Maitake, or Hen of the Woods, is a project for growers whose technique is already clean. It grows slowly and won't outrun contamination for you, but a healthy block can produce a single rosette of gray-brown fronds weighing 4–8 lb.
- G. frondosaSpecies
- 21–28 daysTo cover a plate
- 55–65°FFruiting temp
- AdvancedSkill level
- 4–6Plates from one
Why start with our Maitake plate
Big payoff
Mature rosettes can reach 4–8 lb from one fruiting.
Oak lover
Prefers supplemented oak sawdust and also runs on maple, beech and oak logs.
Keeps as a backup
Tolerates refrigeration well, so a plate holds up as a long-term reserve.
Before you start a Maitake grow
- Supplement the wood with wheat bran or soy hulls. Plain sawdust won't carry it to fruit.
- Budget 3–4 months per block, with the last 2–4 weeks spent pinning.
- Fruiting needs a cold shock, like the change of seasons, to trigger primordia.
- Sterile technique counts more than usual, because the culture grows too slowly to outcompete contaminants.
Where one plate can take you
1Grain jars or bags
Cut a wedge about the size of a pencil eraser for each quart jar or bag of sterilized grain. Expect full colonization in about 28–42 days.
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 4–6 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.
Maitake plate specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|
| Scientific name | Grifola frondosa |
| 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 to yellow-tan, dense and slightly stringy |
| Time to cover agar | 21–28 days at 70–75°F |
| Time to colonize grain | 28–42 days |
| Fruiting temperature | 55–65°F |
| Fruiting substrates | Supplemented oak sawdust (preferred), maple or beech sawdust, oak logs |
| Skill level | Advanced |
| 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
Is Maitake a good first agar project?
We don't recommend it. Start with an oyster species, then move to Maitake once your transfers are consistently clean.
Is the yellow-tan color on my plate a problem?
No. Maitake mycelium often shows a yellow-tan tint toward the edges as it matures.
Can I skip grain spawn?
Yes. Agar wedges can go straight into sterilized, supplemented oak blocks.
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. Maitake tolerates refrigeration well, so it keeps nicely as a long-term backup.
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.
Maitake on MEA
The rosette it can become
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.