New Zealand’s got some fantastic native mushrooms popping up in our beautiful forests and even by the sea! Thing is, being a pretty young country, we don’t have a great deal of information on which natives are edible and which aren’t - mushroom's edibility throughout the world has mostly been figured out through trial and error over many generations.
Still, we’ve got a few special native gems that we know are great eating and pack some awesome medicinal benefits - like our Velvet Oyster, loaded with immune-boosting goodness and high in vitamins B's 2,3,5, D plus it is high in fibre & folate!
Our NZ Lion’s Mane, Pekepeke-Kiore’s has got some mind-healing magic and cognitive boosts - erinacines and hericenones for memory and focus in small amounts. However compared to the true Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) which can’t be grown here due to official regulations, the imported powders pack way more punch.
Pekepeke comes in with erinacine A levels possibly as low as <0.01 mg/g and the true Lions mane up to 5 mg/g. This is a 500x difference! For top-shelf Lion’s Mane powders, hit up iHerb or HealthPost - they’ve got a great range.
Full research reference links are at bottom of this blog.
Sporeshift’s Velvet Oyster: NZ Native Mushroom Growing Made Simple
Scientific Name: Pleurotus Parsonsiae
Other Names: NZ Oyster, Native Oyster, Velvet Oyster, Native Phoenix Oyster
Biogeographic profile: Endemic to NZ but relatively similar to other oyster mushroom species like Pleurotus Djamor and Pulmonarius.
The velvet oyster is a fast easy to grow mushroom that produces well from >>DIY Native Grow kits. This mushroom also preforms well on straw using the >>hydrated lime growing method which works for all Sporeshift oyster mushroom strains - as well as the >>bucket kit method for a more reusable approach.
Oyster mushrooms are special to grow as they do not require any special equipment to make your own fruiting bags. Just a clean space and a couple of buckets is all you need.
These mushrooms are tasty and firm, but they need thorough cooking to avoid chewiness. They hold their size well in the pan, shrinking less than other oyster mushrooms. If your oysters turn out chewy, they’re likely undercooked. Personally, I love cooking them until they’re almost like chips!
Growing native mushrooms supports sustainability by helping spread these unique species across New Zealand. They’re well-adapted to local conditions, thriving from coastal areas to the Alps.
This mushroom grows well indoors year-round but struggles with temperatures below 13°C. It tolerates drier parts of the country effectively, though, like all mushrooms, it benefits from some environmental control—easily achieved with a home >>mini mushroom grow tent.
As a wild oyster mushroom, it isn’t accustomed to the high nutrient levels typical of commercial oyster growing. Supplementing native oyster grow blocks with more than 10% bran or 40% soy hulls can lead to slight deformities in the first flush, though it recovers well in later flushes as the nutrients are depleted.
This strain may stay dormant for 3-6 weeks between flushes, so patience is essential when growing it. That said, it’s a vigorous, high-yielding variety that thrives across a wide range of conditions and delivers a great flavour profile
Pekepeke-Kiore in NZ: Grow Our Native Lion’s Mane
Scientific Name: Hericium novae-zealandiae
Other Names: Coral Tooth, NZ Lion's Mane, Hericium, Pekepeke
Biogeographic profile: Native to NZ and parts of Australia
Wild Fruiting Time: Pekepeke-Kiore fruits wild in NZ year-round, but it’s most reliable from late winter to late summer - think July to February, peaking around spring to early summer (September-December). You’ll catch it sporadically outside that if humidity’s high.
A beautiful slow growing mushroom that is best grown from >>Splash and Grow ready to fruit style kits.
Pekepeke-Kiore is a slower-growing mushroom that can be prone to drying out and halting growth if conditions aren’t ideal. To prevent this, use a fruiting chamber to maintain humidity and airflow - I’ve put together a detailed guide on making your own >>fruiting chamber here.
If you’re looking to prepare your own Pekepeke-Kiore fruiting blocks, you’ll need a pressure cooker to heat-sterilize the substrate at 15PSI. This strain, developed in-house, thrives on master’s mix (50% wood pellets, 50% soy hulls) or a bran mix (80% wood pellets, 20% bran)
Sporeshift does not recommend using the DIY hydrated lime method for Pekepeke-Kiore, as it struggles with the lime’s high pH - this technique is only suited to oyster mushrooms. Pekepeke's mycelium isn’t especially aggressive or fast-growing, making it prone to contamination and potential total loss if the substrate isn’t properly prepared. 15PSI Heat sterilized sawdust blocks in >>filter patch bags is the industry standard here.
When using sterilized sawdust substrate, it’s recommended to perform inoculations in a clean area to prevent contamination while adding your >>mushroom spawn. For optimal results, conduct inoculations with a >>still air box or, preferably, a >>laminar flow hood. Pekepeke-Kiore thrives when spawned at a 5-20% ratio
Tawaka in NZ: Cyclocybe Parasitica’s Native Magic
Scientific Name: Cyclocybe Parasitica
Other Names: Formerly classified as Agrocybe parasitica, Poplar Mushroom.
Biogeographic profile: Native to NZ and parts of Australia
Wild Fruiting Time: Tawaka fruits wild in NZ from late autumn to early winter - think March to July, with a peak around April to June. You might catch a few late clusters into August if it’s mild and wet.
Tawaka (Cyclocybe parasitica) is a striking golden mushroom that grows reliably and offers a delicious flavour. I compare it to the steak in a Philly cheese sandwich, as it pairs wonderfully with cheese.
Like Pekepeke-Kiore, Tawaka thrives on heat-sterilized sawdust blocks supplemented with either 20% bran or 50% soy hulls. For best results, perform inoculations using a still air box or a laminar flow hood.
Tawaka grows effectively using a log-style method with >>inoculated dowels - this is Sporeshift’s recommended approach for cultivating Poplar Mushrooms. Poplar trees are abundant and fairly accessible for most growers in New Zealand.
Tawaka features a moderately aggressive mycelium that can be parasitic to weakened or injured poplar trees, particularly those with open wounds. You’ll frequently spot Tawaka mushrooms fruiting on poplar trees after rainy spells in warmer months, often near the base, roots, or on exposed knots and splits. They’re an excellent species to learn to identify if you are interested in mushroom foraging, being relatively widespread across the country and prolific producers.
Pleurotus Pulmonarius in NZ: Native Phoenix Oyster or Import?
Scientific Name: Pleurotus Pulmonarius
Other Names: Native Phoenix Oyster, Native Grey Oyster, Italian Oyster, Often Mixed up with Pleurotus Ostreatus or Blue Oyster
Biogeographic profile: Pleurotus Pulmonarius is widespread throughout the world found in temperate and subtropical zones globally - believed to be possibly introduced into NZ and Australia. Popping up near urban areas since 1994 when commercial cultivation started.
Wild Fruiting Time: P. pulmonarius typically fruits wild in NZ from late summer to early autumn - think February to April, peaking around March. Sometimes it stretches into May with a later summer.
Is Pleurotus pulmonarius truly a native New Zealand Phoenix Oyster mushroom? I found it puzzling when I first noticed other mushroom farms marketing it as a native species. I’d always understood Pleurotus pulmonarius to be an introduced mushroom, not endemic to New Zealand. A few years back, some farms began labelling the Phoenix Oyster as native, and that idea has since spread throughout the NZ mushroom-growing community. So lets dig in a little.
Below is a list of mushrooms species approved for import by MPI, note Pulmonarius is the only "Native" mushroom mentioned on the MPI species list for import.
Image source link: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/import/plants-flowers-seeds-plant-growing-products/importing-fungi-growing/steps-to-importing-fungi-for-growing/
Conclusion: The earliest wild records of Pleurotus pulmonarius in New Zealand appear after 1994, coinciding with the start of its commercial cultivation here. New Zealand’s stringent biosecurity regulations were eased that year, enabling the introduction and cultivation of this species. This timing raises doubts about whether the Phoenix Oyster is truly native or, more likely, spread from imported commercial strains. Adding to this, most early wild sightings occurred near urban centres like Auckland and Wellington—areas close to where cultivation would have been concentrated and farm spore load high.
Labelling it an NZ Native Phoenix Oyster mushroom makes for effective branding, though to me it seems somewhat misleading. To clarify, Sporeshift’s primary Pleurotus pulmonarius strain isn’t derived from a wild New Zealand clone, so we don’t market it as a "Native NZ Oyster." Instead, we use a commercial strain optimised for grow-kit cultivation, ensuring our customers achieve a successful crop with high yields and some of the tastiest oyster mushrooms available with good shelf life after harvest.
Regardless of its native status, the Grey Oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius) is an exceptional mushroom to grow, performing well across a variety of substrates. Sporeshift recommends it as the ideal choice for beginners, including families, children, and school projects, thanks to its rapid growth—doubling in size every 24 hours—and impressive yields.
It thrives using the hydrated lime method on straw or sawdust and is an excellent option for >>bucket grow kit-style mushroom production.
For more information on NZ's beautiful mushrooms check out the >>Fungi Of Aotearoa book by our friend Liv Sisson, this book has a wide range of information and beautiful photography. The author, Liv Sisson, was one of our very first fungi friends; the first visitor to the Sporeshift farm - and even helped build this very website. The book covers edible and non-edible local species, foraging tips, identification guides, and includes a vast range of beautiful mushroom photography, all laid out in an easy-to-digest format.
NZ Pekepeke-Kiore vs Lions Mane - What does the research show?
Below are links and references to studies and data comparing NZ’s Pekepeke-Kiore (Hericium novae-zealandiae) with the true Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus). These resources can help you decide which option best supports you brain health and offers the most value for your money. Broken up into two sections, NZ Pekepeke first, followed by Lions Mane.
NZ Pekepeke-Kiore (Hericium novae-zealandiae)
This study shows Hericenone C was measured as comprising 0.75 mg/g dry weight of the mushroom.
I was not able to find any information on concentrations of Erinacine A, C and Q in NZ Pekepeke-Kiore (Hericium novae-zealandiae) fruit body.
This study states "Hericenone C was detected from the ethanol extract of H. novae-zealandiae, but erinacine A and hericenone D were not found present in this extract
True Lions Mane (Hericium Erinaceus)
Lions Mane the clear winner in all areas: 4-5x or more times higher in glucans, and up to 500x higher in Hericenones and Erinacines.
Hericenones are oxidation products on the geranyl side chain of hericenes. Their content has been reported to be around 2.36 mg/g dry weight of H. Erinaceus fruiting bodies.
Chiu et al. quantified the contents of Erinacine A, C, and Q in the mycelium of H. erinaceus to be 5 mg/g, 0.019 mg/g, and 0.094 mg/g dry weight, respectively.
Which Lions Mane brain health mushroom powder is best in NZ? - Sporeshift's Overall Conclusion:
Our native Lions mane is a beautiful mushroom with many great benefits, most certainly a great addition to your diet! If your goal is brain health and mental clarity, then the true Lions Mane is hands down the better product for this.
Pekepeke-Kiore is a fantastic eating mushroom with a beautiful crabmeat / crayfish like flavour profile, and studies do show it does have the same brain boosting compounds - just in much lower concentrations compared to Hericium Erinaceus.
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