Mushroom 101: Glossary for Beginners and Other Resources

Mushroom 101: Glossary for Beginners

A quick guide for exploring the terms of mushrooms with Duality Blends.

• Adaptogen
  A natural substance that helps the body adapt to stress and maintain balance. Some mushrooms, like Reishi, are considered adaptogens.

• Blue Oyster
  A blue-to-gray mushroom with a mild, savory flavor, great for sautés and pastas, and high in B vitamins and antioxidants.

• Cultivation
  The process of growing mushrooms intentionally, managing environment, substrate, and humidity to produce consistent harvests.

• Dehydration
  Drying mushrooms to preserve them while retaining flavor and benefits. We use this process to create our shelf-stable mushroom powders.

• Flush
  A wave of mushroom growth from the same substrate block. Most blocks can produce multiple flushes.

• Fruiting Body
  The visible part of the mushroom you harvest and eat, like the cap and stem. This is where most beneficial compounds are concentrated (and what we use in our powders).

• Functional Mushrooms
  Mushrooms valued for potential health benefits (focus, immunity, mood support) beyond basic nutrition, including Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and Shiitake.

• Lion’s Mane
  A white, cascading mushroom known for supporting focus, memory, and nerve health, with a meaty texture often compared to crab or lobster.

• Martha Tent
  A mini indoor greenhouse with humidity and airflow control, often used by small-scale mushroom growers. (photo)

• Mycelium
  A network of fine mycelia, thread-like structures (similar to roots) that live in the growing medium, breaking down organic matter and supporting mushroom growth. (see this post for more information and to learn about the “Humongous Fungus” in Oregons Malheur National Forest, the largest living organism on earth 

• Nootropic
  Compounds that may support cognitive function, focus, and memory. Lion’s Mane is a popular natural nootropic.

• Pinning
  When tiny baby mushrooms (pins) begin to form on the substrate, signaling that mushrooms are about to grow.

• Powder
  Dehydrated mushrooms that are finely ground for easy daily use in coffee, tea, smoothies, or cooking.

• Shiitake
  A savory, umami-rich mushroom used in soups, stir-fries, and broths. Known for immune-supporting properties.

• Substrate
  The material mushrooms grow on, such as hardwood sawdust, straw, or grain. It provides nutrients for the mycelium.

Resources we Recommend 

North Spore

This is the company who helped us get started. North Spore is a reliable, high-quality user-friendly mushroom supplier who also has more information on their website than you could ever need. They sell everything from easy beginner sink side kits to advanced mycology equipment so no matter your experience, space, or type of mushroom you want to grow, they’ve got you covered. 

“Fantastic Fungi Community Cookbook” edited by Eugenia Bone

Created by the team behind the Fantastic Fungi documentary, this book offers 100+ recipes from community members, growers, and chefs, celebrating mushrooms’ culinary diversity.

Field & Forest Products

Supplies for mushroom cultivation including spawn, logs, and tools. We’ve relied on them for a variety of supplies, fantastic products with great customer service 

Fungi: Discover the Science and Secrets Behind the World of Mushrooms by Peter McCoy 

This is a beautiful colorful book that touches on a variety of topics from fungal biology, ecological roles, human uses, history, lore, cultivation, fun fungal facts. It's Kodi’s most recommended book to go from curious to informed. 

Learn Your Land- Youtube Channel

For wild mushroom identification and foraging.

“Mycelium Running” by Paul Stamets

A classic in the field, this book dives deep into the ecology of fungi, cultivation techniques, and how mushrooms can help restore ecosystems *I downloaded this book today

r/mycology and r/shrooms on Reddit

Active communities sharing knowledge, photos, and growing tips.

Shroomery.org

One of the largest and most active mushroom cultivation forums, great for advice, troubleshooting, and connecting with fellow growers.

The Mushroom Cookbook: Recipes for Earthy, Nutritious Dishes” by Michael Hyams and Liz O'Keefe