I guess I shouldn’t complain about the rains when lots of very interesting mushrooms are coming up on our farm. It is amazing that we have found such a wide variety, each within a few yards of each other.
The Lingzhi mushroom is worth its own post because it is a fungus which has been recognised for its medicinal properties by the Chinese for 2000 years. In addition to this, medical scientific research has shown that it boosts immune function and it has been explored as a possible adjunctive therapy with patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma sp.), in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is used to strengthen the heart and improve the memory and is viewed as a medicine for longevity. It is seen as a divine, sacred and en-lightening mushroom by the Chinese.
These polypore mushrooms are very easy to spot because they have a shiny surface and when fresh, have a soft cork-like consistency.
The mushroom can be prepared by thinly slicing, or pulverising (when dry) and then boiling it in water for a couple of hours to make a tea.
About a couple of years ago, I noticed that there was a sudden surge in interest in this mushroom as an anti-cancer tea in Belize. It appeared that someone was actively bringing in sachets of this “mushroom tea” made by a natural herbal company in the States. I saw them everywhere…in the pharmacy in Punta Gorda and in the main supermarkets in Belize City. And, they weren’t cheap too…something like a $100 for a pack. I could not believe that this stuff was getting imported at such an exorbitant price and it was growing in our own back-yards!
This one is definitely a fungus to go hunting for. When we conducted our foraging tour at Belcampo Lodge, we also spotted it growing in the bush:
