Organic Shiitake Mushroom Sawdust Spawn

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is a flavorful mushroom that produces brown, medium-to-large, umbrella-shaped caps that fruit from late summer through the 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. Once inoculated, logs can fruit in as little as 6 months from inoculation, but generally take 9-12 months. And a single log can continue to fruit for many years if kept in the right conditions.

Recommended use:

Shiitake sawdust spawn is only recommended for log projects.
One bag of sawdust spawn will reliably inoculate up to 20 logs. (You can calculate how much you’ll need here.)

Shiitake log 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

Upon receiving your spawn:

Remove it from the shipping box as soon as possible. Then, unfold the top of the bag, making room for air space. It’s also important to check and confirm that the filter patch is not obstructed. This will help the organism breathe and continue to thrive!

Scroll down for cultivation, inoculation, and storage guides.