Lion's Mane, Coral Tooth, and 

Bear's head Tooth

All 3 of these closely related species belong to the genus Hericium and contain unique compounds that may help slow or prevent neurodegeneration and age related cognitive decline. 

They are among the easiest to grow of any mushrooms we produce, as well as very high yielding. Under ideal conditions they can produce over 3 pounds from the first flush, or crop. Some customers have gotten as much as 5 harvests out of the kits with over 7 pounds harvested in total.

      Step 1: Release the Lions

      Find a large storage tote, empty aquarium, or similar container, even a cardboard box can work.
      It does not have to be translucent, but mushrooms exposed to indirect light will produce deeper color or more compounds like vitamin D and melanin.  Plastic wrap over a cardboard box can be an inexpensive way to get some light to your kit. They do not require light to grow, having a window in the room will provide enough for them to develop their color.

      Using a clean, sharp knife slice two X shaped holes in the bag, roughly 2x2 inches. These should be near the top of the substrate block of substrate inside your bag. (Fig. 1) This will leave room for the mushrooms to grow suspended from the side of the bag in the air, as they do in nature. (Fig.2) You can also slice 2 additional X's on the backside so that you'll have 4 medium sized fruits, instead of two giant ones.


      Fig. 1

      Fig. 2

      Step 2: Keep 'em cool and moist

      Hericium species are happiest between 55 and 68 degrees but can handle temperatures down to 50 or up to 80. Find a place in your home or garage to place your kit. We suggest having it somewhere that gets some airflow. Spots near doors or open windows are great. As are large open rooms, basements, or garages. Mushrooms take in oxygen and exude CO2 just like us. Keeping your kit in a closed closet or a bedroom is less than ideal as they will be more likely to suffocate on their own exhaled CO2 (and yours as well). This is more of a concern in the winter time as our homes tend to have elevated CO2 levels.

      Once you've chosen a home for your kit, we recommend putting you kit inside the tote after you have inverted the tote itself.  Then place a book or other object under one side to create a 1-3 inch gap on one side. This will allow natural air currents that move along the floor to carry away CO2 with settles near the floor as it is heavier than oxygen. This will help your kit breath in between your fanning it daily.  Roll down the excess empty bag on top as tightly as possible and secure it with a 6 inch piece of duct tape. (Fig. 3.) This will discourage mushrooms from growing inside the bag, which can happen if you're unable to provide adequate humidity for them all the time.


      Fig. 3

      Mushrooms need high humidity, especially when young . This can be achieved for many people by spraying or misting their kit with a spray bottle 2-3 times a day. However, this can be inconvenient, and not always adequate depending on the season, ambient humidity, and the conditions in you own home. So we generally recommend purchasing a small humidifier for less than $20 which can greatly improve your success and simplify the process.
      Below is a link to a $12 humidifier that comes with a floatation device allowing you to simply put a bowl of water in the tote with your kit, opposite the open side. These humidifiers work best, and last longer, if you use them with a timer to cycle on / off regularly. You could start by running it for 10 minutes on / 10 minutes on and then adjust as needed. If you find that water is regularly accumulating in the bottom and you bag is consistently damp, decrease the humidifier on cycles until things seem moist, but not soaking or rapidly accumulating. Some accumulation is fine. 


      Floating Ultrasonic Humidifier

       Step 3: Watch em Grow

       Check on your kit daily, ideally 2 or more times. You should open the tote and air it out whenever you check on it. If it's humid and temperate outside, or in your home, feel free to leave it out for a few hours, but only where it will not receive direct sunlight or much wind. Insects aren't too much of a concern for Hericium, but should also be considered. They love an open window on a rainy day!

      After 7-14 days small white or pink lumps will start to form where you have cut openings.  Continue with regular fanning as they need more oxygen once  the actual mushrooms begin to from. 

      These varieties will take 5 or more days to form, sometimes up to 10+ in cold conditions. Under ideal conditions they will nearly cover the side of you grow kit, producing 3+ pounds. Though they will be a bit smaller if you have made 4 holes in your kit. (See figure 4 and note that these mushrooms are still immature)


      Fig. 4

      After a number of days the mushrooms will begin to produce downward pointing hairs, technically know as teeth or spines. These teeth will eventually release spores if left to grow. You should harvest when the hairs are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch in length. After this you mushrooms will become less sweet and more stringy.

      Harvest with a serrated knife, slicing as close to the kit as possible. Store your mushrooms in a breathable container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, though we find them best if used in 7 days.

      Continue treating your kit exactly the same and another set of smaller (1-2) pound mushrooms will from at some of the openings after another week or two. This can continue until you've harvested up to 7 or so pounds. The picture below is some of our smaller lion's mane and represent a good stage  to pick them based on the length of the teeth or spines.




      Tips & Tricks