nature’s secret ingredient for growing your own mushrooms—it’s packed with living mycelium that spreads into your growing medium, setting the stage for an epic harvest. Just mix it in, give it time, and watch the magic happen!
This highly prized mushroom is best known as Hen-of-the-Woods (or 'dancing mushroom' in Japanese, Maitake). It forms a distinctive, dense cluster of delicate, fan-shaped, or rippling gray-brown caps. Maitake is popular not only for its rich, earthy flavor and satisfying meaty texture but also for its high nutritional and purported medicinal value. It thrives at the base of hardwood trees, such as oaks, and is a challenging but highly rewarding mushroom for the home cultivator.
Grow the sought-after gourmet mushroom, the Maitake (Grifola frondosa), at home! These mushrooms are celebrated for their rich, woodsy, earthy, and savory umami flavor with a slight peppery finish. When cooked, the cluster maintains a tender yet chewy, semi-firm, and meaty texture. It is extremely versatile and excellent for sautéing, frying (to achieve crispy edges), or adding depth to soups and stir-fries.
| Species | Grifola frondosa |
| Ideal Fruiting Temperature | 13–18°C (55–64°F) |
| Grow Time (First Harvest) | *Slow/Challenging* (typically 2-4 months after inoculation) |
| Typical Flushes | 1–2 large, recurring crops |
| Flavour Profile | Rich, earthy, woodsy, and savory umami |