Reishi mushroom grows wild around the northeast during the right time of the year. However, with our reishi mushroom growing kit you can grow them at home
Today I am talking about reishi mushroom, as well as our reishi mushroom growing kit, which you can order from our online store.
Reishi can be found wild throughout the northeast. It is a polypore, which you can get a visual image of why it’s called that when you watch the video that is included below.
This is a really amazing mushroom. It experiences a beautiful transition, which you can see if you have the great fortune of finding this mushroom in the wild around the end of May. During May the mushroom will be totally white. As summer rolls around the colors will change from white into orange, and then into a deep red.
Watching this mushroom grow over the span of two or three weeks is like watching a slow-motion sunset. It’s breathtaking and awe-inspiring.
Check out this video and continue reading the article to learn more about growing reishi mushrooms with our reishi mushroom growing kit.
The same beauty can be found in a reishi mushroom growing kit
People do not necessarily think of reishi mushroom when they first think about getting a grow kit.
And interestingly enough, the reishi mushroom grow kit looks very different than the multitude of other mushroom grow kits we offer, like the shiitake, lion’s mane, or oyster mushroom kits.
The reishi mushroom growing kit begins with the antler phase. The mushroom morphs from the antler shape to the conch shape during growth. A lot of time this happens when the mushroom is in higher CO2 and lower light environment.
Reishi has been called the mushroom of immortality and claims have been made about its use for thousands of years in China. However, Dianna Smith of the Northeast Mycological Federation has found otherwise. According to her research, reishi only has recorded use for about 500-700 years in China.
Many people consider it a valued medicinal mushroom. It may have the ability to help modulate the immune system, which potentially leads to increases in the amount of active T cells. This mushroom may also impact apoptosis, which is programmed cell death that is important to the proper functioning of the human organism.
Reishi is an interesting mushroom that is very fun to grow. You can try your hand at it with one of our grow kits. If you live in the northeast, you can go foraging for reishi during the warmer months. You can typically start seeing them in late May on hemlocks, preferably around water. They will be ready to harvest around late July.
Reishi mushroom and the immune system
A study entitled Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition has its 9th chapter dedicated to Ganoderma lucidum and refers to this mushroom as an immunomodulator. Here is an excerpt from this study: “There is considerable evidence to support the immunostimulating activities of G. lucidum via induction of cytokines and enhancement of immunological effector (Wang et al. 1997; Zhu and Lin 2006).” The study continues to say that this evidence comes from trials in mice.
The study also has a section about reishi as an antioxidant. Here’s a look at that information:
Consumption of antioxidant-rich plants may help prevent cancer and other chronic diseases (Collins 2005; Benzie and Wachtel-Galor 2009). Antioxidants protect cellular components from oxidative damage, which is likely to decrease risk of mutations and carcinogenesis and also protect immune cells, allowing them to maintain immune surveillance and response. Various components of G. lucidum, in particular polysaccharides and triterpenoids, show antioxidant activity in vitro (Lee et al. 2001; Mau, Lin, and Chen 2002; Shi et al. 2002; Wachtel-Galor, Choi, and Benzie 2005; Yuen and Gohel 2008; Saltarelli et al. 2009; Wu and Wang 2009). As shown in Figure 9.4, antioxidants from lingzhi were found to be absorbed quickly after ingestion, resulting in an increase in the plasma total antioxidant activity of human subjects (Figure 9.4; Wachtel-Galor, Szeto et al. 2004).
Check out our reishi mushroom growing kit and all of our other grow kit options in our online store. The other types of mushroom grow kits currently available include:
- Blue Oyster Mushroom
- Pink Oyster Mushroom
- Yellow Oyster Mushroom
- Shiitake Mushroom
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom
- Chestnut Mushroom
- Pioppino Mushroom
- King Trumpet Mushroom
We also have reishi extract for you, too
Our reishi mushroom extract is different than other reishi supplements you’ll find in the market. We only use foraged fruiting bodies, mainly from ganoderma tsugae. Other reishi supplements I’ve seen are mycelium-based products that are grown on grain. Growing reishi on grain is good for consumption, but the efficacy of its medicinal benefits as a supplement are questionable.
Furthermore, we use a triple extraction process that includes alcohol, hot and cold water. Some medicinal constituents from reishi are extracted only in water, as others are only extracted in alcohol. Using this triple extraction method is our attempt to get the most amount of available constituencies in available liquid form for our customers.