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Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
Ilya Filippov · CC BY 4.0
Traditional use

Reishi

Ganoderma lucidum · Polyporaceae

Reishi is a woody bracket fungus with a red-brown, lacquered-looking, fan-shaped cap.

FamilyPolyporaceae
SeasonJun–Nov
Spore printReddish brown
Cap width35 cm
Records in Turkey57 records
CultivationGrows at home
StatusTraditional use

Reishi is a woody bracket fungus with a red-brown, lacquered-looking, fan-shaped cap. It is not a food: it dries rock-hard and tastes bitter, and is traditionally made into a bitter tea. Clinical research is poor, so there is no good evidence for its use in any medical condition, and it can interact with some medicines.

Also called: lingzhi, varnished conk, lacquered bracket Turkish: Reishi, lingzhi

Reishi

How to recognise it

Reishi, part by part

No ring or volva Spore print: Reddish brown Not distinctive; bitter taste and a tough, corky texture.

Cap — Reishi
CapUp to 35 cm, fan- or kidney-shaped; red-brown with a varnished shine and concentric growth zones.
Pores — Reishi
PoresNo gills; cream to brown underside with 4–5 fine pores per millimetre.
Stem — Reishi
StemUsually present; shiny like the cap, russet-brown, attached at the side.

When and where

Jun–Nov

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Junin season
  7. Julin season
  8. Augin season
  9. Sepin season
  10. Octin season
  11. Novin season
  12. Dec

Reishi is an annual bracket that releases its spores in summer and autumn, and its tough fruit body persists for months. In Turkey, GBIF records are spread across almost every month.

Where does reishi grow?

Reishi lives as a parasite at the base of old oaks and maples, or as a decomposer on their stumps. In cultivation it is grown on hardwood sawdust and logs.

In Turkey

Reishi has been recorded in Turkey, especially around the Marmara and the Black Sea. Note: DNA testing found that many products and kits sold as "reishi" actually contain other Ganoderma species (mostly G. sichuanense).

  • İstanbul37
  • Tekirdağ6
  • Bolu4
  • Manisa2
  • Ankara2
  • Sakarya1
  • Bursa1
  • Samsun1

57 observations on our map (GBIF, iNaturalist). Record density also reflects where observers work.

Latest reishi observations

See on the map

In its habitat — Reishi
In its habitat
In its habitat — Reishi
In its habitat

Look-alikes

What could it be confused with?

Inedible

Resinous bracket Ganoderma resinaceum

Stemless, with a rounder margin and smaller pores.

Inedible

Asian lingzhi Ganoderma sichuanense

Often the species actually used in traditional Asian practice; hard to tell apart by eye and separated only by DNA.

What it contains

Reishi contains polysaccharides, triterpenes, ganoderic acids, alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins. These compounds are being researched; no therapeutic effect has been proven. Source

General information, not a health claim.

Grow it, buy it

Reishi price list

Waiting list

Reishi tea

Ganoderma lucidum

A sliced reishi blend; a dark, woody and distinctly bitter brew.

Waiting list

Reishi capsules

Ganoderma lucidum

Reishi extract under our own label, once approval is through.

Reishi price list
ProductUsMarket (sourced, dated)
Reishi grow kit · SmallComing soon · waiting list999,00 ₺ Tohumlar Fidana · Reishi home grow kit · 26 Oct 2026
Reishi grow kit · LargeComing soon · waiting list—
Reishi grow kit · MegaComing soon · waiting list—
Reishi teaComing soon · waiting list—
Reishi capsules (food supplement)Coming soon · waiting list1.250 ₺ Erkel Gıda · Red reishi liquid extract, 300 ml (30 × 10 ml) · 26 Oct 2026
Reishi powderIn preparation · notify me900 ₺ Erkel Gıda · Reishi powder, 90 g · 26 Oct 2026

Our prices for reishi are published when the product is ready; for now we take waiting-list sign-ups. The market column shows prices seen on other sellers' pages on the date given; they are not our prices and may have changed.

Grow kits → How to grow →

Frequently asked questions

When is reishi season in Turkey?

In our calendar, reishi season runs Jun–Nov. Reishi is an annual bracket that releases its spores in summer and autumn, and its tough fruit body persists for months. In Turkey, GBIF records are spread across almost every month.

Where does reishi grow?

Reishi lives as a parasite at the base of old oaks and maples, or as a decomposer on their stumps. In cultivation it is grown on hardwood sawdust and logs.

Where is reishi found in Turkey?

Reishi has been recorded in Turkey, especially around the Marmara and the Black Sea. Note: DNA testing found that many products and kits sold as "reishi" actually contain other Ganoderma species (mostly G. sichuanense).

What can reishi be confused with?

Reishi can be confused with resinous bracket (Ganoderma resinaceum, inedible) and asian lingzhi (Ganoderma sichuanense, inedible). Look-alikes are compared on this page.

What is reishi called in Turkish?

In Turkish, reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is called Reishi; other local names include lingzhi.

Related species

All species → · Identify by photo →

Sources (4)
Photo credits (10)