Paddy Straw Agar Plate
Paddy Straw Agar Plate
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Species | Volvariella volvacea |
Difficulty ℹ️ | 🍄 |
Spore Coloration | Salmon |
Ecology |
Saprotrophic |
Edibility | Choice |
Volvariella volvacea (also known as paddy straw mushroom or straw mushroom) is a species of edible mushroom cultivated throughout East and Southeast Asia and used extensively in Asian cuisines.
They are often available fresh in Asia, but are more frequently found in canned or dried forms outside their nations of cultivation. Worldwide, straw mushrooms rank third in consumption, although their use in the West is somewhat uncommon and usually confined to use in Oriental cooking. In their button stage, straw mushrooms resemble poisonous death caps, but can be distinguished by several mycological features, including their pink spore print (spore prints of death caps are white).
The two mushrooms have different distributions, with the death cap generally not found where the straw mushroom grows natively, but immigrants, particularly those from Southeast Asia to California and Australia, have been poisoned due to misidentification.
Some photos on this page have been sourced from iNaturalist, taken by Joel Trejos or others. Licensed under CC-BY-SA.
What Is An Agar Plate?
What Is An Agar Plate?
An agar plate is a petri dish with solidified nutrient solution (I make mine with light malt extract, generally). The dish is sealed with parafilm to keep it sterile while the transfer colonizes the plate.
The mycelial bodies grow on our agar plates in sterile incubators before being shipped to you!
How Do I Store Agar Plates?
How Do I Store Agar Plates?
Keep your agar plates ideally in the fridge, within a ziplock bag. Let them come to room temperature before opening them - it'll prevent condensation!
How Do I Use Agar Plates?
How Do I Use Agar Plates?
Grab your scalpel and get to work! Need a scalpel? Check my gear page!
Slides from agar plates can be propagated onto other mediums very easily. The beauty of agar plates is the ability to be absolutely certain that your sample is healthy and clean!
When Will My Agar Plate Ship?
When Will My Agar Plate Ship?
All of my agar plates are made-to-order. This ensures that you have nothing but the freshest, most voracious mycelium when it gets to your doorstep.
Please check for your individual species on this page to see colonization times.
If you're interested in ordering agar plates and other items like liquid culture, or mushroom spores, you can have your order shipped in two by adding this item!
What Comes In My Package?
What Comes In My Package?
For each agar plate in your order, you'll receive a healthy, colonized agar plate, and an additional piece of parafilm in case you need to reseal it.
What if Something Goes Wrong?
What if Something Goes Wrong?
If you any questions as to the density, sterility or other concerns about your order please email me directly at support@southwesthshroomery.com.
Under no circumstances contact us about cultivation of active spores regardless of legality in your home location. Doing so will result in a cancellation of all open orders and denial of any future orders.
While all of our products are made in the most sterile conditions possible, sometimes contamination happens! I'll make it right!



