Introduction to the morphological characteristics of Polyporus umbellatus and its suitable cultivation environment

Morphological characteristics

Sclerotium: grows underground, elongated and block-like or irregularly spherical. The surface is grayish-black, uneven, wrinkled with nodular lumps; it is relatively soft when fresh and hard but not solid after drying. The cross-section is white to grayish-brown. Semi-lignified, it feels elastic when pressed by hand. Sizes vary; large ones can grow to 30 cm long and about 10 cm in diameter.

Fruiting body: grows from the top of the underground sclerotium, pore-like, with an upright stipe that branches repeatedly to form a mycelial cap. The stipe and cap are grayish-white; the cap is round, with a thin and sharp margin that is often curled inward.

Suitable cultivation environment

Wild Polyporus umbellatus is mainly distributed in broad-leaved forests, mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests, shrublands and bamboo forests at altitudes above 1000-2000 m, on southeast- and southwest-facing slopes, with a slope of 20-50 degrees. The soil should be sandy loam rich in organic matter and with a high humus content. Growth begins when the ground temperature at about 5 cm depth reaches 8-9°C; at 12-20°C, there are many new sclerotia and growth is fast; at 22-25°C, fruiting bodies form. As the temperature continues to rise, it enters summer dormancy, and when the ground temperature falls below 22°C, it begins to grow again; when the ground temperature drops to 8°C, it enters the winter dormancy period. It prefers a dry environment and grows well when the soil moisture content is 30%-50%. In China, it is distributed in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia and other places, and is mainly produced in Shanxi, Shaanxi and Gansu.