Reishi Mushroom - 2.2KG Ready To Fruit Block

• Antler-like primordia pushing through within 2–4 weeks in warm, humid conditions
• Thick, woody growth developing over the following weeks — antlers in a still, high-CO₂ environment, or flat lacquered conks with more airflow
• A genuine CO₂ lift for your grow tent or greenhouse while the block is actively fruiting
• Firm, glossy, deep mahogany-red fruiting bodies, ready to cut and dry once the growing edge narrows
• 300–400 g fresh yield on the first flush, with up to 4 flushes for those willing to wait

Why hardwood & bran supports strong Reishi growth: Hardwood provides the lignocellulosic backbone — the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin that Ganoderma species evolved to break down over months in the wild. The organic wheat bran fraction adds nitrogen that fuels denser, more resilient growth. Every block is sterilised and fully colonised in controlled conditions before it leaves the farm — and with Reishi's naturally slow metabolism, that head start matters more here than with almost any other species we grow.

Why CO₂ decides the shape: Ganoderma species read carbon dioxide concentration as an environmental cue. Trapped with limited airflow, CO₂ builds past roughly 5,000 ppm and the fungus grows upward and outward as antlers, chasing fresh air rather than releasing spores. Drop CO₂ below around 800 ppm with steady air exchange and it flattens into a lacquered, spore-releasing conk instead. Neither form is "better" — antlers are simply the fungus's response to being starved of air, and research suggests they carry the same beneficial compounds as a mature conk.

Fruiting temperature	22–28°C (23–25°C is the sweet spot) — warmer than any oyster in our range, and naturally suited to Queensland's subtropical climate
Humidity	85–95%, easing slightly as fruiting bodies mature
Fresh air	Low = antlers, high = flat conks — your choice shapes the outcome
Light	Bright but indirect — never direct sun
Time to first growth	Antler-like primordia within 2–4 weeks
Time to maturity	Several weeks to a few months of continued growth after that
First-flush yield	300–400 g fresh weight under good conditions
Total flushes	Up to 4, with weeks of rest between each

Flush	Timing	What to expect
1st	Primordia in 2–4 weeks · harvest 8–16 weeks from opening the block	300–400 g fresh — the biggest and most reliable flush
2nd–4th	Several weeks' rest between each	Progressively smaller and slower to mature, until the block is spent

Timing varies with temperature, humidity and airflow. Reishi is a slow, low-yield species grown for its compounds and provenance, not for volume.

🍵 Brewing your Reishi

Slice fresh fruiting bodies into 2–5mm strips and dry at 40–50°C until hard and brittle — properly dried Reishi keeps almost indefinitely in an airtight container out of light. To brew, simmer 20–30g of dried Reishi per 500ml of water for 20–25 minutes; the result is earthy and notably bitter, and works well cut with honey, ginger or a stronger-flavoured tea. It's a preparation, not a dish — Reishi isn't eaten fresh or raw.

⚡ Using it as a CO₂ generator: Remove the filter patch tape and position an actively fruiting block in your grow tent, greenhouse or mushroom-growing space. Respiration from the colonised substrate gives off meaningful CO₂ as a byproduct — enough to noticeably lift levels in a small enclosed space without a dedicated generator. This is the only block in our range built to double up this way.

If you can't fruit straight away, store the sealed block somewhere cool and dark below 18°C for up to 2 weeks. Handle it gently — the mycelium inside is alive and ready to go. Once harvested and dried, Reishi keeps far longer: store the dried, sliced fruiting bodies in an airtight container out of light and they'll be good for a year or more.

Herbalists and tea or tincture makers · adaptogenic and functional mushroom enthusiasts · growers wanting a genuine, low-effort CO₂ source for a grow tent or greenhouse · small commercial farms diversifying beyond culinary varieties · workshops and educational demonstrations · patient home growers after a longer-term project.

~2.2 KG block, sterilised and fully colonised with Reishi mycelium before dispatch. No fillers, no additives — just substrate and mycelium.

Variety	Character
Pearl Oyster	The benchmark culinary oyster — mild, fastest-pinning, high-yielding	View
Pioppino	Rich, deep flavour for the serious kitchen cook	View
Lion's Mane 'HULK'	Dense, oversized white pompoms — culinary and brain-health favourite	View
Chestnut Mushroom	Firm, nutty and slow to spoil — a chef's staple	View

Kai Kai Farm is a family operation on Tamborine Mountain in Queensland's Scenic Rim. We grow gourmet mushrooms commercially — oysters, lion's mane, pioppino, chestnut — and we sell blocks cut from the same production we fruit ourselves.

We're growers, not resellers. Every block is mixed, sterilised and colonised here on the mountain, using methods refined over years of commercial gourmet and medicinal mushroom production. What arrives at your door is genuinely fresh — inoculated, colonised and packed to order, with verified contamination-free cultures and full transparency from substrate to shelf.

Whether you're fruiting one block on a kitchen bench or running a rack of them through a market garden, this is the block we grow ourselves. It's the one we'd hand a first-timer, and the one our commercial buyers keep coming back for.