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Snow Fungus Agar Plate

Snow Fungus Agar Plate

Regular price $44.99 USD
Regular price Sale price $44.99 USD
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Species Tremella fuciformis
Difficulty ℹ️ 🍄🍄🍄
Spore Coloration White
Ecology Parasitic
Edibility Choice

 

Tremella fuciformis is a species of fungus; it produces white, frond-like, gelatinous basidiocarps (fruiting bodies). It is widespread, especially in the tropics, where it can be found on the dead branches of broadleaf trees. This fungus is commercially cultivated and is one of the most popular fungi in the cuisine and medicine of China. Tremella fuciformis is commonly known as snow fungus, snow ear, silver ear fungus, and white jelly mushroom.


Tremella fuciformis is a parasitic yeast, and grows as a slimy, mucous-like film until it encounters its preferred hosts, various species of Annulohypoxylon (or possibly Hypoxylon) fungi (available here), whereupon it then invades, triggering the aggressive mycelial growth required to form the fruiting bodies.

Tremella fuciformis has been cultivated in China since at least the nineteenth century.: 159  Initially, suitable wooden poles were prepared and then treated in various ways in the hope that they would be colonized by the fungus. This haphazard method of cultivation was improved when poles were inoculated with spores or mycelium. Modern production only began, however, with the realization that both the Tremella and its host species needed to be inoculated into the substrate to ensure success. The "dual culture" method, now used commercially, employs a sawdust mix inoculated with both fungal species and kept under optimal conditions. The most popular species to pair with T. fuciformis is its preferred host, Annulohypoxylon archeri. Estimated production in China in 1997 was 130,000 tonnes. T. fuciformis is also cultivated in other East Asian countries, with some limited cultivation elsewhere.

In Chinese cuisine, T. fuciformis is traditionally used in sweet dishes. While tasteless, it is valued for its gelatinous texture as well as its supposed medicinal benefits. Most commonly, it is used to make a dessert soup called luk mei (六味) in Cantonese, often in combination with jujubes, dried longans, and other ingredients. It is also used as a component of a drink and as an ice cream. Since cultivation has made it less expensive, it is now additionally used in some savoury dishes. In Vietnamese cuisine, it is often used in Chè (Vietnamese pronunciation: [cɛ̂]), a Vietnamese term that refers to any traditional Vietnamese sweet beverage, dessert soup or pudding.

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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!

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