Latin Name: | Inonotus obliquus |
Common Name: | Chaga Mushroom |
Family: | Hymenochaetaceae |
Plant Part(s): | Fungus |
Origin: | Canada |
Chaga is a fungus, a parasitic carpophore that looks like the charred remains of burned wood on the side of a birch tree (sometimes growing on Elm and Alder, but Birch is its favorite). It is not the fruiting body of the fungus, but a sclerotia or mass of mycelium. The parasite enters the tree through a 'wound' in the bark of a mature tree. It then grows under the bark until it erupts in a deeply cracked, black charcoal like extension. It usually takes another 5-7 years for it to fully mature, at which point it falls to the forest floor, most times killing the host tree in the process.
- Preparation
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Chaga is typically and historically ingested as a tea, but it also has been made into a tincture, and less commonly into powder that is then used as a tea. There have been reports of it being the base for liqueurs and as a substitute for hops in beer. In Russia, it can be found as a syrup, a tablet, an aerosol, and even as a suppository. If you are using the cut chaga for the purpose of making a tea, you can re-brew your material a second time without loss to flavor or potency. Our chaga powder is milled from the entire sclerotia.
- Precautions
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No known precautions. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
BULK PRICING: Price is per 10 g. To save on packaging, our herbs are sold in bulk and will arrive to you in a labelled paper bag. Now you may order as much or as little as you'd like!