Wood dowels inoculated with Bear’s Head mycelium for log cultivation (Hericium abietis)
Bear’s Head (aka Conifer Coral) grows wild on conifer stumps and logs throughout in North America, and can also be intentionally cultivated. After fall rains, this fungus produces a creamy-white edible mushroom that looks like a pompom emerging from the dead wood of conifers, especially fir and Douglas fir.
Drill holes about 25mm (1″) deep into freshly harvested conifer log using 8mm (5/16″) drill bit and depth stop. If you are drilling holes many logs, consider our specialized high speed mushroom drill bit and angle grinder adapter to make the task faster and easier.
Tap plug spawn into holes with hammer, then cover with melted wax using a dauber. For detailed instructions on how to inoculate your log, click here.
Raise your mushroom log on bricks to avoid contact with soil, and store in a shady location where they will receive rain. For optimal growth, rehydrate your log during extended dry periods by submerging overnight in water. After 4-6 months, when you seen evidence of mycelium growing in the cut edge of the log, bury in a shady location leaving about 2 inches above the soil surface. Let nature do her thing.
Typically heavy rains in the late summer and early fall will stimulate your log to make mushrooms. Sometimes nature doesn’t provide enough rain and you can supplement with heavy watering. Patience is required as it can take a year or more for the first mushrooms to form, but after that your log will produce seasonally for many years.
100 plugs will plant ~2 logs* (~100g of wax will seal 100 plugs)
500 plugs will plant ~10 logs* (~454g of wax will seal 500 plugs)
*Based on an average log size of 40 inches long by 4 inches in diameter.
For peak viability we recommend using your mushroom products within weeks, and storing in a cool location until use. Refrigeration between 2-4C is ideal for the longest shelf-life. Even when refrigerated, the fungal mycelium continues to grow, and eventually mushrooms burst out one way or another.
After harvesting you should store the mushrooms in a paper bag, which allows them to breathe. Leave them in the main part of the refrigerator to get good airflow, not the produce drawer. They should be used immediately as they can become bitter if kept for more than a few days in the refrigerator.
When picked young and cooked, Bear’s Head mushrooms are tender and meaty with a mild, nutty taste and a sweet and fragrant seafood-like undertone, similar to lobster or crab. Bear’s Head mushrooms are favored for their nutty taste and tender texture.
Bear’s Head mushrooms must be cooked before consumption and are best suited for baking, sautéing, and frying. They are best broken up or cut into chunks and pan-fried in oil and butter until browned. They can also be broken into nuggets, baked, and then dipped into sauces, mixed into pasta, sprinkled into soups, or used as a meat substitute in crab cakes, fish tacos, and clam chowder. Bear’s Head mushrooms pair well with potatoes, corn, cabbage, shallots, garlic, onion, leeks, meats such as chicken, beef, or pork, sriracha, saffron, truffle butter, and apples.
Bear’s Head mushrooms contain vitamin D, fiber, iron, antioxidants, and protein. Dried and powdered Bear’s Head mushroom was used by tribes in North America to stop bleeding wounds and cuts. In Asia, many mushrooms of the Hericium species are used to extract mycelium, which is an element incorporated into a sports drink called Houtou.
