Organic Hen of the Woods (Maitake) Mushroom Sawdust Spawn

$29.99

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Hen of the woods, aka Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is a succulent polypore with a delicate feathery texture and earthy rich flavor. Its lacy sides make it a great option for frying, roasting, sautéing, and adding a visual flair to many dishes.

Hen of the woods mushrooms are great for enthusiast growers who have had some success with other more advanced species. Because hen of the woods is not a strong competitor, it requires a different cultivation strategy. Inoculation works best when logs are steam sterilized, incubated and colonized in filter patch bags, then removed from bags and partially buried in a shaded spot.

Recommended use:

  • Hen of the woods sawdust spawn is only recommended for log projects.
  • One bag of sawdust spawn will reliably inoculate 20 logs.

Hen of the Woods (Maitake) log chart:

BEST WOOD SPECIES* White Oak, Red Oak, Bur Oak
OTHER SUITABLE SPECIES None recommended
AVOID All other woods


Upon receiving your spawn:

Remove it from the shipping box as soon as possible. Then, unfold the top of the bag, making room for air space. It's also important to check and confirm that the filter patch is not obstructed. This will help the organism breathe and continue to thrive!

Tools you'll need

To grow on logs using sawdust spawn, you will need a Log Inoculation Tool, Log Sealing Wax, and Wax Daubers. 

For larger log projects you may also want to purchase an Angle Grinder Adapter and specialized 12mm drill bit.

Cultivation

Click here to download our pamphlet on growing mushrooms on logs and totems.

Inoculation

Hen of the woods will only fruit in oak logs. However, it should be noted that hen of the woods is prone to being out-competed by other fungi. For this reason, we recommend the following:

To limit competition and increase the chances of success, we strongly recommend sterilizing 8" by 8" segments of oak log in a pressure cooker or steam sterilizer before inoculation. Incubate your sterilized log segments for a few months in XL sealed filter patch bags until they are completely colonized. After colonization period, logs should be removed from bags and partially buried under 2 inches of top soil. The mushrooms will fruit from logs and emerge out of the soil.

(You can sterilize your log segments in a 22 qt or larger pressure cooker such as an All-American.)

Storing

If you don't plan to use your Hen of the Woods sawdust spawn immediately, you can refrigerate it for up to 6 months.

Cooking

Hen of the woods has a semi-firm texture and earthy flavor. It can be ripped into small pieces and added to a dish or left large to be the centerpiece of a meal. We love to confit hen of the woods by slow cooking it at a low temperature in an oven submerged in extra virgin olive oil. After 4-5 hours the Hen of the Woods will be crispy and delicious and you'll have mushroom infused olive oil!

Ingredients

All our spawn is made using organic cultures from our own culture bank. Our sawdust spawn is handmade from a blend of locally sourced, all-natural, organic, and non-GMO woods and supplements from farms and forests in New England and North America.

Cautions & considerations

If you’re going to consume home-grown mushrooms, make sure to cook your fresh mushrooms thoroughly with heat. If it is your first time eating this species, it is best to start with a small amount to check for allergies, even if cooked.

FAQs

Sawdust & Plug Spawn FAQ

Mushroom Spawn FAQ

Log Cultivation FAQ

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Sawdust Spawn Frequently Asked Questions

Sawdust spawn is sterilized sawdust colonized with mushroom mycelium. It’s used to inoculate a growing substrate such as logs, wood chips, or outdoor garden beds to start mushroom growth.

It serves as the "seed" for your mushroom crop — transferring live, growing mycelium into your chosen growing medium.

Sawdust spawn is best for outdoor projects like logs, stumps, or garden beds and is slower to contaminate.
Grain spawn is ideal for indoor grows or bulk substrate inoculation because it colonizes faster but is more contamination-sensitive.

Sawdust spawn is mixed or packed into a substrate (like logs or wood chips) to inoculate it. Common methods include:

  • Drilling and filling holes in logs
  • Layering in outdoor wood chip or straw beds
  • Mixing with sterilized sawdust or wood pellets for bag cultivation

Most sawdust spawn performs best on hardwoods like oak, maple, or beech. Some species (like Wine Cap or certain Oysters) can tolerate small amounts of softwood in the mix.

Cluster of brown-capped mushrooms with long, light-colored stems against a white background.

Your Trusted Source for Premium Mushroom Growing Supplies

Whether you’re growing mushrooms at home, in your garden, or at a commercial scale, we offer everything you need to cultivate success. We start with the highest-quality OMRI-listed ingredients, mix them in our state-of-the-art facility, and inoculate them in our custom-built lab, so you can rest easy knowing your product will yield the best results.

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