Lion's Mane

Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) is an edible mushroom that grows as a rounded clump of long, white, icicle-like spines, giving it the look of a shaggy mane or a frozen waterfall. It is one of the most recognizable functional mushrooms and a favorite among chefs and foragers alike.

Where it grows

In the wild, lion's mane grows on hardwood trees such as oak, beech, maple and walnut across North America, Europe and Asia, usually in late summer and fall. It often appears on wounded or dying trunks, sometimes well above the ground. Because wild specimens can be hard to find, most lion's mane today is cultivated indoors on sawdust or grain.

Names around the world

• Japan: yamabushitake, named after the mountain-dwelling Buddhist monks whose robes carried similar tufted decorations.
• China: hóu tóu gū, or "monkey head mushroom," a prized ingredient in banquet cooking.
• English: also called bearded tooth, hedgehog mushroom or pom pom mushroom.

In the kitchen

Fresh lion's mane has a tender, stringy texture that many cooks compare to crab or lobster. It is often torn into pieces, pan-seared in butter or oil until golden, and used in "crab cake" style recipes. The flavor is mild and slightly sweet, which makes it one of the easier mushrooms to pair with other ingredients, including cocoa.

Research and tradition

Lion's mane contains two groups of compounds, hericenones (mostly in the fruiting body) and erinacines (mostly in the mycelium), that have been the subject of laboratory research. It also appears in traditional Chinese food culture. Research is ongoing, and results depend heavily on species, preparation and the part of the mushroom used.

Lion's mane and Polkadot

Lion's mane is one of the species most often associated with the modern functional mushroom movement that inspires our products. Every Polkadot confection is built around a functional, adaptogenic mushroom blend paired with Belgian chocolate or fruit-forward recipes. Learn more in our functional mushroom chocolate guide.