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Wood Ear Plug Spawn (Auricularia polytricha)

Wood Ear Plug Spawn (Auricularia polytricha)

$18.00
$18.00
Sale Sold Out

(Auricularia polytricha)

Grow Crunchy, Tender Wood Ear Mushrooms on Hardwood Logs

Wood Ear is a unique gourmet mushroom prized for its pleasantly crunchy texture rather than its flavor. Popular throughout Asian cuisine, it absorbs the flavors of the dishes it is cooked with while adding a satisfying bite to soups, stir-fries, ramen, and salads.

Our Wood Ear strain was cloned from a wild specimen growing in the forests of South Carolina and has been successfully tested on hardwood logs here at Mushroom Mountain. This particular strain produces darker fruiting bodies with soft gray-white hairs covering the outer surface and margins, giving it a distinctive appearance.

Each package includes approximately 100 colonized hardwood plugs by weight, ready to inoculate freshly cut hardwood logs.

🌱 Why You'll Love It

  • 🍄 Wild South Carolina strain selected by Mushroom Mountain
  • 🥢 Crisp, tender texture perfect for Asian-inspired dishes
  • 🌳 Grows well on hardwood logs, especially oak
  • 🍂 Fruits during cool to mild weather
  • 🌿 Easy to add to soups, stir-fries, ramen, and salads

Why Grow Wood Ear Mushrooms?

Wood Ear is unlike almost any other cultivated mushroom.

It is loved because it is:

🥢 All About Texture

Rather than a bold mushroom flavor, Wood Ear contributes a satisfying, crunchy bite that complements countless recipes.

🍜 A Kitchen Favorite

Its ability to absorb surrounding flavors makes it an excellent ingredient in broths, soups, noodle dishes, and stir-fries.

🌳 Well Suited to Outdoor Log Cultivation

Wood Ear performs well on hardwood logs placed in shaded, humid outdoor environments.

🍄 A Beautiful Native Selection

This Mushroom Mountain strain was collected from the forests of South Carolina and selected for outdoor log cultivation.

🍽️ What Does Wood Ear Taste Like?

Wood Ear mushrooms have:

  • A very mild, neutral flavor
  • Crisp, slightly chewy texture
  • Excellent ability to absorb sauces and seasonings

They are excellent:

  • In ramen
  • Added to soups
  • Stir-fries
  • Fried rice
  • Asian noodle dishes
  • Fresh salads
  • Dumplings
  • Hot pots

Their unique texture is what makes them such a popular ingredient around the world.

🌳 Where Can I Grow It?

Wood Ear grows best on hardwood logs, especially:

  • Oak
  • Other healthy hardwood species

For best results:

  • Select freshly cut hardwood logs.
  • Place inoculated logs in a shaded location.
  • Maintain consistent moisture during colonization.
  • Protect the logs from prolonged drying.

What Makes It Special?

This strain was:

  • Collected from the wild forests of South Carolina
  • Cloned and evaluated at Mushroom Mountain
  • Selected for successful outdoor log cultivation

Unlike the more commonly encountered Wood Ear species, this strain develops:

  • Darker fruiting bodies
  • Soft gray-white hairs on the outer surface
  • Distinctive fuzzy margins

Its unusual appearance makes it just as attractive as it is delicious.

What to Expect

  • Outdoor logs commonly require approximately 8–12 months or longer to colonize.
  • Wood Ear typically fruits during cool to mild weather.
  • Fruiting generally occurs between approximately 50–70°F.
  • Established logs may continue producing mushrooms for several seasons.
  • Colonization and fruiting time depend on wood species, moisture, climate, and growing conditions.

Because Wood Ear often fruits after periods of rain, maintaining adequate moisture is important for reliable production.

🍄 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. Keep the wood consistently moist during colonization.
  7. Watch for fruiting after rainy periods and during favorable temperatures.

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 Wood Ear plug spawn used for?
Plug spawn is used to inoculate freshly cut hardwood logs for long-term outdoor mushroom cultivation.
What do Wood Ear mushrooms taste like?
Wood Ear has a very mild, neutral flavor. It is prized primarily for its crunchy, slightly chewy texture rather than its taste.
How should I cook Wood Ear mushrooms?
They are excellent in ramen, soups, stir-fries, fried rice, noodle dishes, salads, dumplings, and hot pots because they absorb surrounding flavors well.
Which logs work best?
Oak is especially recommended, although other healthy hardwood logs may also be suitable.
What makes this strain different?
This Mushroom Mountain strain was cloned from a wild specimen found in the forests of South Carolina. It produces darker fruiting bodies with soft gray-white hairs on the outer surface and margins.
How long before mushrooms appear?
Outdoor logs commonly require approximately 8–12 months or longer to colonize before fruiting.
What temperatures does Wood Ear prefer?
Wood Ear generally fruits between approximately 50–70°F.
How long will the logs produce?
Properly maintained logs may continue producing mushrooms for several seasons.
Does Wood Ear fruit after rain?
Yes. Like many wood-loving mushrooms, Wood Ear often fruits after periods of adequate rainfall and humidity.
Is Wood Ear beginner-friendly?
Yes. It is a rewarding mushroom for growers interested in unique culinary species.
Can I grow these plugs indoors?
These plugs are intended primarily for outdoor hardwood logs. Indoor cultivation generally uses supplemented hardwood sawdust.
Do I need to seal the holes with wax?
Yes. Wax helps retain moisture and protects the plugs from insects and competing fungi.
How should I store the plugs?
Keep the plugs refrigerated until you are ready to inoculate your logs. Do not freeze them.

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