Myco Labs

A 10 cc liquid culture syringe of Ophiocordyceps sinensis, the caterpillar fungus. In the wild it grows on ghost moth larvae in high Himalayan meadows above about 3,300 meters, forming a small, slender fruiting body that has long been prized in traditional Chinese medicine. This is first-generation (G1) genetics for culture work, research and growers who want an unusual species in their library. It is known to be much harder to fruit in cultivation than Cordyceps militaris. 10 ccLC syringe...

Our King Blue Oyster is a first-generation hybrid of Blue Oyster and King Oyster. It keeps the blue-gray caps and fast clustering of one parent and the thick, meaty flesh of the other, and it keeps after harvest far longer than any other oyster in the Myco Labs library. Pleurotus hybridSpecies G1Isolated genetics 12–16 daysColonization 60–70°FFruiting temp BeginnerDifficulty Why grow our King Blue Oyster culture Up to 10-day shelf life Most oysters wilt in a day or two. King Blue holds up to...

Our Maitake is an isolated indoor strain of Grifola frondosa, the hen of the woods. It grows as a rosette of overlapping gray-brown fronds instead of a single cap, and it's one of the most sought-after gourmet mushrooms and one of the harder ones to fruit indoors. G. frondosaSpecies G1Isolated genetics ~18 daysColonization 67–76°FFruiting temp AdvancedDifficulty Why grow our Maitake culture A grower's challenge Slow to colonize and particular about substrate. Getting a full rosette indoors is...

Our Pearl Oyster is a first-generation Pleurotus ostreatus isolate: soft gray-tan caps in overlapping shelves, a tender bite and the mild, savory flavor most people mean when they say oyster mushroom. If you're growing to eat, this is the oyster we'd hand you. P. ostreatusSpecies G1Isolated genetics 12–14 daysColonization 60–70°FFruiting temp BeginnerDifficulty Why grow our Pearl Oyster culture Best eating oyster More tender than Blue Oyster and milder than King Trumpet. It's the restaurant...

Our Turkey Tail is a first-generation Trametes versicolor isolate: the banded, fan-shaped polypore you've walked past on a fallen log. It's tough, leathery and one of the most cold-tolerant species in cultivation, fruiting on outdoor logs down to around 42°F. T. versicolorSpecies G1Isolated genetics ~16 daysColonization 55–65°FFruiting temp BeginnerDifficulty Why grow our Turkey Tail culture Low-maintenance outdoors Inoculate hardwood logs or a sawdust block, set it in the shade and let the...

Our Wine Cap is a first-generation Stropharia rugosoannulata isolate, the King Stropharia or garden giant. Colonize grain indoors, mix it into a shaded bed of hardwood chips or straw, and it fruits outdoors with almost no upkeep, often for several seasons. S. rugosoannulataSpecies G1Isolated genetics ~16 daysColonization 60–75°FFruiting temp BeginnerDifficulty Why grow our Wine Cap culture Mushrooms in the yard No monotub, humidifier or air exchange to manage. A damp, shaded bed and the...

Our Bioluminescent Panellus is a first-generation Panellus stipticus isolate, one of the few fungi on Earth that genuinely glows. The mycelium gives off a soft green light in full darkness, the old "foxfire" of glowing logs. It's a display and classroom culture, not a food crop: bitter and non-edible, though not poisonous. P. stipticusSpecies G1Isolated genetics Green glowIn full darkness 65–75°FTemp range Non-edibleDisplay culture Why grow our Bioluminescent Panellus culture It actually glows...

Our Black Pearl King is a first-generation isolate of a Pleurotus hybrid developed in Western Europe. It throws large, dark-capped fruits with a deeper umami flavor than standard oysters, and it runs on almost any cellulose substrate, so it stays easy to grow despite the premium result. Pleurotus hybridSpecies G1Isolated genetics FastColonization 60–70°FFruiting temp BeginnerDifficulty Why grow our Black Pearl King culture The flavor oyster Noticeably more savory and umami than Pearl or Blue,...

Our ABM is a first-generation Agaricus blazei murrill isolate, the almond mushroom from the Piedade region of Brazil. It's a close relative of the Portobello and grows by similar methods, but it carries a sweet, marzipan-like aroma no other mushroom we sell can match. A. blazeiSpecies G1Isolated genetics ~18 daysColonization 68–70°FFruiting temp IntermediateDifficulty Why grow our ABM culture The almond mushroom A sweet, marzipan-like aroma that gets stronger as it dries, which is why most...

Our Brown Beech is a first-generation Hypsizygus tessellatus isolate, the buna-shimeji. It grows in tight clusters of small marbled-tan caps on firm stems that stay crisp through cooking, and it fruits colder than anything else we carry. H. tessellatusSpecies G1Isolated genetics ~18 daysColonization 45–65°FFruiting temp IntermediateDifficulty Why grow our Brown Beech culture A texture mushroom Small caps and firm stems that keep their bite in stir-fries, clear soups and pan sauces instead of...

Our Chicken of the Woods is a first-generation Laetiporus isolate, the sulfur-yellow to orange bracket fungus that's one of the most recognizable mushrooms in North America. Harvested young, its dense, fibrous flesh is one of the few that truly works as a whole-cut meat substitute. LaetiporusSpecies G1Isolated genetics ~18 daysColonization 67–76°FFruiting temp IntermediateDifficulty Why grow our Chicken of the Woods culture A showstopper flush Broad, overlapping brackets in sulfur-yellow to...

Our Golden Morel was cloned in May from a vigorous wild fruiting body found near our Illinois lab, then isolated in-house. It's the most aggressive morel strain we've worked with, and because it came from a cold-winter region, it's already adapted to the seasonal cycle morels need. Like every morel, it's an outdoor-bed project, not an indoor crop. Wild cloneLocal Illinois strain G1Isolated genetics 12–21 daysGrain colonization Outdoor bedsMethod ExpertDifficulty Why grow our Golden Morel...