Lion's Mane Cultures, Agar & Spawn

Lion's Mane, Hericium erinaceus, is a white, cascading mushroom made of soft spines rather than a cap and gills. It grows on hardwood trees across Europe, Asia and North America, and is legally protected in the wild in the UK, so cultivated material is the only legitimate source for the kitchen. The flavour and texture are often compared to seafood, and it is usually sliced and pan fried.

On Culture Cave it is sold as live culture for growers: liquid culture syringes, agar wedges and grain spawn, suitable for home growers and small farms, with grow kits from some vendors. Labels should state the strain or origin, the generation, the date the culture was made and, for grain spawn, the grain used.

• Species: Hericium erinaceus
• Type: gourmet, sold as live culture
• Sold as: liquid culture, agar, grain spawn, grow kits
• Wild status: legally protected in the UK
• Known for: seafood-like texture