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Late Fall Olive Oysterling / Mukitake Plug Spawn - (Sarcomyxa serotina)

Late Fall Olive Oysterling / Mukitake Plug Spawn - (Sarcomyxa serotina)

$18.00
$18.00
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(Sarcomyxa serotina)

Grow a Beautiful Cold-Weather Gourmet Mushroom on Hardwood Logs

Mukitake, also known as the Late Fall Olive Oysterling, is a striking woodland mushroom with olive-green, yellow, violet, and purple tones that can make each cap look almost galaxy-colored.

Although its shelf-like shape resembles an oyster mushroom, Mukitake is not a true oyster. It produces tightly packed yellow gills and a thick, buttery texture that makes it one of the most memorable mushrooms of the late fall season.

Each package includes approximately 100 colonized hardwood plugs by weight, ready to inoculate freshly cut hardwood logs for long-term outdoor cultivation.

🌱 Why You’ll Love It

  • 🍄 Beautiful olive, violet, yellow, and purple coloration
  • ❄️ Fruits during cold late-fall and early-winter weather
  • 🥘 Savory, meaty flavor with a buttery texture
  • 🌳 Grows on several common hardwood species
  • 🍂 Extends the outdoor mushroom harvest into October, November, and December

Why Grow Mukitake Mushrooms?

Mukitake is an excellent choice for growers looking for an unusual gourmet mushroom that fruits when many other cultivated species have finished for the year.

It is valued because it is:

❄️ A True Cold-Weather Fruiter

Mukitake produces its best color and heaviest yields when temperatures fall below approximately 55°F.

🍄 Exceptionally Beautiful

The caps can display greenish-yellow, olive, violet, and purple hues, while the underside develops tightly packed yellow gills.

🍽️ Delicious When Properly Cooked

Mukitake has a savory, meaty, slightly sweet flavor with a soft, buttery texture.

🌳 Well Suited to Hardwood Logs

It can be cultivated outdoors on several broadleaf hardwood species using the raft method after colonization.

🍽️ What Does Mukitake Taste Like?

Mukitake mushrooms have a:

  • Savory flavor
  • Meaty character
  • Slight natural sweetness
  • Rich, buttery texture

They are excellent:

  • Sautéed
  • Added to soups and stews
  • Cooked into sauces
  • Served over rice or grains
  • Added to noodle dishes
  • Paired with roasted vegetables
  • Cooked with meat or poultry

Mukitake can taste bitter when undercooked. For the best flavor and texture, cook it thoroughly for at least 15 minutes.

🌳 Where Can I Grow It?

Mukitake grows outdoors on broadleaf hardwood logs, including:

  • Sugar maple
  • Beech
  • Oak
  • Black cherry
  • Other suitable hardwood species

It may occasionally occur on conifer wood in the wild, but hardwood logs are the recommended choice for cultivation.

For best results:

  • Use healthy, freshly cut hardwood logs.
  • Keep the logs in a shaded, humid area during colonization.
  • Arrange the mature logs together on the ground using the raft method.
  • Maintain consistent moisture and protect the wood from drying out.

Mukitake thrives in humid conditions, especially as temperatures cool.

What Makes It Special?

Mukitake stands apart from many other cultivated mushrooms because of its unusual combination of color, texture, and fruiting season.

When temperatures remain cold:

  • Caps develop their desired olive and violet coloration.
  • Fruiting can be especially abundant below 55°F.
  • Harvests may continue into early winter.
  • The thick caps develop a satisfying, buttery consistency.

When conditions are too warm, the developing mushrooms may appear more yellow and may not develop their characteristic purple-olive tones.

What to Expect

  • Outdoor logs typically require approximately 18 months to colonize before their first harvest.
  • Mukitake generally fruits from October through December, depending on climate.
  • Preferred fruiting temperatures are approximately 32–55°F.
  • High humidity is important for successful fruiting.
  • The raft method is recommended after the logs are fully colonized.
  • Properly maintained logs may continue producing for several seasons.

Mukitake takes longer to establish than many oyster mushrooms, but its cold-season harvest and exceptional culinary texture make it worth the wait.

🍄 How to Grow: Quick Overview

  1. Select healthy, freshly cut hardwood logs.
  2. Drill holes in a diamond pattern around each log.
  3. Insert one colonized plug into each hole.
  4. Seal the holes with wax.
  5. Place the logs in a shaded, humid outdoor location.
  6. Allow approximately 18 months for colonization.
  7. Arrange the mature logs together on the ground like a raft.
  8. Maintain moisture and watch for fruiting during cold late-fall weather.

Shipping & Freshness

  • Includes approximately 100 colonized plugs by weight
  • Available year-round
  • Produced fresh for vigorous colonization
  • Refrigerate until ready to use
  • Do not freeze

📚 Need Help Getting Started?

ARTICLES

INSTRUCTIONS

What is included?
Each package contains approximately 100 colonized hardwood dowel plugs by weight.
What is Mukitake plug spawn used for?
Plug spawn is used to inoculate freshly cut hardwood logs for long-term outdoor mushroom cultivation.
Is Mukitake an oyster mushroom?
No. Its shelf-like shape resembles an oyster mushroom, but Mukitake is not a true oyster mushroom.
What does Mukitake look like?
It produces thick caps with olive-green, yellow, violet, and purple tones and tightly packed yellow gills.
What does Mukitake taste like?
Mukitake has a savory, meaty, slightly sweet flavor with a soft, buttery texture.
Why can Mukitake taste bitter?
Mukitake may retain bitterness when it is undercooked. Cook it thoroughly for at least 15 minutes.
How should I cook Mukitake?
It can be sautéed, added to soups, stews, sauces, noodles, rice dishes, and other fully cooked recipes.
Which logs work best?
Sugar maple, beech, oak, black cherry, and other suitable broadleaf hardwoods are recommended.
Can I grow Mukitake on conifer logs?
It is occasionally found on conifers in the wild, but broadleaf hardwood logs are recommended for cultivation.
How should I position the logs?
After colonization, arrange the logs together on the ground like a raft in a shaded, humid location.
Why is the raft method recommended?
Keeping the logs together near the ground helps conserve moisture and creates the humid conditions Mukitake prefers.
How long before mushrooms appear?
Mukitake logs typically require approximately 18 months of colonization before their first harvest.
When does Mukitake fruit?
It commonly fruits during late fall and early winter, often from October through December depending on the local climate.
What temperatures does Mukitake prefer?
It generally fruits between approximately 32–55°F.
Why are my mushrooms yellow instead of purple or olive?
Warmer fruiting conditions may produce more yellow coloration. The desired olive and violet tones develop best in colder weather.
Does Mukitake need high humidity?
Yes. High humidity and consistent moisture are important for fruit development.
How long will the logs produce?
Properly maintained logs may continue producing mushrooms for several seasons as the wood gradually decomposes.
Is Mukitake beginner-friendly?
It is reasonably easy to cultivate, but it requires patience, a long colonization period, and reliably cold fruiting weather.
Can I grow these plugs indoors?
These plugs are intended primarily for outdoor hardwood logs. Indoor cultivation generally requires supplemented sterilized sawdust and controlled cold-weather fruiting conditions.
Do I need to seal the holes with wax?
Yes. Wax helps retain moisture and protects the inoculation points from insects and competing fungi.
How should I store the plugs?
Refrigerate the plugs until you are ready to inoculate your logs. Do not freeze them.

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