Tree Oyster - pleurotus ostreatus

Synonyms: Pleurotus ostreatus Oyster Mushroom, Hiratake, Tamogitake, Píng Gu, Sadafi, Chippikkoon

The Tree Oyster is very simple in cultivation. The mycelium of this pleurotus species is very robust; therefore it is popular in commercial cultivation. Fruiting bodies get a diameter of 5 to 15 cm. The cap is grayish brown to violet. Pleurotus is rich in B-vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, vitamin C, vitamin D (calciferol) and folic acid. One fourth of the dry matter of pleurotus is proteins, containing all essential amino acids. The most important compounds of pleurotus are lovastatin and the polysaccharide pleuran.