Oyster Mushroom

September 4, 2011

After button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are the most-cultivated mushroom in the Western world.  Their high rate of growth, resistance to disease, and higher tolerance to humidity, temperature, and growth media makes them an superior choice to slower or more temperamental mushrooms.

Oysters are also sought after while mushrooming.  They grow wild over a large geographic area in temperate and subtropical forests.  Seek education; toxic lookalikes exist.

Oyster mushrooms have found use medicinally. They contain cholesterol-lowering statins.  Lovastatin is representative of this class of enzymes.