form. If you want to see all the different shapes of reishi, do an image search. These will continue to morph until they look more like the long-stemmed ones in the photos. They don’t taste particularly good and they get quite tough, which is why they’re used medicinally. Don’t fear the mushroom!