Today, a cup of coffee often is more than just a variety of the Coffea plant of the Rubiaceae plant family.  True coffee lovers absolutely have strong opinions about what is a good cup of coffee and willingly pay dearly to enjoy a good cup of coffee and it's not just coffee in that cup.

Sometimes it's a good marriage between two plants such as Coffea  and a certain two thousand year old Chinese medicinal mushroom, which brings a cup of coffee into a whole new realm of enjoyment when you realize that the coffee you love, can also love you back. The lingzhi mushroom   or reishi mushroom (Ganoderma Lucidum and Ganoderma Tsugae varieties) , are ancient Chinese remedies for prevention of tumors, cancer, improve memory and thought processes, known to lower both blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as blood sugar.

It is perhaps the most important of all Chinese medicinal treatments and is not known to have side-effects. By itself, however, it is bitter tasting. Married to coffee, however, it is said to be very pleasant tasty.

Long referred to in China as the "Immortality mushroom" Lingshi Mushrooms are also known through Asia by other names.  In Japan they are called Reishi, in Korea they are known as Yung Gee, and in Vietnam they are called Linh Chi.​  They are more widely known in Asia where they are native but have close plant relatives in the Amazon. And one variety is even found in the Eastern U.S. wherever old growth hemlock trees still exist (Ganoderma tsugae).    In Nature, they usually grow at the base of trees or beside natural springs.  

They can be grown artificially indoors with a good bit of both patience and luck.  I've known people who grow them outside in parts of the Southeastern U.S. but caution that this is best left up to Master Gardeners.  You can order them online from a variety of sources.  ​ Keeping their environment correct is everything, meaning that they must be kept at a consistent temperature and fairly high level of humidity.  Temperatures must be between 64 degrees F and 85 degrees F.   Humidity needs are closer to a steady 90% humidity.  

Recipe for Growing Lingshi

Ingredients:

• Small cloth bags (muslin, broadcloth, or burlap work best), being sure to not use any that have been colored with dyes

• Linshi mushrooms

• Used Coffee beans (1/4 cup)

• Vermiculite (1 ½ cups)

• Potting soil (4 cups)

Instructions:

• Mix and place all the ingredients into the bag and heat in a regular oven at 375 degrees F for one half hour to sterilize the soil.

• Cool to room temperature.

• Place each bag in plastic see thru containers

• Plant Linshi mushrooms in them

• Cover with Saran or other type of wrap

• Place under florescent lamp in warm place (can use window if you live in a warm climate)

• Water daily, making sure to keep moist but not too damp

• Linshi mushrooms should be ready to harvest in three months

​If You'd Like To Know More About Lingshi Mushrooms!