Turkey Tail grows thin, leathery fans banded in brown, tan, gray, blue and orange. Foraged specimens are easy to confuse with look-alikes such as Stereum ostrea and Trichaptum biforme. Starting from an isolated culture takes that guesswork out.
- T. versicolorSpecies
- 10–14 daysTo cover a plate
- 60–75°FFruiting temp
- BeginnerSkill level
- 6–8Plates from one
Why start with our Turkey Tail plate
Easy for a functional
One of the most forgiving functional species to grow, and one of the most resistant to contamination.
Wide fruiting window
Fruits anywhere from 60 to 75°F.
Wood-based
Runs on supplemented hardwood sawdust, pellets or logs. Blocks colonize in 30–60 days.
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 14–21 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 6–8 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.
Turkey Tail plate specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|
| Scientific name | Trametes versicolor |
| Genetics | First-generation isolate from our master culture |
| Medium | Malt extract agar (MEA), about 18 mL |
| Dish | 90mm polypropylene, sealed with Parafilm |
| Mycelium appearance | Bright white, dense and fluffy, strongly ropey |
| Time to cover agar | 10–14 days at 70–75°F |
| Time to colonize grain | 14–21 days |
| Fruiting temperature | 60–75°F |
| Fruiting substrates | Supplemented oak, maple or beech sawdust, hardwood pellets, logs |
| Skill level | Beginner |
| 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
What is Turkey Tail used for?
It isn't eaten as a food mushroom. It's typically dried for tea, tincture or decoction, and it's studied for compounds including PSK, PSP, beta-glucans and triterpenes.
My plate is turning yellow-tan. Is that contamination?
No. That tint is normal as Turkey Tail mycelium matures.
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. Turkey Tail 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.
Turkey Tail, plate and fruit
Fruiting on hardwood blocks
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. Turkey Tail is the subject of ongoing scientific study, but nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.