Matsutake
Tricholoma matsutake
Matsutake has never been cultivated. The fungus lives on pine roots, and no one has yet produced mushrooms from mycorrhizal seedlings planted in the field.
Tricholoma matsutake is an ectomycorrhizal mushroom prized in Japan. A 2021 review says mycorrhizal synthesis for matsutake has so far been obtained only in vitro, and that mycorrhization technology is still challenging or expensive. It adds that field planting of mycorrhizal seedlings has yet to be followed by fruiting bodies. Recent in vitro work in Japan combined spores and pure mycelium to inoculate Japanese red pine seedlings and to encourage a shiro-like structure, the underground mycelium mass associated with fruiting.
Cultivation facts
Taxonomy & ecology
| Scientific name | Tricholoma matsutake |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Pine mushroom |
| Synonyms | Armillaria ponderosa |
| Family | Tricholomataceae |
| Order | Agaricales |
| Genus | Tricholoma |
| Lifestyle | Mycorrhizal |
| Cultivation status | Not cultivable on prepared substrate |
Growing notes
Commercial matsutake come from natural forests. There is no home method. A mushroom kit labelled 'matsutake' is not backed by published evidence of dependable crops. This page covers cultivation only and cannot help identify wild mushrooms or tell you whether a mushroom is safe to eat.
Questions about growing Matsutake
Can matsutake be cultivated?
Not yet. No fruiting has been obtained after planting mycorrhizal seedlings in the field, according to a 2021 review.
What tree does it grow with?
Pines. Research has used Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) seedlings.
What has been achieved?
Mycorrhizal synthesis in the laboratory and improved mycorrhization using several isolates, but not mushrooms in the field.
Are there kits?
We know of no evidence that they work; be sceptical.