If you’ve never heard of it, you’re missing the king of mushrooms. Well, in fact, it’s not a mushroom at all. Hyphomycetes lactifluorum, the lobster mushroom, is a parasite.
That’s right– it’s a parasite!
So the first thing you need to know about growing lobster mushrooms is that they require other mushrooms to grow.
When a fungus takes over, the mushroom will take on a distinct “lobster-red” color, which is how this fungus gets its name.
The bacterium H. lactifluorum grows on the milk-cap and brittlegills fungi that are plentiful in the North American forests. Given appropriate conditions, these species are all consumed and it’s hard to tell which one is the parasite.
The transformation is not just physical; it’s also metabolic and genetic, creating something completely new!
You might be thinking that an organism like this would be the last thing you’d want to eat. But lobster mushrooms are quite a delicacy.
Surprisingly – it has a very pleasingly firm and dense texture, and a seafood-like taste. It has been foraged and can even be in stores in the mid-west.
This edible fungus can be expensive, so if you were able to grow it yourself, you could potentially save $$$ and eat like a chef. Some artists even use the orange-red hue of the lobster mushroom as a dye.
Lobster mushroom varieties
There are two kinds of lobster mushrooms:
- Red lobster mushrooms are those that the parasite has completely taken over.
- White lobster mushrooms form during a partial takeover of the host mushroom, while the color change is in progress.
Both types of lobster mushrooms have the same aroma, texture, and flavor.
White lobster mushrooms are more unusual to find in the wild because they are harder to recognize while foraging.
Lobster mushroom benefits
If you’re creating a garden, consider planting lobster mushrooms to add a new ectotrophic edible variety.
Lobster mushrooms are a nutritious and meaty addition to your meals and rich in the following nutrients:
- Fiber
- Copper
- Selenium
- Potassium
- Vitamins B, D, and K
- Zinc
You can grow lobster mushrooms in your backyard or homestead
Lobster mushrooms are a delectable, often foraged delicacy, but with a little effort, you can have this tasty fungi growing in your backyard.
However, getting lobster mushrooms to grow involves a little more than placing some rotten material into a bag and seeing what happens.
As stated in this video, lobster mushrooms are some of the most challenging fungi to cultivate:
This is because you have to first grow another species of mushroom and infect it with H. lactifluorum.
That said, it’s not impossible.
Continue reading for the steps (to grow lobster mushrooms).
Where can I grow lobster mushrooms?
The lobster mushroom is native to North America, but a similar species exists in northern Europe and Russia.
Lobster mushrooms grow in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 through 7 and can be foraged or cultivated in these zones.
They are most often found in the Midwest, or Northwestern United States and the Central to Southern Canada area.
What is the lobster mushroom growing season?
These fungi can be found in the wild from the end of July until the end of October.
Soil temperatures in the range of 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.7) to 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15) will provide the best temperatures for growth.
How to grow lobster mushrooms
Step 1: start growing host mushrooms for H. lactifluorum
Don’t forget, if you want lobster mushrooms to grow in your yard, you have to learn how to grow the host species.
You’ll need to get mushroom spawn of these host mushrooms and produce them in a clean place.
Here are the two species you can grow your lobster mushrooms from:
- Russula brevipes, or the stubby brittlegill is edible alone but you can alter the flavor with a H. lactifluorum inoculation.
- Lactarius piperatus, or the peppery milkcap mushroom, is a second edible species that can be grown from spawn to make lobster mushrooms. That’s right, peppery milkcap mushrooms, as the name implies, do have a peppery flavor.
Step 2: prepare a clean growing area for your mushrooms
Mushroom spawn requires an uncontaminated, dark, nutrient-dense environment to grow well.
Keeping everything as clean as possible is important to prevent contamination with bacteria and fungal growth after planting.
The best place for you to grow is a shed, cold frame, or basement.
You can grow the mushroom spawn in mushroom compost that is mixed with:
- woodchips
- sawdust
- or wood
Step 3: wait for the mushroom mycelium to develop
Mycelium is similar to the root network of the mushrooms and will spread before the mushrooms themselves grow.
After the mycelium expands, you can divide it to produce mushroom colonies.
To incorporate the mycelium, take pieces of mycelium, and place them into your prepared compost materials, coaxing it to grow.
Step 4: water sparingly
To keep your mushrooms healthy, you need to water them lightly.
Fill up a spray bottle with water and spray them both in the morning and evening.
Step 5: introduce hypomyces lactifluorum parasite
After mushrooms become established, you will want to inoculate them with the hypomyces lactifluorum parasite.
This will allow for the conversion into delicious lobster mushrooms.
Without the parasite, you will just have a harvest of the host mushroom species.
Where can I get hypomyces lactifluorum?
Fresh Hypomyces lactifluorum Mycelium culture, spawn, or spores can be sourced from specialty retailers online.
A number of specialists who supply mushroom farmers sell them refrigerated cultures of this fungus that you can use.
Step 6: wait for lobster mushroom fruit bodies to develop
The lobster mushrooms will fruitpush in a cluster in all kinds of shapes and sizes.
Watch your crop closely and harvest them at the right time when they are fully formed and are brightly colored.
Lobster mushroom pests and diseases
Lobster mushrooms do not appear to have any significant diseases, however they can be susceptible to pests that make holes in the fungus and can actually burrow inside of them.
Holes can also occur from slugs as well.
If the conditions in which the lobster mushrooms are growing in become unsanitary, the lobster mushrooms can be covered with bacteria or molds or molds.
In this case, the flesh of the lobster mushroom may be soft and gray, while the outer surface can be an even darker red.
These lobster mushrooms should be thrown away.
Harvesting and storing your lobster mushrooms
Remove the lobster mushroom fruitbody by cutting it at its stem. The stem tends to be white, yellow, or orange red on the mushroom which is fine.
After harvesting comes post-harvest processing, where you can eat or store the crop safely.
Here is the general process.
Remove surface dirt with a vegetable brush
Gently remove compost and other debris.
Be very careful when cleaning away debris as you can damage the mushroom.
You can also clean any cracks you can see on the surface too.
Wipe down the mushrooms with a damp paper towel
Use a damp paper towel or dish cloth to wipe your fungi clean to make sure they are clean and free of dirt before storage.
Store your mushrooms whole
Lobster mushrooms will last best when stored whole.
Put them in a clean cardboard box and store them in a cool dark place.
Dry excess mushrooms
You can get your lobster mushrooms ready for longer term storage by letting them dry out.
Once dried out, you can store them in the fridge until you use them.
Using your lobster mushrooms
Lobster mushrooms are best when prepared and eaten right away.
Don’t eat the lobster mushrooms raw. You can use these fungi in different dishes by:
- Sautéing
- Braising
- Baking
The flesh of the lobster mushrooms stays firm after being cooked, and is really good in soups, with pasta or in stews.
Here are some good recipes for lobster mushrooms:
- Sauteed lobster mushrooms
- Lobster mushroom rolls
Butter-braised lobster mushrooms
Lobster mushroom bisque
Thin and crispy lobster mushrooms
Rounding up
Lobster mushrooms are definitely a gourmet delicacy, and you can grow these special fungi yourself and enjoy as much as you want.
Avoid the forage and grow these unusual fungi yourself.