Distribution and Main Producing Regions of the Lion's Mane Mushroom

The lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is a well-known fungus used both as food and medicine. It gets its name because its fruiting body resembles a monkey's head and its surface is covered with slender spines, and the dried product is mostly pale yellow or yellowish brown. Since ancient times it has been regarded as one of the delicacies of the mountains; it is both a tasty dish on the table and is often processed into various health foods, and because wild resources are limited in number, it is quite precious.

In terms of natural distribution, wild lion's mane mushrooms mainly grow in cool, humid temperate forest areas, mostly in autumn on the dead wood or tree hollows of broad-leaved trees such as Mongolian oak and oak. In China, the Changbai Mountains and the Greater and Lesser Khingan ranges in the northeast are the most famous, and wild distribution is also found in the mountainous areas of Henan, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet and other provinces and regions.

Because wild yields are limited, artificial cultivation of the lion's mane mushroom is now very common. Cultivation mostly uses substrates such as sawdust, cottonseed hulls and corncobs, with mushrooms fruiting in a cool, humid environment. At present, large-scale production takes place in the northeast, Henan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Sichuan and other places, and the northeast, relying on its climate and resource advantages, remains an important traditional main producing region.

The producing environment has a considerable influence on quality, and lion's mane mushrooms from mountain forest regions usually have thick, substantial flesh and intact spines. When choosing dried products, those that are uniform in size, pale yellow in color, with slender spines and no mold or off-odor are best; at the same time, pay attention to the place-of-origin information and give priority to sources with a good ecological environment and reliable channels. After being fully soaked, they are very delicious whether stewed in soup or stir-fried.