Shiitake Plug Spawn

Pronounced she-taah-kee, which is the Japanese name for this popular gourmet mushroom.  It was first cultivated in Asia thousands of years ago. ‘Shii’ originates from the Asian Shii tree (a species of Oak) whilst ‘take’ literally translates as mushroom – the Oak Mushroom. Oak logs produce the highest quality mushrooms, and flushes can continue for up to seven years, however it is very adaptable to most hardwood tree species making Shiitake a good choice for beginners.

Shiitake is also very easy to identify because it is not native to Europe, and there are no native mushrooms which look similar that grow on wood. Shiitake possesses a distinctive smokey flavour, making it a great addition to casseroles, soups and oriental stir fries.  The flavour and texture of outdoor natural log grown mushrooms is much superior to the Shiitake bought in the shops.

Our Shiitake Plugs and spawn are produced from a highly productive and hardy strain which originates from China.  It is classed as a ‘wide-ranging strain’ – meaning it is capable of producing mushrooms in all seasons of the year.