Organic Snow Oyster Mushroom Plug Spawn

Snow Oysters (Pleurotus ostreatus) are a popular, fleshy, firm oyster variety. In the wild, they can often be found growing on dying maple trees. They have sweeter flavor and aroma than other oysters and hold their shape and texture when cooked.

Snow oyster mushroom plugs are ideal for first time mushroom log growers as they colonize quickly and are reliable producers. They are also a cold weather loving strain that tend to fruit in the cooler months.

Note: Aside from being kiln dried, our wooden dowels are not treated in any other way.

Ideal project size: Plug spawn is ideal for smaller projects of 1-10 logs, though some log cultivators will use them for larger projects.

Inoculation: Works well with the Log, Stump, and Totem methods. Colonization is fast and should start producing in 4-12 months. They fruit best in the spring and fall and prefer softer hardwoods such as poplar and aspen, though they will also work on maple.

Difficulty: Beginner

Snow Oyster mushrooms are a great mushroom for beginners. They colonize quickly and are reliable producers.

Cooking: Snow Oysters can easily replace button mushrooms in most recipes and pair well with many cuisines and flavors. Like all Oyster mushrooms, they retain water and may develop a viscous texture when undercooked. If you prefer a firm or dryer texture, continue to cook Snow Oysters until their liquid has reduced and cooked off and they begin to brown.

Properties: Oyster mushrooms have a high protein content, several B vitamins, and all the essential amino acids (Marley, 2009). Its medicinal benefits include promoting anti-tumor activity and lowering high cholesterol. Oyster mushroom fruiting bodies and distillations have been shown to reduce tumor size in several studies on mice, rats, and hamsters (Hobbs, 1995). Additionally, Oyster mushrooms have been used in the Czech Republic as the main ingredient in a dietary supplement used to treat high cholesterol (Hobbs, 1995). Studies in animals have shown that a diet of Oyster mushrooms reduced the development of plaque in major arteries (Bobek et al., 1995).