15 Mushroom Varieties You Can Grow At Home
If you've ever considered growing mushrooms from home, you likely know how difficult it can be to get started. The fact is, mushrooms require specific conditions to grow, and even the slightest mistake may lead to contamination that renders your production inviable. However, with some time, research, practice, and experimentation, you'll grow batches of your favorite gourmet mushrooms in no time. The University of Florida Gardening Solutions recommends buying a growing kit if you are new, or at the very least, starting with an easy-to-grow species such as shiitake or oyster mushrooms.
When you find your materials and growing instructions from a reliable source, the cultivar you are growing won't matter much. What's more important is the area you are growing them in. Mushrooms typically need a warm, dark, and moist environment and a substrate that offers plenty of nutrients. Because mushrooms do not photosynthesize to make their own food like most plants, they rely solely on the decomposing substrate you provide. We're confident that you can succeed in growing mushrooms from home if you put your mind to it. In this collection, we have compiled several different types of mushrooms you could start your journey with.
1. Enoki mushroom
The enoki mushroom (Flammulina filiformis) is an unusual-looking mushroom from Eastern Asia. In Japan, Korea, and China, the mushroom is grown for use in a variety of dishes, such as ramen, stir fry, salads, and soups. Healing Maps says that this mushroom is relatively easy to grow from home; however, if it's your first time, grow kits can help walk you through the process and eliminate mistakes.
Growing Conditions: Grown in the dark
Soil Type: Substrate made from hardwoods with added lime or gypsum
Fruiting Temperature: 72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: High relative humidity
2. White button mushroom
When cultivated as a hobby, white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) can be farmed almost anywhere that is damp and protected. As told by Pennsylvania State Extension, mushrooms have been grown beneath greenhouse benches, in natural caves, basements, unused coal mines, and in many more unconventional spaces. Growing them yourself can be done easily with the right environment and supplies.
Growing Conditions: Grown in the dark
Soil Type: A composted substrate made from agricultural by-products like straw-bedded horse manure and wheat straw
Fruiting Temperature: 75 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: High relative humidity
3. Cremini mushroom
The cremini mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) is a variation of the white mushroom. The main differences between the two are in size, color, and taste. As told by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, this brown strain is not allowed to open its gills before it's harvested. Because of this, cremini mushrooms are light brown with a meatier texture and slightly larger caps compared to white mushrooms.
Growing Conditions: Little to no light exposure
Soil Type: A composted substrate from agricultural by-products like manure, straw, and other fibrous materials
Fruiting Temperature: 75 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: High relative humidity
4. Portobello mushroom
Portobello mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are characterized by large caps, sometimes 6 inches in diameter, as Fresh Mushrooms explains. They are another variation of the white and cremini species, but they are much meatier, frequently replacing hamburger patties for those who don't eat meat. This Agaricus species is grown the same way as its relatives, but their gills are allowed to open before harvesting.
Growing Conditions: Grown in the dark
Soil Type: A composted substrate made from straw, corn cobs, seed hulls, and other agricultural by-products
Fruiting Temperature: 75 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: High relative humidity
5. Beech mushroom
Beech mushrooms (Hypsizygus tessulatus), also known as Shimeji, are oyster-like mushrooms commonly cultivated in Japan. These edible fungi, grown in controlled environments, look much different from the beech mushrooms found in the wild in the Pacific Northwest, as indicated by Shroomery. They have light brown or cream, not speckled caps on relatively short stems clustered together.
Growing Conditions: Moderate light after incubation
Soil Type: Supplemented sawdust from hardwoods
Fruiting Temperature: 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: 95 to 100%
6. Morel mushroom
Until the late '80s, morel mushrooms (Morchella spp.) couldn't be grown year-round, as per The Danish Morel Project. Thankfully, with more research and experimentation, a few countries patented methods to produce these mushrooms indoors. Most of us don't have a lab to grow morels in, but according to Peter Dilley's Morel Technique, they aren't impossible to grow from home.
Growing Conditions: Moderate light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate mix of sand, soil, coniferous bark, rice hulls, soybean meal, and sphagnum
Fruiting Temperature: 68 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: High relative humidity
7. Maitake mushroom
Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa) are a popular choice of foragers in the Eastern parts of the United States and Asia. According to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, maitake is the Japanese name for it, which means the dancing mushroom, referring to the happy dance foragers do when they find it. Though the mushroom grows on trees in the wild, you can grow it on sawdust in a plastic bag at home, via Richters.
Growing Conditions: Little light exposure
Soil Type: Supplemented sawdust substrate or hardwood wastes
Fruiting Temperature: 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: 80 to 90%
8. Shiitake mushroom
Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are another delicious option to grow indoors. Many resources online tell you how to cultivate these, and many more offer grow kits to get you started. Surprisingly, these mushrooms are a bit more challenging to grow long-term compared to others on this list, but they are also among the easiest to get started with, as indicated by GroCycle.
Growing Conditions: Little light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate made from sawdust or hardwood logs
Fruiting Temperature: Between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, varies by strain
Humidity: High relative humidity
9. Wine cap mushroom
Wine cap mushrooms (Stropharia rugosoannulata) are among the easiest mushrooms to grow inside and outside. Depending on where you live, you may have already accidentally grown these fungi in your garden. They feature large reddish-brown caps and comparatively long stems. As taught by North Spore, they should be harvested while the caps are curled under themselves. Young mushrooms tend to be softer and more flavorful.
Growing Conditions: Moderate light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate made from hardwood chips or other wood debris
Fruiting Temperature: 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: Medium to high relative humidity
10. Pink oyster mushroom
The pink oyster mushroom (Pleurotus djamor) is a tropical type of mushroom that grows quickly and aggressively when provided with the right conditions. As mentioned by Shroomery, this bright pink mushroom cultivar is useful for those living in a warm climate with limited access to equipment. The mushrooms fulfill a vital need with their short yet high-yielding fruiting cycle and their ability to adapt to many substrates.
Growing Conditions: Moderate light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate made from hardwood sawdust, straw, or other agricultural waste
Fruiting Temperature: 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: 95 to 100%
11. Pearl oyster mushroom
As told by First Nature, pearl oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are usually found in clumps on dying or dead hardwood trees. They can be identified by their white, brown, or blue-gray caps, which range in size from 2 to 7 inches across. Conveniently, this type of oyster mushroom grows in conditions similar to the pink oyster mushroom, via Field & Forest Products.
Growing Conditions: 10 to 12 hours of light per day
Soil Type: Substrate made from hardwood sawdust, chips, or other wood debris
Fruiting Temperature: 65 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: 85 to 90%
12. King oyster mushroom
Another Pleurotus species, the king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii), is known for its flavor, which is said to taste meaty, like scallops. Like other oyster mushrooms, this cultivar grows on hardwood trees in the wild, as noted by Fresh Cap. However, when grown indoors, they enjoy sourcing their nutrients from hardwood sawdust supplemented with wheat bran.
Growing Conditions: Low light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate made from supplemented hardwood sawdust
Fruiting Temperature: 59 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: 80 to 100%
13. Lion's mane mushroom
Lion's mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) don't look much like mushrooms, and they have a round form and hair-like gills that make the fungi look like pom-poms, as described by GroCycle. Lion's mane offers a range of possible health benefits, and you can often find supplements in natural health stores that include powdered or dried lion's mane mushrooms.
Growing Conditions: Low light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate made from hardwood sawdust, chips, or other wood debris supplemented with oat or wheat bran
Fruiting Temperature: 68 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: High relative humidity
14. Velvet pioppini mushroom
Velvet pioppini mushrooms (Agrocybe aegerita) are a gourmet fungus cultivar with a somewhat nutty taste. They are used in some dishes, such as rice, soups, stews, and stir fry, as explained by Fungi Ally. Though they can be more challenging to grow than other mushrooms, their bragging rights and nutritional value make them worthwhile.
Growing Conditions: Moderate light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate made from poplar tree sawdust or wood chips
Fruiting Temperature: 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: Above 90%
15. Reishi mushroom
Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) are another healthful mushrooms you can grow indoors. According to Fresh Cap, the reishi species is fast and straightforward to produce, and it is unaffected by many contaminants that frequently kill other mushrooms. Unlike many other options in this collection, this one is not very tasty. It is usually grown for its medicinal properties, which can be extracted through teas and tinctures.
Growing Conditions: Moderate to low light exposure
Soil Type: Substrate made from supplemented hardwood sawdust
Fruiting Temperature: 64 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity: 85 to 95%