DESCRIPTION
Cultivation Level : - Easy
Substrates : - Straw/Wood/Sawdust
Temps : Colonizing/Fruiting - 70-75/55-65
Coprinus comatus, the shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane, is a common fungus often seen growing on lawns, along gravel roads and waste areas. The young fruiting bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The caps are white, and covered with scales - this is the origin of the common names of the fungus. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores (hence the “ink cap” name). This mushroom is unusual because it will turn black and dissolve itself in a matter of hours after being picked or depositing spores.
When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is eaten soon after being collected (it keeps very badly because of the auto digestion of its gills and cap). If long term storage is desired, sauteing or simmering until done will allow you to either store the mushrooms in the refrigerator for several days or freeze them. Processing must be done whether for eating or storage within four to six hours of harvest to prevent undesirable changes to the mushroom.
The Gourmet category features high quality, live, liquid culture suspensions (not spores), in 10 ml. luer-lok syringes. Syringes are shipped capped with a separate sterile 16g syringe needle, and can be stored for several months in a cool location.