Flavors/Temps: Bitter, Warming

Caution: Non-toxic, can be eaten daily.

History/Folklore: The botanical name, “Ganoderma” derives from the Greek and Latin roots meaning “brightness or sheen” describing the appearance of the mushrooms caps.

The Japanese name is Rieshi. Other words for Reishi can be translated as “sage mushroom, grandchild ladle and departure mushroom.”

The Chinese name is Ling Zhi.  In Chinese, “Ling Zhi” is made up of the compounds, “Ling” meaning “spirit, soul, miraculous, sacred, divine, mysterious or effective” and “Zhi” meaning “plant of longevity, fungus, seed, branch, or mushroom”.  Taken together, “Ling Zhi” can mean “auspicious plant, divine mushroom or immortality plant, magic fungus or marvelous fungus.”

Ling Zhi mushrooms have been used in Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years , making them one of the oldest mushrooms known to be used medicinally. They were originally thought to be an elixir of life for gaining immortality.  As such, they were valued by Taoist monks for both their properties of increasing health and aiding the development of spritual experiences and understanding. Ling Zhi was said to “absorb earthly vapors and leave a heavenly atmosphere.”

In China, only two or three out of 10,000 aged trees still have Ling Zhi growing at their bases, making the wild variety extremely rare. In Japan 99% of all wild mushrooms are found on old Japanese plum trees, but are so rare that only a few are found per 100,000 plum trees.

The polysaccharides in the mushrooms provide the anticancer effect by preventing abnormal blood vessel formation while also boosting immunity. The triterpenes protect the liver, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, fight allergic responses triggered by histamine and also possess anticancer activity.

Reishi also enhance bone marrow nucleated cell production as well as increase white blood cells and hemoglobin.