| Substrates: | straw, coffee grounds, paper, cardboard |
| Synonyms | |
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| Scientific Classification | |
| Kindom: | Fungi |
| Phylum: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Tricholomataceae |
| Genus: | Pleurotus |
| Species: | Ostreatus |
Pleurotus ostreatus, the pearl oyster mushroom, is a common mushroom prized for its edibility. Long cultivated in Asia, it is now cultivated around the world for food. It is related to the similarly cultivated "king oyster mushroom". Oyster mushrooms can also be used industrially for mycoremediation(pollution negation) purposes.
Cultivation
Ostreatus is industrially cultivated edible mushroom and although they are of the easiest mushrooms to cultivate, they are considered a gourmet mushroom.
Substrates
Oyster mushrooms are known for growing on a wide range of substrates. Ostreatus prefers pasteurized straw, wood chips, sawdust, various grains, coffee grounds, agricultural waste, newspaper or cardboard.
Optimal growth parameters
- Incubation
- Temperature: 70-75°F
- Fruiting
- Temperature: 60-70°F
- Humidity: 100%
- Misting: Lightly as necessary
- Fresh air exchange: High requirement
Natural Habitat
The oyster mushroom is wide-spread in temperate and subtropical forests throughout the world. It is a wood loving species that acts as a primary decomposer on deciduous woods, particularly beech. The species, however, is usually is not fussy where it grows with the notable exception of coniferous needles.