Mushrooms
Wood
Ear
Latin name
Auricularia Auricula-judae
Common name
Wood ear
Where it grows
The wood ear mushroom is generally found on elder trees (but not exclusively) in temperate forests in India, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the UK.
What it looks like
Brown, shaped like a human ear
Common uses?
Powder, dietary supplements, skincare, Chinese cuisine
Fun fact
The wood ear is also nicknamed 'Judas' ear' or 'Jew's ear' because it is generally found on the elder tree, the tree where the biblical Judas Iscariot was thought to hang himself.
Turkey
tail
Latin name
Trametes Versicolor
Common name
Turkey tail
Where it grows
Turkey talil can be found on dead or wounded hardwood trees like oak in the US, Canada, and UK.
What it looks like
Brown, white, black (several colors)
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
Turkey tail got its pseudonym because of its many colors that makes it look like a turkey's tail.
King
Oyster
Latin name
Pleurotus Eryngii
Common name
King oyster
Where it grows
The king oyster mushroom is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa; but also found in Western Asia and India.
What it looks like
Thick, meaty white stem and a small tan cap, white stem, gills
Common uses?
Powder, dietary supplements, skincare, Japanese cuisine
Fun fact
King oyster mushrooms are a popular vegan replacement for scallops, although they smell like anise.
Enokitake
Latin name
Flammulina Velutipes
Common name
Enokitake
Where it grows
Commercial enokitake is typically cultivated, however it can be found in the wild on dead elm (an some other broadleaf trees) trees in Britain, Ireland, Europe, North Africa, Asia ,and North America.
What it looks like
White (cultivated) long stems topped with buttons or tan (wild) shorter stems
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Japanese cuisine
Fun fact
A study of enokitake farmers in Japan found that the farmers had lower rates of cancer deaths than others not involved in the mushroom farming.
Chaga
Latin name
Inonotus Obliquus
Common name
Chaga
Where it grows
Chaga can be found growin on birch trees in Northern parts of Europe, the Unites States, Canada, and Asia.
What it looks like
reddish-brown and black like burnt coal
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
Chaga is technically not a mushroom, although it is grouped with mushrooms. It is actually a sclerotia, the hardened mass of mycellium (the vegetative, threadlike part of the fungi that helps it grow and reproduce).
Shaggy
Mane
Latin name
Coprinus Comatus
Common name
Shaggy mane
Where it grows
Shaggy mane grows naturally in disturbed grounds, grass, wood chips, and hard-packed soil; most commonly in Britain and Ireland.
What it looks like
White, bell-like cylinders, a bit rough
Common uses?
Powder, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
Shaggy mane is also called 'lawyer's wig' because it looks like a 'peruke,' the headpiece British judges and barristers wear in the courts for formality.
Shiitake
Latin name
Lentinus Edodes
Common name
Shiitake
Where it grows
Shiitake mushrooms largely grow in groups on deciduous trees like maple, poplar, and oak trees in warm and moist, Southeast Asian climates.
What it looks like
Button like, brown
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
Shiitake mushrooms have an savory, meaty-like taste and texture and are loaded in nutrients like copper, vitamin D, and B vitamins; making them an valuable staple in the vegan diet.
Oyster
Mushroom
Latin name
Pleurotus Ostreatus
Common name
Oyster mushroom
Where it grows
The oyster mushroom can be found in multiple temperate and subtropical forests throughout the world, although it is most known as a WWI staple in Germany.
What it looks like
Tan, oyster shell-like, gills
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
The oyster mushroom been used for alternative leather, mycellium bricks, mycellium furniture, and other textiles.
Almond
Mushroom
Latin name
Agaricus Brasiliensis
Common name
Almond mushroom
Where it grows
The Agaricus mushrooms can be found growing in Canada, California, Hawaii, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Philippines, Australia, and Brazil.
What it looks like
White to dull reddish-brown, round top hemispherical top
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, gourmet cuisine, skincare
Fun fact
The almond mushroom got its common name because it actually tastes like almonds, making it a delicacy in gourmet cooking.
Reishi
Latin name
Ganoderma Lucidum
Common name
Reishi
Where it grows
Reish can be found growing on trees in temperate and subtropical climates in Asia, Europe, South America and North America
What it looks like
Burnt-orange, shiny varnish, flat kidney-shaped
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
The reishi mushroom was so revered in ancient China that it was reserved only for royalty.
Lion's
Mane
Latin name
Hericium Erinaceus
Common name
Lion's Mane
Where it grows
Decaying trees in North America, Asia, and Europe.
What it looks like
White, long cluster of strings like an elderly man's beard when they are young and yellowish-brown when they have aged or dried.
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, gourmet cuisine, coffee additive, skincare
Fun fact
The latin name means 'hedgehog.'
Snow
Fungus
Latin name
Tremella Fuciformis
Common name
Snow Fungus
Where it grows
The snow fungus mushroom is a parasitic mushroom found on hypoxylon growing on dead wood in largely tropical and subtropical Asian and North American regions.
What it looks like
White, frondlike (wavy), gelatinous. You could call it the jelly fish of the forest.
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
The snow fungus mushroom contains up to 500 times its weight and is full of collagen, making it a popular alternative to hyluranic acid.
Maitake
Latin name
Grifola Frondosa
Common name
Maitake
Where it grows
Maitake in Japan, China, and Eastern North Americ grows at the bottom of dying or dead hardwood trees such as maple, Oak, and Elm trees.
What it looks like
Cluster of wavy, greyish-brown caps
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
The maitake mushroom can grow up to 45 kilograms.
Cordyceps
Latin name
Cordyceps Militaris
Common name
Cordyceps
Where it grows
Natural Cordyceps sinensis can be found growing on catepillars in the high mountains of East Asia, however commercial Cordyceps militaris are grown on rice.
What it looks like
Long, slender blade-like orange stems
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
A Chinese women's distance running team attributed taking cordyceps with their record-setting speeds in the 1993 National Games in Beijing, China.
Mushrooms
Wood
Ear
Latin name
Auricularia Auricula-judae
Common name
Wood ear
Where it grows
The wood ear mushroom is generally found on elder trees (but not exclusively) in temperate forests in India, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the UK.
What it looks like
Brown, shaped like a human ear
Common uses?
Powder, dietary supplements, skincare, Chinese cuisine
Fun fact
The wood ear is also nicknamed 'Judas' ear' or 'Jew's ear' because it is generally found on the elder tree, the tree where the biblical Judas Iscariot was thought to hang himself.
Turkey
tail
Latin name
Trametes Versicolor
Common name
Turkey tail
Where it grows
Turkey talil can be found on dead or wounded hardwood trees like oak in the US, Canada, and UK.
What it looks like
Brown, white, black (several colors)
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
Turkey tail got its pseudonym because of its many colors that makes it look like a turkey's tail.
King
Oyster
Latin name
Pleurotus Eryngii
Common name
King oyster
Where it grows
The king oyster mushroom is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa; but also found in Western Asia and India.
What it looks like
Thick, meaty white stem and a small tan cap, white stem, gills
Common uses?
Powder, dietary supplements, skincare, Japanese cuisine
Fun fact
King oyster mushrooms are a popular vegan replacement for scallops, although they smell like anise.
Enokitake
Latin name
Flammulina Velutipes
Common name
Enokitake
Where it grows
Commercial enokitake is typically cultivated, however it can be found in the wild on dead elm (an some other broadleaf trees) trees in Britain, Ireland, Europe, North Africa, Asia ,and North America.
What it looks like
White (cultivated) long stems topped with buttons or tan (wild) shorter stems
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Japanese cuisine
Fun fact
A study of enokitake farmers in Japan found that the farmers had lower rates of cancer deaths than others not involved in the mushroom farming.
Chaga
Latin name
Inonotus Obliquus
Common name
Chaga
Where it grows
Chaga can be found growin on birch trees in Northern parts of Europe, the Unites States, Canada, and Asia.
What it looks like
reddish-brown and black like burnt coal
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
Chaga is technically not a mushroom, although it is grouped with mushrooms. It is actually a sclerotia, the hardened mass of mycellium (the vegetative, threadlike part of the fungi that helps it grow and reproduce).
Shaggy
Mane
Latin name
Coprinus Comatus
Common name
Shaggy mane
Where it grows
Shaggy mane grows naturally in disturbed grounds, grass, wood chips, and hard-packed soil; most commonly in Britain and Ireland.
What it looks like
White, bell-like cylinders, a bit rough
Common uses?
Powder, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
Shaggy mane is also called 'lawyer's wig' because it looks like a 'peruke,' the headpiece British judges and barristers wear in the courts for formality.
Shiitake
Latin name
Lentinus Edodes
Common name
Shiitake
Where it grows
Shiitake mushrooms largely grow in groups on deciduous trees like maple, poplar, and oak trees in warm and moist, Southeast Asian climates.
What it looks like
Button like, brown
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
Shiitake mushrooms have an savory, meaty-like taste and texture and are loaded in nutrients like copper, vitamin D, and B vitamins; making them an valuable staple in the vegan diet.
Oyster
Mushroom
Latin name
Pleurotus Ostreatus
Common name
Oyster mushroom
Where it grows
The oyster mushroom can be found in multiple temperate and subtropical forests throughout the world, although it is most known as a WWI staple in Germany.
What it looks like
Tan, oyster shell-like, gills
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
The oyster mushroom been used for alternative leather, mycellium bricks, mycellium furniture, and other textiles.
Almond
Mushroom
Latin name
Agaricus Brasiliensis
Common name
Almond mushroom
Where it grows
The Agaricus mushrooms can be found growing in Canada, California, Hawaii, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Philippines, Australia, and Brazil.
What it looks like
White to dull reddish-brown, round top hemispherical top
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, gourmet cuisine, skincare
Fun fact
The almond mushroom got its common name because it actually tastes like almonds, making it a delicacy in gourmet cooking.
Reishi
Latin name
Ganoderma Lucidum
Common name
Reishi
Where it grows
Reish can be found growing on trees in temperate and subtropical climates in Asia, Europe, South America and North America
What it looks like
Burnt-orange, shiny varnish, flat kidney-shaped
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare
Fun fact
The reishi mushroom was so revered in ancient China that it was reserved only for royalty.
Lion's
Mane
Latin name
Hericium Erinaceus
Common name
Lion's Mane
Where it grows
Decaying trees in North America, Asia, and Europe.
What it looks like
White, long cluster of strings like an elderly man's beard when they are young and yellowish-brown when they have aged or dried.
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, gourmet cuisine, coffee additive, skincare
Fun fact
The latin name means 'hedgehog.'
Snow
Fungus
Latin name
Tremella Fuciformis
Common name
Snow Fungus
Where it grows
The snow fungus mushroom is a parasitic mushroom found on hypoxylon growing on dead wood in largely tropical and subtropical Asian and North American regions.
What it looks like
White, frondlike (wavy), gelatinous. You could call it the jelly fish of the forest.
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
The snow fungus mushroom contains up to 500 times its weight and is full of collagen, making it a popular alternative to hyluranic acid.
Maitake
Latin name
Grifola Frondosa
Common name
Maitake
Where it grows
Maitake in Japan, China, and Eastern North Americ grows at the bottom of dying or dead hardwood trees such as maple, Oak, and Elm trees.
What it looks like
Cluster of wavy, greyish-brown caps
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
The maitake mushroom can grow up to 45 kilograms.
Cordyceps
Latin name
Cordyceps Militaris
Common name
Cordyceps
Where it grows
Natural Cordyceps sinensis can be found growing on catepillars in the high mountains of East Asia, however commercial Cordyceps militaris are grown on rice.
What it looks like
Long, slender blade-like orange stems
Common uses?
Tea, powder, liquid tinctures, dietary supplements, skincare, Asian cuisine
Fun fact
A Chinese women's distance running team attributed taking cordyceps with their record-setting speeds in the 1993 National Games in Beijing, China.
CBD
Additives
Lemon Balm
Science name Melissa officinalis
Common name Lemon Balm
Why you may need it To relax
Where it can be found Native to south-central Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, Iran, and Central Asia, but now naturalized in the Americas
Other common uses To temporarily relieve mild digestive complaints
Chamomile
Science name Matricaria chamomilla
Common name Chamomile
Why you may need it To relax
Where it can be found Native to South-West Asia and South & Eastern Europe, but it can be found worldwide now.
Other common uses To temporarily relieve mild digestive complaints
Lavender
Science name Lavandula angustifolia
Common name Lavender
Why you may need it To relax
Where it can be found Native to the Mediterranean, Middle East, and India. Can be found almost worldwide today.
Other common uses To freshen the air with a floral scent
Vitamin C
Science name Ascorbic acid
Common name Vitamin C
Why you may need it Support immune system
Where it can be found Found in citrus, peppers, and other foods.
Other common uses To encourage a healthy complexion
Zinc
Science name Zn
Common name Zinc
Why you may need it Support immune system
Where it can be found Found naturally in nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, dairy, meat, eggs, whole grains.
Other common uses May help support taste and smell
Caffeine
Science name 1,3,7-Trimethylpurine-2,6-dione
Common name Caffeine
Why you may need it For energy, mental alertness
Where it can be found Found in black tea, green tea, yerba mate, coffee, cocoa, kola nuts, & other teas
Other common uses Some believe it helps with headaches
Calcium
Science name calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Common name Calcium
Why you may need it To maintain normal bone function
Where it can be found Found in dairy, leafy green vegetable, bony fish, seeds.
Other common uses To maintain normal muscle function
Magnesium
Science name Mg
Common name Magnesium
Why you may need it To contribute to normal muscle function
Where it can be found Found naturally in nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran.
Other common uses To support normal bone health
Thiamine
Science name Vitamin B1
Common name Thiamine
Why you may need it To contribute to the normal function of the heart
Where it can be found Found in pork, fish, seeds, nuts, beans, green peas, tofu, brown rice, squash, asparagus, and seafood.
Other common uses To help the body use carbohydrates for energy
Choline
Science name Choline Chloride
Common name Choline
Why you may need it To maintain normal liver function
Where it can be found Found in beef liver, eggs, fish, nuts, cauliflower, and broccoli.
Other common uses To supplement a vegan diet
Chromium
Science name Cr
Common name Chromium
Why you may need it To contribute to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels.
Where it can be found Found in meat, dairy, whole grains, fruits (especially apples, bananas, grape juice), vegetables (especially potatoes, broccoli, green beans), nuts, spices, brewer’s yeast, beer, and wine. It can also be absorbed from stainless steel cookware.
Other common uses Some studies have found that chromium may help with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) due to its link to insulin resistance.
