NOT Hericium abietis

Posted on by jrhred J

4 April 2019 UPDATE:

These are unmistakably Hericium erinaceus that were grown from a commercial liquid culture misidentified as Hericium abietis. There is no question about that identification; especially as they have begun putting on teeth and slicing one opened revealed a solid interior. At least now I know why I’ve been puzzling over their appearance looking so stubbornly underdeveloped!

For sake of comparison, the first image below is of a correctly identified Hericium abietis photographed at the Mount Pisgah Mushroom Festival at Eugene, Oregon.

Hericium abietis
Hericium abietis

The following show what was grown from a commercial culture that was purchased earlier this year. The amazing part is that these mushrooms grew so well on a mixture of douglas-fir, white pine and spruce!

Hericium erinaceus sold as Hericium abietis and grown on conifer media.
Hericium erinaceus sold as Hericium abietis and grown on conifer media.
Hericium erinaceus sold as Hericium abietis and grown on conifer media.
0.5 lb. mushroom
Hericium erinaceus sold as Hericium abietis and grown on conifer media.
There is no mistaking those teeth
Hericium erinaceus sold as Hericium abietis and grown on conifer media.
That is very clearly the flesh of an erinaceus not abietis.

That mushroom was delicious in dinner last night. Both the taste and the texture were excellent.