Ganoderma lucidum

Outdoor Mushroom Log Kits contain a drill bit, complete instructions, sealing wax, a wax applicator, and 100ct plug spawn or voucher (see below).

Beautiful, waxy, reddish-brown shelf-like fruit bodies are a highly prized immune-boosting medicinal used to treat a long list of ailments. Great for teas and tinctures but not for culinary use.

Known commonly as the 'Mushroom of Immortality' in Chinese, Reishi is a highly esteemed medicinal mushroom thought to promote longevity and overall health. Studied most for its ability to boost the immune system, Reishi extracts stimulate T-cell action, Natural Killer cell activity, and Dendritic cell maturation (Gao, 2004). Other pharmacological effects of Reishi extract include the following: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, reduces blood pressure, lowers cholesterol levels, promotes anti-tumor activity, and acts as a central depressant to relax muscles (Hobbs, 1995; Gao et al., 20014). 

Difficulty: Advanced 

On Logs - Reishi likes any of the three log methods and colonizes in 12-24 months. It prefers oak and fruits in the summer. After a 1-year colonization period above ground, Reishi logs may be buried under 2 inches of top soil to mimic its natural method of production. Mushrooms will fruit from the logs and emerge from the soil.

*NOTE: There are two species of reishi available. Ganoderma lucidum is a species of Reishi that grows only on hardwoods and is genetically different from the species that grows on hemlock trees. Ganoderma lucidum Reishi will not work in hemlock wood!

If you wish to inoculate hemlock wood, you must select Ganoderma tsugae Plug Spawn. Ganoderma tsugae Reishi will not grow on hardwoods!

Check out our Spawn FAQ to figure out what type of logs you can use!

Reishi mushrooms are great for enthusiast growers who have had some success with other species. Reishi works best when fully colonized logs are buried underground. This is a species that is cultivated on logs commercially in Asia.

Spawn is living and perishable.

It can live unrefrigerated for up to three months, though it is best to keep it refrigerated for long-term storage. Because of its perishability we offer our Outdoor Mushroom Log Kits with two options:

Outdoor Mushroom Log Kits can be shipped either with mushroom spawn included (for projects that will begin within 3 months of the order date) or shipped with a voucher for receiving spawn at a later date (best for holiday gifts or projects beyond a 3 month start date)

Reishi Cultures