Enoki
Flammulina filiformis
See artwork and accessories in our shop celebrating the Enoki!
Etymology: The name "Enoki" originates from the Enoki tree, also known as the Chinese Hackberry tree, where these mushrooms are typically found growing on in Japan.
Other Common Names
- China: jīnzhēngū (金針菇) - Old Needle mushroom
- China: jīngū (金菇) - Gold mushroom
- India: Futu
- Korea Paengi Beoseot (팽이버섯) - mushroom planted near Catalpa
- Vietnam: nấm kim châm - Golden Needle mushroom
- Velvet Foot
- Winter mushroom
- See You Tomorrow mushroom
Location: Found in eastern and southern parts of Asia with it being most popular in East Asian countries like China, Japan, and Korea.
Ecological Group: The Decomposers! These fungi obtain their nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter such as logs, manure, and dead animals.
Edible? Yes! This mushroom boasts a crisp texture and a subtle peppery taste. It is highly favored in soups for its ability to enhance the overall texture without overwhelming the flavors.
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It is reported that enoki were first cultivated in China as far back as the 8th century C.E. (Sharma et al, 2009; Sharma et al, 2021)
Enoki have been cultivated in Japan for over 300 year
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Enoki mushrooms were initially classified as a single species called Flammulina velutipes. However, in 2018, it was revealed that F. velutipes refers to the European species, while the species cultivated in Asia is now known as Flammulina filiformis.
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Enoki mushrooms are one of the four most cultivated mushrooms in the world, alongside the common store mushroom, Oyster mushroom, Shiitake, and wood ear mushroom. (Prasad et al, 2023; Royse et al, 2017)
China is the largest producer Enoki mushrooms, producing over 2.4 million tons per year (Liu et al, 2016)
Wild Enoki look vastly different from their cultivated counterparts. Cultivated Enoki mushrooms are characterized by their tall stature, small caps, and white appearance with a subtle orange or yellow tint. On the other hand, wild Enoki mushrooms are shorter, possess wider caps, and display a vibrant orange coloration. These variations in appearance are primarily attributed to genetic factors as well as reduced oxygen and light exposure during the cultivation process.
One of the stimuli that signals Enoki mushrooms to initiate fruiting (or mushroom growth) is a significant drop in temperature. As a result, Enoki mushrooms are commonly observed during the winter months when the conditions are too cold for many other mushrooms. This unique characteristic has earned Enoki the nickname "The Winter mushroom."
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Sharma, V. P., Kumar, S., & Tewari, R. P. (2009). Flammulina velutipes, the culinary medicinal winter mushroom (Vol. 6). Directorate of Mushroom Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Prasad, D. Singh, R. P. (2023). Mushroom Production in the World: An Overview. In Conference: “Vision 2047: Sustainable Developments towards Atma Nirbhar Bharat (VSANB-2022)”At: FDDI- Chandigarh (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India) [Link]
Royse, D. J., Baars, J. J. P., & Tan, Q. (2017). Current Overview of Mushroom Production in the World. In John Wiley & Sons, Ltd eBooks (pp. 5–13). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119149446.ch2 [Request Link]
Liu, X. B., Feng, B., Li, J., Yan, C., & Yang, Z. L. (2016). Genetic diversity and breeding history of winter mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) in China uncovered by genomic SSR markers. Gene, 591(1), 227-235. [Link]
Disclaimer: Please refrain from picking and consuming mushrooms without proper guidance. If you have an interest in learning how to forage, I strongly encourage you to join your local mycological society. You can find a list of clubs across America, organized by state, on the North American Mycological Society's website.
