Premium NZ Lions Mane / Pekepeke-Kiore mushroom grain spawn – 100% colonised on locally sourced New Zealand grown wheat and ready to be mixed into your substrate for fruiting mushrooms. Spawn is ready to use as soon as it arrives.
 
NZ Lion's Mane (Pekepeke-Kiore) the classic native strain of Hericium novae-zealandiae. It produces attractive pure-white, coral-like icicle spines and branches (sometimes called Coral Tooth Mushroom), forming open cascading clusters. This wild strain is a good producer that eats sawdust bags down to nothing. A reliable, vigorous, wood-loving mushroom that grows well and tastes great!
 
Unique NZ Lion's Mane Culture Information
 
Scientific name: Hericium novae-zealandiae
Flavour & texture: Mild, slightly sweet flavour with delicate seafood notes (think fresh crab or lobster) and subtle nutty, earthy undertones. It’s uniquely delicious. Texture is tender and fluffy when young, turning beautifully meaty, slightly chewy and fibrous when cooked. It shreds perfectly like crab meat and stays firm without going slimy or watery.
Spawn Storage: If you cannot use your spawn right away you can store it for up to 4 months in the fridge. Spawn vitality cannot be guaranteed with fridge storage.
Difficulty: Medium - Not a super vigorous grower so care must be taken to keep work clean.
Growth speed: Average
Incubation time & temperature: 18-28days @ 23-25°C
Fruiting temperature: 15-24°C
Yield: Quite high over 2 flushes.
CO2 Tolerance: Very Good
Ideal Fruiting Humidity: 80-90%
Native status: Native - Endemic
Recommended Fruiting Substrates: Masters Mix (50% wood pellets / 50% soy hulls) or 20% Bran + 80% Pine Fire Pellets.
Substrate Preparation Method: 15PSI pressure sterilised substrate in filter patch bags or heat pasteurised (90-99deg for 12+ hours) substrate in filter patch bags
Growing Style: Top fruit with bag standing up or side fruit out of filter patch bags.
 
Receiving Spawn:
Upon receiving your spawn it is ideal to take it out of the box within a day or two, stand the top of the bag up so the filter patch is exposed and the spawn can breath. Keep in a room temperature (10-25°C) place out of direct sunlight until used.
 
Beginners / first-time growers:
If you’ve never used grain spawn before (or you’re not sure how to mix it into substrate), start with our >> Easy 5 Step Oyster Grow Kits instead.
These kits include grain spawn and bulk substrate with detailed step-by-step instructions that teach you exactly how to use spawn to grow mushrooms. It’s the easiest way to learn the whole process hands-on.
 
All spawn and culture work is done in-house in our own laboratory.
 
All spawn cultures we offer have been sourced within NZ or imported under MPI import permit with permission to on-sell.
 
Customers who buy Mushroom Grain Spawn often also purchase:
 
>> NZ Lions Mane grow kit - ready made
 
>> Sterilized Grain for growing mushrooms
 
>> Dowel (Plug) Spawn - for mushrooms logs (NZ Lion's Mane Option)
 
>> Mushroom Liquid Cultures - (NZ Lion's Mane Option)
 
>> Mushroom Cultures on Agar (NZ Lion's Mane Option)
 
Always identify any mushroom before consuming!