Maitake

gourmet
Written By Thomas Young

Grifola frondosa

See artwork and accessories in our shop celebrating the Maitake!

  • 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.

Etymology:

Maitake: In Japanese, the name Maitake translates to "Dancing mushroom." According to legend, encountering this mushroom would fill people with such happiness and excitement that they would joyfully dance around. Another theory behind its name suggests that the fluttering pattern of the fronds or caps resembles a dancing motion.

Other Common Names

  • Japan: maitake (舞茸) - dancing mushroom

  • Hen-of-the-woods

  • Ram's head

  • Sheep's head

Location: Maitake are common in Eastern North America and are also commonly found in Europe and East Asia.

Ecological Group: The Decomposers! These fungi obtain their nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter such as logs, manure, and dead animals.

Edible? Yes! Maitake mushrooms are renowned for their rich and earthy flavor, which makes them an excellent choice as a meat substitute.

    • Due to a more challenging cultivation process, Maitakes only started being artificially cultivated in the early 1980's in Japan. With large scale cultivation starting in the late 1980’s (Mayuzumi et al., 1997; Walker 2013)

    • Maitake have been used in East Asian cultures as medicine for millennia. Specifically, it is employed to improve spleen and stomach ailments, calm nerves, and bolster the immune system. (Volk et al., 2006; Walker, 2013)

    • Maitake are polypore fungus. This means that instead of having gills, they have small holes called pores which produce spores. (Kuo, 2017)

    • The Maitake mushroom is slightly parasitic to trees, obtaining nutrients from their roots. It is only “slightly” parasitic because this relationship is semi-beneficial to the tree, as the fungus strives to prolong the tree's life for its own benefit. However, over time, the host tree succumbs to a combination of fungal infection and other environmental stresses, ultimately leading to its demise. (Kuo, 2017; Volk et al., 2006)

    • The Maitake is a perennial fungus, meaning it will continue to produce mushrooms anywhere from 5 to 10 years (Volk et al., 2006)

    • The Maitake fruiting body (aka mushroom) can grow up to 2 feet (0.6 m) in diameter and weigh upwards of 80 pounds. (36 kg). (Volk et al., 2006)

Articles

Learn More

  1. Maitake Wikipedia

  2. Tom Volk's Fungus of the Month: Maitake - Tom’s mushrooms of the month fill me with joy and are packed with awesome info

  3. Mycopia: The History of Maitake Cultivation - Interesting and easy to read article about maitake and it’s medicinal uses

  4. Hiker’s Notebook: Hen of the Woods - Some more basic info about the Maitake

References

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.

Thomas Young
Previous

Common Store Mushroom