Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is a nutritious mushroom that produces medium-to-large, brown, umbrella-shaped caps that tend to fruit throughout the summer to fall growing season. They are a delicious edible fungus from East Asia and their flavor is often described as rich, savory, buttery, and umami.
Shiitake tends to produce generous flushes and they are a great mushroom for beginners. They colonize quickly and are the most reliable producers of any species.
Note: Aside from being kiln dried, our wooden dowels are not treated in any other way.
Shiitake wood chart:
| BEST WOOD SPECIES* | Alder, Beech, Hophornbeam, Hornbeam, Hard Maple, Oak, Sweetgum |
| OTHER SUITABLE SPECIES | Basswood, Birch, Chestnut, Eucalyptus, Hickory, Soft Maple, Pecan, Sassafrass, Sycamore, Tuliptree, Tupelo, Willow |
| AVOID | Ash, Aspen, Black Walnut, Cherry, Cottonwood, Elm, Hemlock, Peach, Pear, Pine |
Kits are 100% shelf-stable, and one kit makes 1-2 mushroom logs. Instead of spawn, kits come with a spawn voucher that customers can redeem at northspore.com when they're ready to start their log project.
Aside from being kiln dried, our wooden dowels are not treated in any other way. Made of natural North American hardwood, harvested responsibly to meet FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) standards.
What's included in each kit?