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mushroomhunter10 said:
Where did you hear it? I hear it's next to impossible because they coexist with other organisms that aren't normally found in a controlled cultivation.

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That's only partially correct.  Morels can grow as saprophytes without mycorrizal partners.  The death of a host organism generally stimulates fruiting.

I made up a few jars of rye grass seed last night with morels in mind.  I'm not about to attempt the indoor growing technique, though.  That requires some very precise environmental control, which I don't have available.

I agree with Denger here about finding species which are not widely cultivated in your area.  Outdoor morels might not be it if you're in Michigan, since the wild harvests up there are quite abundant from what I've heard.

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spacel0rd said:
For medicinals Ganoderma Lucidum seems to be rather expensive in most places.

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denger said:
You know, sometimes quality is more important then the species name. Restaurants can buy King oyster at $15/lb if its a top notch mushroom. Maybe even more if you find the right restaurant and they cannot get it elsewhere.

Obviously I'm talking about expensive places in Manhattan, not a roadside diner.

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The record price paid for a single white truffle was set in December 2007, when Macau casino owner Stanley Ho paid $330,000 (£165,000) for a specimen weighing 1.5kg (3.3lb), discovered by Luciano Savini and his dog Rocco. One of the largest truffles found in decades, it was unearthed near Pisa and sold at an auction held simultaneously in Macau, Hong Kong and Florence.

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Paresthesia said:
If you're willing to learn to grow corn, there's always Cuitlacoche, otherwise known as... Corn Smut!  (Ustilago maydis)  I found a 7.6 oz can of the stuff on the Internet for $18.50.

Corn smut is considered a delicacy in Mexico, and is grown commercially in the States in a few places as well.  This is a neat fungus that has potential for medicinal use, and it shares many proteins and cellular processes with humans.  Studying it can provide many insights into diseases related to these proteins.  (42 related to human diseases, according to some abstract I found on The Google.)

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MisterMuscaria said:

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Paresthesia said:
If you're willing to learn to grow corn, there's always Cuitlacoche, otherwise known as... Corn Smut!  (Ustilago maydis)  I found a 7.6 oz can of the stuff on the Internet for $18.50.

Corn smut is considered a delicacy in Mexico, and is grown commercially in the States in a few places as well.  This is a neat fungus that has potential for medicinal use, and it shares many proteins and cellular processes with humans.  Studying it can provide many insights into diseases related to these proteins.  (42 related to human diseases, according to some abstract I found on The Google.)

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When I ate corn smut I tripped.

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  Uses

Americans of the American Southwest, including the Zuni tribe, have used corn smut to induce labor. It has similar medicinal effects to ergot, but weaker, due to the presence of the chemical ustilagine.

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J3illy said:
What exactly do you mean "cultivatable"?  The most expensive mushroom by far is a truffle [tuber].  But you can't grow them indoors or anything.  They grow in the ground, and the myc grows on the roots of certain trees.  You could technically do this, but you'd have to plant a tree that's had it's roots treated w/ the spores.  And then 3-5 yrs later, you're growing truffles.
Black Truffles: (USD$130–$380 per pound)
White Truffles: (USD$1350-$2700 per pound)

DAMMMMMM

i didnt realise they were that expensive, i no it takes 5 years or whatever but are the spores easy to come by, are they available to the avarage joe?, nearly 3grand a pound, why dont we all just plant a spore laced tree, it could be like a savins account, we each get one and in 5 years everyone diggs um up sells um at a shroomery sponsor,i mean where else would us shroomerites get a fair price,  and then free mycology supplies for all whos in ?

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tommyg615 said:

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J3illy said:
What exactly do you mean "cultivatable"?  The most expensive mushroom by far is a truffle [tuber].  But you can't grow them indoors or anything.  They grow in the ground, and the myc grows on the roots of certain trees.  You could technically do this, but you'd have to plant a tree that's had it's roots treated w/ the spores.  And then 3-5 yrs later, you're growing truffles.
Black Truffles: (USD$130–$380 per pound)
White Truffles: (USD$1350-$2700 per pound)

DAMMMMMM

i didnt realise they were that expensive, i no it takes 5 years or whatever but are the spores easy to come by, are they available to the avarage joe?, nearly 3grand a pound, why dont we all just plant a spore laced tree, it could be like a savins account, we each get one and in 5 years everyone diggs um up sells um at a shroomery sponsor,i mean where else would us shroomerites get a fair price,  and then free mycology supplies for all whos in ?

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I'm actually about to pull the trigger on this one.  Going to try it myself to make my friends a wedding gift they'll really like.  All you need are the right oak or hazelnut seeds and a fresh truffle.

Start oak/hazelnut seeds in sterilized soil, so no competing mycorhizae take hold.  After a few months make spore slurry from a 1/2oz or so of truffle blended into a bucket of sterile water.  Then you can hope for the best or at least examine the roots after a few months to see if your experiment worked.  The roots should have black myc sheaths.

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drake89 said:

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tommyg615 said:

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J3illy said:
What exactly do you mean "cultivatable"?  The most expensive mushroom by far is a truffle [tuber].  But you can't grow them indoors or anything.  They grow in the ground, and the myc grows on the roots of certain trees.  You could technically do this, but you'd have to plant a tree that's had it's roots treated w/ the spores.  And then 3-5 yrs later, you're growing truffles.
Black Truffles: (USD$130–$380 per pound)
White Truffles: (USD$1350-$2700 per pound)

DAMMMMMM

i didnt realise they were that expensive, i no it takes 5 years or whatever but are the spores easy to come by, are they available to the avarage joe?, nearly 3grand a pound, why dont we all just plant a spore laced tree, it could be like a savins account, we each get one and in 5 years everyone diggs um up sells um at a shroomery sponsor,i mean where else would us shroomerites get a fair price,  and then free mycology supplies for all whos in ?

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I'm actually about to pull the trigger on this one.  Going to try it myself to make my friends a wedding gift they'll really like.  All you need are the right oak or hazelnut seeds and a fresh truffle.

Start oak/hazelnut seeds in sterilized soil, so no competing mycorhizae take hold.  After a few months make spore slurry from a 1/2oz or so of truffle blended into a bucket of sterile water.  Then you can hope for the best or at least examine the roots after a few months to see if your experiment worked.  The roots should have black myc sheaths.

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let me no how it works out, it would be well worth it if it works, and a great wedding gift if i may add