How to Grow Lion's Mane
Lion's Mane At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Mushroom
Sun Exposure
Full Shade
Frost Tolerance
Not Applicable
Plant Family
Hericiaceae
Growing Season
Year Round
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
A ready-made kit is the easiest way to start: it comes already full of mushroom roots (the white threads that feed on the sawdust inside). Cut a small X in the plastic where the kit says, set it in a bright spot out of direct sun, and mist the opening 2 to 3 times a day. The first mushroom usually forms in about 2 to 3 weeks.
Safety first: only eat mushrooms that grew from a kit or spawn you bought, right where you put it. Wild mushrooms, some of them deadly, can pop up in the same pots, logs or wood chips, so if one looks even a little different, don't eat it. Lion's mane grows as a soft, white ball of hanging spines instead of a cap and stem, and once cooked, it tastes a little like crab or lobster. It likes cool, very damp air with a little fresh air each day, so a kitchen counter away from the heater suits it well.
When To Start
Lion's Mane grows all year in the right spot, so there is no window to wait for.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Lion's Mane?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Lion's Mane Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Lion's Mane Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Open your lion's mane kit and start misting it
About 0 days after you plant it
Pick lion's mane while the spines are short and white
About 16 days after you plant it
Rest your kit, then mist it again for a second crop
About 32 days after you plant it· optional
Your lion's mane kit is waking up! Mist the opening once or twice a day to keep it humid.
About 7 days after you plant it
Your lion's mane is growing! Cut the whole pom-pom while the spines are still short and white.
About 14 days after you plant it
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
Yes: stagger inoculations for a steady supply.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Only ever eat mushrooms that grew from your own kit or spawn, and throw out any that look even a little different from the rest, because wild look-alikes, some of them deadly, can sprout in the same spot.
- 2Keep the kit in a bright room but out of direct sun, which dries it out.
- 3Mist the opening 2 to 3 times a day, or cover it loosely with a clear plastic bag with a few holes, to keep the air damp.
- 4Open the bag or fan it once a day to give it fresh air.
- 5If the spines look pink, yellow or fuzzy, the air is too dry, so mist more often.
- 6A cool spot suits it better than a warm one, so keep it away from heaters and sunny windows.
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
14 days
When to Pick
Cut the whole 'pom-pom' while the spines are short and white, before they yellow
How to Harvest
- 1Pick lion's mane when it is full and round and the spines are short and pure white.
- 2Do not wait for it to turn yellow or brown, since it then turns bitter and tough.
- 3Cut it off whole at the base with a sharp knife, or twist it off gently.
- 4Let the kit rest for 1 to 2 weeks, then soak or mist it again, and a second, smaller crop often follows.
- 5Always cook it, torn into pieces and fried in butter until golden, and keep extra in a paper bag in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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