Parts Most Frequently Used: Whole fruit or sclerotium​

Flavors/Temps: Sweet, Bland, Neutral

Caution: Considered safe, though it is not recommended in large doses for daily, long-term use.

Key Constituents: Triterpenoids, Polysaccharides, Ergosterol, Caprylic acid, Undecanoic acid, Lauric acid, Histamines, Glucose, Sterols, Enzymes, Fatty acids, and other Elements

History/Folklore: Poria was once used to make a variety of delicacies and snacks for members of the royal family. The fungus has a long history of use in Southern China where it was ground into a powder and used daily. In China, it is an important herb for treating edema and signs of Dampness in the body. It is one of the most commonly prescribed herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, often used as a tonic to boost immune function.

Poria is considered an excellent Yin tonic and is often used as a good balancing agent to Yang tonic herbs such as ginseng. The ancients of China said that Fu Ling (Poria) “Restores and refreshes the body and mind, and if used regularly it will prolong life.”

Poria is used in China as a medicinal herb and a food in traditional cooking. The part used is the inner white part of the fungus mass. Poria is described as odorless, with little overall nutritional value, providing some carbohydrates, but no protein value. The Chinese made poria flour for cakes and bread called Fu Ling Jia Bing, a popular traditional snack food in Beijing that came to be known as Tuckahoe Pie through Western cultural influence. The term “Tuckahoe” originated as a generic reference in American literature to the edible roots or “sclerotia” of Peltandra virginica, commonly called “arrow arum” as well as the sclerotia of other edible mushrooms. In Florida, where such mushrooms were plentiful, it was often used by Native Americans as food, leading to the other common name “Indian bread.”

Due to poria’s high fiber content, it is cut into thin slices for making decoctions and teas. Generally, 9-30 g is recommended for a daily dose, with up to 60 g being prescribed as a daily dose given for 1-3 months as a treatment for schizophrenia. Poria has very low toxicity.

Poria benefits the Triple Warmer (San Jiao) which plays a vital role in maintaining the health of the internal organs. The Triple Warmer (San Jiao) regulates the production of energy from food and air and the elimination of wastes.

Poria helps regulate blood sugar. It is a perfect herb for anyone battling a long or debilitating illness. It Tonifies the Spleen, helping to build both Qi and Blood. They are mainly cultivated today in China. The species grown in Yunnan Province, called “Yun Ling”, is considered the best quality. It grows on the roots of fir trees. It was given the botanical name, Pachyma hoelen, derived from an original Dutch designation, by the Dutch botanist Georg E. Rumphius. Hoelen is a Dutch surname by which Rumphius was honoring a friend. Around one hundred years later, the American mycologist Frederick A. Wolf renamed it Poria cocos in his major work on mushrooms. Its name was again changed in the 1980s to Wolfiporia cocos, then Wolfiporia extensa.

In Chinese history, Poria was thought to have arisen due to the transformation of pine resin. The belief was that after a thousand years, the resin became Poria, and after another thousand years it became Fu Shen(aka “Poria spirit”), the part of the fungus that grows around the roots of pine trees and is famous for countering anxiety and calming the mind and spirit. After another thousand years, it was thought to become amber (which actually is derived from pine resin), and after still another thousand years it would become crystal quartz.

Chi Fu Ling (which translates as, “the red Fu Ling”) is a different plant from Fu Ling. It is cold in nature, promotes urination, and treats Damp-Heat syndromes. It does not Tonify the Spleen, nor Calm the Mind the way Fu Ling does.