Trametes versicolor - Turkey Tail Genetics

Turkey Tail

Scientific Name: Trametes versicolor

Common Names: Turkey Rail, Kawaratake, Yun Zhi, Cloud Mushroom

Description:  A polypore mushroom used to make teas, tinctures, and as a medicinal herb.  Beautiful slightly hairy fruit body with bands of multicolored and brown hues on the top, white pores on the bottom. T. versicolor is the source of the medicinal biomacromolecule  Polysaccharide-K (PSK) which is used as an anti-cancer drug in many Asian countries. Turkeytail is adaptive to many types of wood, including some softwoods, and grows as heartily as a weed.

Growth Conditions

Petri Dish, Slant, or Liquid Culture
Growth Medium: Malt extract or potato water agar
Temperature: 23-30 deg C

Spawn Run
Growth Medium:  Unsupplemented hardwood sawdust
Temperature: 23-30 deg C
Bag Filter Type: "A"

Primordia Formation
Temperature:  18-24 deg C
Humidity: 95-100 %
Time (days): 1-2 weeks
Light (Lux): 500-2000 lux

Fruit-body Growth
Temperature:  18-28 deg C
Humidity: 75-95 %
Time: 6-10 weeks
Light: 700-1500 lux

Harvest Hint:  When fruitbodies start to form at the top of the bag, cut many slits in the sides .  Squeeze the air out.  The air rushing through the holes promotes primordia formation at the correct spots.  Twist up the excess plastic at the top of the bag and leave the bag upside down to fruit.  When the growing edge darkens it is time to harvest.  The bag can be left for a second flush, or used as spawn to inoculate logs.