Hades 4212-A is a production strain of Cordyceps militaris, chosen for heavy, consistent fruiting of bright orange clubs. Cordyceps doesn't follow the usual grain-to-bulk path, so this plate is the starting point for jar or tray grows on supplemented rice.
- C. militarisSpecies
- Hades 4212-AStrain
- 10–14 daysTo cover a plate
- 65–68°FFruiting temp
- 60–90 daysPlate to harvest
Why start with our Cordyceps plate
Selected for output
Picked for vigorous, upright orange fruit bodies that typically stand 2–4 in tall.
Grows on grain media
Unlike Ophiocordyceps sinensis, militaris fruits on plant-based substrate, not insects.
Orange means healthy
The mycelium starts white and turns orange-yellow as it matures, a sign of a vigorous culture.
Watch for drift: Militaris lines can weaken over generations. Carry the strongest orange sectors forward and retire lineages that fade.
The Cordyceps routine
- Go from agar or liquid culture straight to substrate. Grain spawn usually isn't part of the process.
- Use nutrient-supplemented white or brown rice in quart or pint jars or shallow trays.
- Colonize at 70–75°F for about 14–21 days, then drop to 65–68°F to fruit.
- Give it moderate indirect light, often on a 12-hour cycle. A fully sealed container gives you mycelium but no fruit bodies.
- Expect roughly 60–90 days from plate to harvest.
Where one plate can take you
1Rice jars or trays
Move wedges directly onto supplemented rice. Colonization takes about 14–21 days, and fruiting finishes 4–8 weeks later.
2Liquid culture
Drop a small wedge into sterilized broth to grow a liquid culture you can draw syringes from.
3More plates
Slice the culture and transfer the pieces to fresh agar. One plate typically yields 5–8 new plates for a backup library.
4Pick the best
Choose the fastest, cleanest-looking growth and carry only that section forward to keep the line strong.
Cordyceps plate specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|
| Scientific name | Cordyceps militaris |
| Strain / source | Hades 4212-A, a production strain selected for vigorous, consistent fruiting |
| Genetics | First-generation isolate from our master culture |
| Medium | Malt extract agar (MEA), about 18 mL |
| Dish | 90mm polypropylene, sealed with Parafilm |
| Mycelium appearance | White, turning orange-yellow as it matures |
| Time to cover agar | 10–14 days at 70–75°F |
| Colonizing rice jars | 14–21 days in rice jars or trays, then 4–8 weeks to finish fruiting |
| Fruiting temperature | 65–68°F (colonize at 70–75°F) |
| Fruiting substrates | Nutrient-supplemented white or brown rice; some growers use millet, barley or rye |
| Skill level | Intermediate |
| Storage (sealed) | 60–90 days at 55–70°F in the dark; 6–9 months refrigerated at 35–40°F |
| Ships | Within 1 business day by USPS Priority Mail |
Common questions
Can I grow Cordyceps in a monotub or on sawdust blocks?
No. Militaris is fruited in jars or shallow trays of supplemented rice, not monotubs or blocks.
Why isn't my Cordyceps forming fruit bodies?
The usual causes are no light or a fully sealed container. It needs indirect light and some gas exchange to fruit.
What is Cordyceps militaris known for?
It's known for producing cordycepin, and it's widely cultivated because it fruits on plant-based media.
How long can I keep the plate before using it?
Left sealed and stored somewhere dark at 55–70°F, it stays viable for 60–90 days. In the fridge at 35–40°F it holds for 6–9 months.
What if my plate arrives contaminated?
Every plate is inspected before it ships. If you see green or black fuzz, a pink or orange sheen, wet spreading patches or a sour smell, email us a photo within 5 days of delivery and we'll replace it free.
Made in our lab, shipped fast
We pour each plate with about 18 mL of agar, inoculate it in front of HEPA-filtered laminar flow, seal it with Parafilm and grow it out in a dedicated clean room. It's 90mm, using a polypropylene dish that flexes instead of cracking, so a bump in transit won't split the plate and break the seal. Every plate gets a visual check before packing, and anything questionable is discarded instead of shipped. Most plates show 90–100% coverage when they ship.
Because we keep colonized plates in stock instead of starting them when you order, yours usually leaves the lab within one business day. Plates travel by USPS Priority Mail, typically 2–4 days, in insulated, padded packaging, with a free cold pack from May through September and for hot-climate addresses. Orders with several items can take an extra 1–2 business days.
Hades 4212-A on MEA
Orange clubs at harvest
When it arrives: Look it over within 24 hours. A little condensation on the lid is normal. Keep it sealed, cool and dark at 55–70°F until you're ready to work.
Sold as a live mycological culture for cultivation and research. Cordyceps is the subject of ongoing scientific study, but nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.