Hericium Erinaceus Facts

Nomenclature

• Hericium erinaceus has previously been known and cited as Hydnum erinaceum Fr. and Hericium erinaceum (Fr.) Pers. Hericium erinaceus, in addition to bear's or monkey's head, is also known commonly as lion's mane, old man's beard, satyr's beard, pom pom and the hedgehog mushroom. In Japanese, this fungus is known as "yamabushitake," or the "mountain-priest mushroom," because it resembles the garb worn by certain monks. In China, the mushroom is also sometimes referred to as "houtou," which means "baby monkey."

Description

• Hericium erinaceus has a mushroom 2 to 8 inches in diameter. It features dangling, nonforked, iciclelike tendrils 1 to 3 inches long and produces white spores. The oval-shaped mushroom begins as a solid white color, but ages to become yellow or yellowish-brown and produces white spores. The mushroom flesh is somewhat spongy and has a fungoid odor when uncooked.

Flavor

• When cooked, Hericium erinaceus has a flavor that resembles seafood, lobster, shrimp or crap. This mushroom can be preserved through drying or in brine.

Use

• In addition to this mushroom's use as a food, it is prized for multiple medicinal benefits. Hericium erinaceus is used as a styptic, or bleed-controlling, agent; as an immunostimulant, to help control Alzheimer's disease; and as an anti-cancer and sarcoma agent. This fungus is also utilized to regulate blood levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol.

Habitat and Cultivation

• In the wild, Hericium erinaceus prefers to grow on dying, dead or wounded broadleaf species like oak, beech and walnut. Single fruits often appear in late summer and fall on wounds on the trunks of hardwood trees. This mushroom can be cultivated using a bag or bottle culture with a number of possible substrates, including sawdust, bran meal and cottonseed hulls. It can also be cultivated using the traditional log method.