Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) is one of those special mushrooms that prefers the wintertime over any of the other four seasons. They flush during a time when most other mushroom species lay dormant, waiting for warmer weather to do their thing. The cold does not deter this hardy, slow growing fungi. Rather, the cold makes these fungi thrive.

In the Southeastern United States, temperate winters allow this fungi to produce fruiting bodies throughout the winter. I’ve seen this mushroom flush throughout the year, however, the biggest flushes I’ve ever seen were during the months of November, December, and January. In my experience, they prefer maples and oaks in the mountains, and live oaks and a few other oak species down in the deep south. 

Lion’s mane is highly prized for culinary and medicinal purposes. I love to make faux crab cakes with them. However, I personally find their medicinal value to be better than their culinary value. 

Lion’s mane are known for their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. They also contain the compounds hericenones and erinacines, which have been researched for their ability to stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF). Check out this scientific paper from the NLM for more information about the benefits of lion's mane.