HOW TO GROW LION’S MANE FUNGI, HERICIUM ERINACEUS

POT'S GROWING ON? 24/11/23

Here’s a fun thing to grow or give someone as a gift, the edible fungus called bearded tooth or lion’s mane. Or technically, Hericium erinaceus, which means hedgehog in latin. It’s sometimes called bearded hedgehog, which I prefer.

Lion’s mane mushroom is the fruiting part of the fungus and it actually grows wild in the UK (as well as other regions of the world), but it is rare and should not ever be picked from the wild, it is illegal to do so. If you’re lucky enough to spot it, only take photos and report it to your local wildlife organisation or mycologist.

You can however buy lion’s mane fungi as a gift pack to grow at home and, while these are expensive for the amount of fungi you can grow, it is a fun thing to try. These lion’s mane fungi gift packs allow you to see how the body of the mushroom develops.

Said to be extremely high in protein, lion’s mane mushrooms are a good addition to meals. They contain many other nutrients too.

How to grow lion’s mane mushrooms

As a beginner it’s best to start with ready prepared packs. These come in boxes and consist of a plastic bag filled with a block of growing media which has been pre-mixed with the mycelium of the fungus (fungal threads that form the body of the organism).

You can order more professional packs of mushroom growing materials that you mix yourself but this is trickier and best for the more experienced or committed. Mushrooms can grow in various material, from woody compost to straw or wood chips that mimic their natural habitat, which is often dead or damaged wood in the wild. The challenge with mixing everything yourself is providing a super sterile environment and temperatures to get them to the cropping stage.

Some ready-to-grow beginner packs need rehydrating by soaking with water while others are ready soaked, follow the instructions that come with the pack you choose. Cut a cross into one side of the plastic pack. Then put at room temperature in a slightly dark, but not totally dark, place like a corridor or north facing room away from a window.

Mist the cut a few times a day water to aid humidity and encourage growth. It will take a few weeks for them to grow.

Once grown, lion’s mane mushrooms can be sliced or shredded and fried like any other mushroom. If you’re lucky, after the first harvest you may get a second or third growth from them.

You’ll notice in photos of our mushroom that the teeth aren’t very long, more like fluff balls. Out in the wild those teeth can grow into long downward pointing vertical lengths, giving the bearded hedgehog name.

Issues with lion’s mane mushroom packaging

One of the issues I have with the gift packs is the plastic they use, this isn’t sustainable. While I understand why they’re contained like this to keep the growing media sterile and prevent other fungi and moulds getting in, it would be good if they used degradable or reusable materials.

I’ve begun experimenting with more advanced techniques to grow in containers that aren’t disposable. In the meantime, don’t be put off, they’re a fun edible to try.

How to cook lion’s mane mushroom

To cook the lion’s mane fungi, all I did was pull off little clumps. They look like squidgy cauliflower florets and tear away easily.

Slice them, I went for nice finger thick chunks. You can also tear by hand into smaller pieces. Lion’s mane fungi have a consistency a bit softer and spongier than a normal button mushroom and taste similar raw.

I then fried in olive oil on a medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side until golden. The consistency is dense and soft with a good resistance and the taste… I found it revelatory. We absolutely loved it, sweet, mushroomy and rich. My whole world is spinning with the possibilities of what we can cook with this fungus. Chris is going to try inside tacos next.

Where to buy lion’s mane fungi grow kits…

I bought our lion’s mane mushroom (I still prefer the name bearded hedgehog) grow kit from Merit Mushrooms and can report a positive experience. They’re available from other places online too.