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(Kumotake, Hen-of-the-woods, Dancing butterfly mushroom)
Maitake is a delicious, soft, meaty mushroom with good nutritional and medicinal characteristics. During its growth, this mushroom transforms from a grey wall-like structure with labyrinth-like creases to a bunch of overlapping leaves with a diameter of 2 to 10 cm. In a young stage the maitake is dark grey and has fine cilia. When the mushroom grows older its colour changes into a light grey. It has white pores at the underside.
Maitake grows on stumps or on the basis of dead or dying, deciduous hardwood, especially on oak, elm and beech wood. The mushroom is a saprophyte and lives on wood. In the wild it can be found in deciduous woods on the northern hemisphere.
Maitake is rich in starch, it has a sweet taste and is reminiscent of the taste of tortilla. The mushrooms contain proteins (27% dry weight), vitamins B1, B2, C and D. Besides that, it also contains minerals such as magnesium, iron and calcium. The striking thing about this mushroom is that it consists of water for approximately 80% whereas other mushrooms usually consist of 90% of moisture.
In vitro studies have shown that the Maitake improve the immune system. Studies are being executed to its positive effects in the combat against HIV.
