Description

Medicinal Mushroom Cultures 5 Pack — Product Summary

•       Five 10–12cc liquid culture syringes, each containing a distinct Medicinal mushroom species

•       Includes: Cordyceps militaris, Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus), Maitake (Grifola frondosa), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), and Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

•       Each syringe contains viable mycelium suspended in a sterile nutrient broth

•       Substrate requirements vary by species — see individual cultivation notes below

•       Store refrigerated between 35–45°F; avoid freezing

•       Ships with sterile needles; use within 4–6 months of receipt

Medicinal Mushroom Liquid Cultures — Pack Overview

The Medicinal Mushroom Cultures 5 Pack contains liquid culture syringes of five species with documented histories of use in traditional and contemporary mycology. Each syringe contains 10–12cc of living mycelium in a sterile nutrient broth solution for substrate inoculation. The species in this pack span a range of ecological classifications and cultivation methods — from wood-decomposing saprotrophs to the grain-cultivated entomopathogen Cordyceps militaris — and require different substrate preparations and fruiting conditions. Cultivators working through this pack will encounter the primary techniques used across Medicinal mushroom production. Out-Grow makes no health claims regarding any species we carry.

Medicinal Mushroom Cultures 5 Pack — Included Species

1. Cordyceps militaris Liquid Culture

Cordyceps militaris is an entomopathogenic fungus native to temperate regions of Asia, North America, and Europe. In the wild, Cordyceps militaris parasitizes the pupae and larvae of lepidopteran insects, fruiting orange to red club-shaped stromata from the host body. In cultivation, Cordyceps militaris does not require an insect host and is grown on grain-based substrates such as brown rice, white rice, or a combination of grain and nutritional additives. It does not colonize wood-based substrates and should not be combined with hardwood sawdust or straw. Cordyceps militaris is the only species in this pack that requires a grain-only substrate approach and benefits from a light source during the fruiting phase to encourage stroma development.

Cordyceps militaris Cultivation Parameters

2. Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus) Liquid Culture

Hericium erinaceus, commonly known as Lions Mane, is a saprophytic hardwood fungus found across temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. It produces a distinctive cascading white spine structure rather than a traditional cap and gill formation. In the wild, Hericium erinaceus colonizes wounds and decaying wood on hardwood trees including oak, beech, and walnut. In cultivation, Lions Mane performs well on supplemented hardwood sawdust and masters mix substrates. It is notably sensitive to CO₂ accumulation — insufficient fresh air exchange results in elongated, poorly formed spines. Fruiting is initiated by high humidity and temperatures in the 60–74°F range.

Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus) Cultivation Parameters

3. Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Liquid Culture

Grifola frondosa, commonly known as Maitake or Hen of the Woods, is a polypore fungus that grows at the base of oak and other hardwood trees across temperate North America, Europe, and Asia. Maitake produces overlapping, fan-shaped gray-brown fronds forming large composite fruiting bodies that can exceed several kilograms in the wild. Grifola frondosa is a wood-decaying saprotroph but also functions as a root parasite on living trees. In cultivation, Maitake is among the more challenging species in this pack — it colonizes hardwood-based substrates but has long incubation periods and specific environmental requirements for fruiting. It benefits from supplemented hardwood substrates and requires a cold period to trigger pinning reliably.

Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Cultivation Parameters

4. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) Liquid Culture

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly known as Reishi or Lingzhi, is a bracket fungus and wood-decaying saprotroph found on hardwood trees across tropical and temperate regions worldwide. Reishi produces a distinctive kidney-shaped, lacquered red-to-mahogany fruiting body with a woody texture and a white pore surface underneath. In the wild, Ganoderma lucidum grows at the base of or on stumps of hardwood trees, particularly oak and maple. In cultivation, Reishi colonizes hardwood sawdust and supplemented hardwood substrates effectively. It is a slower-colonizing species relative to others in this pack and produces antler-like formations under elevated CO₂ conditions before developing the characteristic shelf structure under higher fresh air exchange.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) Cultivation Parameters

5. Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) Liquid Culture

Trametes versicolor, commonly known as Turkey Tail, is among the most widely distributed wood-decaying polypore fungi in the world, found on dead hardwood logs and stumps across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond. Turkey Tail produces thin, semicircular bracket-shaped fruiting bodies with concentric bands of color ranging from brown and tan to gray and blue-green, resembling the tail feathers of a wild turkey. Trametes versicolor is a highly adaptable saprotroph that colonizes a wide range of hardwood-based substrates in cultivation, including supplemented sawdust, straw, and logs. It is among the more vigorous colonizers in this pack and fruits readily under standard humidity and fresh air exchange conditions.

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) Cultivation Parameters

Medicinal Mushroom Liquid Culture — Cultivation Overview

Liquid culture syringes contain living mycelium suspended in a sterile solution of water and dissolved nutrients. Each syringe in the Medicinal Mushroom Cultures 5 Pack is prepared from isolated cultures and is intended for inoculation of prepared substrates. With the exception of Cordyceps militaris, which requires grain-based substrates, the species in this pack are compatible with sterilized hardwood grain for initial colonization followed by transfer to species-appropriate fruiting substrates. Liquid culture is injected directly into sterilized grain jars, agar petri dishes, or substrate bags through an injection port or self-healing lid. All syringes should be stored refrigerated at 35–45°F away from direct light. Shake gently before use to redistribute mycelium through the solution.

Medicinal Mushroom Cultures 5 Pack — Taxonomy

Cordyceps militaris Taxonomy

•       Kingdom: Fungi

•       Division: Ascomycota

•       Class: Sordariomycetes

•       Order: Hypocreales

•       Family: Cordycipitaceae

•       Genus: Cordyceps

•       Species: Cordyceps militaris

•       Common Names: Cordyceps, Scarlet Club Fungus

Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus) Taxonomy

•       Kingdom: Fungi

•       Division: Basidiomycota

•       Class: Agaricomycetes

•       Order: Russulales

•       Family: Hericiaceae

•       Genus: Hericium

•       Species: Hericium erinaceus

•       Common Names: Lions Mane, Monkey Head, Bearded Tooth, Pom Pom Mushroom

Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Taxonomy

•       Kingdom: Fungi

•       Division: Basidiomycota

•       Class: Agaricomycetes

•       Order: Polyporales

•       Family: Meripilaceae

•       Genus: Grifola

•       Species: Grifola frondosa

•       Common Names: Maitake, Hen of the Woods, Ram’s Head, Sheep’s Head

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) Taxonomy

•       Kingdom: Fungi

•       Division: Basidiomycota

•       Class: Agaricomycetes

•       Order: Polyporales

•       Family: Ganodermataceae

•       Genus: Ganoderma

•       Species: Ganoderma lucidum

•       Common Names: Reishi, Lingzhi, Varnished Conk

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) Taxonomy

•       Kingdom: Fungi

•       Division: Basidiomycota

•       Class: Agaricomycetes

•       Order: Polyporales

•       Family: Polyporaceae

•       Genus: Trametes

•       Species: Trametes versicolor

•       Common Names: Turkey Tail, Yun Zhi, Kawaratake