Hen of the woods

Hen of the woods

　　Also known as Grifola frondosa, chestnut mushroom, or "Maitake" in Japan, it is found in Guizhou, China, North America, and some European countries. Due to the difficulty of artificial cultivation, Hen of the woods is mainly wild-harvested. It has an elegant form, layered like chrysanthemums, and offers a crisp and tender texture with a taste reminiscent of shredded chicken. Furthermore, Hen of the woods is rich in nutrients, containing various vitamins and proteins essential to the human body, making it an exceptionally rare mountain delicacy with multiple nutritional benefits.

　　Hen of the woods is an edible and medicinal fungus, belonging to the Polyporaceae family, Grifola genus, under the order Aphyllophorales, class Hymenomycetes, subdivision Basidiomycotina. The fungus goes by many names: some literature refers to it as Grifola frondosa, in Hebei it is called "chestnut mushroom," in Sichuan it is known as "thousand-Buddha mushroom," the *Fujian General Gazetteer* calls it "heavy mushroom," locals refer to it as "lotus mushroom," the Dongshan area of Yanqing County in Beijing calls it "melon slice," and it is also known as "miracle fruit mushroom" or "leaf miracle fruit mushroom." Thanks to the adoption of the authoritative early Chinese publication *Fungi of China*, "Hen of the woods" has become the more commonly used Chinese name.

　　Hen of the woods has a fragrant aroma similar to pine mushrooms, with tender flesh and a taste like shredded chicken and a crispness akin to magnolia petals. According to analysis by the Quality Inspection Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, artificially cultivated Hen of the woods from Qianxi, Hebei, surpasses shiitake — known as the "king of mushrooms" — in both nutrition and flavor. It can be cooked into a variety of delicious dishes and is an extremely valuable high-end edible mushroom.

　　Hen of the woods offers exceptional medical and health benefits. Literature reports indicate that it helps suppress hypertension and obesity; being rich in iron, copper, and vitamin C, it prevents anemia, scurvy, vitiligo, and inhibits the onset of arteriosclerosis and cerebral thrombosis. Its high selenium and chromium content help protect the liver and pancreas, and prevent liver cirrhosis and diabetes. The high selenium level also gives it protective effects against Keshan disease, Kashin-Beck disease, and certain heart conditions. With its combination of calcium and vitamin D, it effectively helps prevent rickets. Its high zinc content supports brain development, maintains visual acuity, and promotes wound healing. The abundant vitamin E and selenium work together to combat aging, enhance memory, and improve responsiveness. Hen of the woods is also a notable source of anti-cancer compounds. On one hand, its high selenium content helps defend against tumors, especially due to the presence of grifolan (a type of β-glucan), which is the most active anticancer component, with a significant proportion of β-(1,3)-glucan featuring six side chains — said to have stronger anticancer abilities than already marketed lentinan (Japan’s PSK), polysaccharide from cloud ear fungus (Shanghai’s PSP), etc. At the same time, it serves as an excellent immune system regulator. As a traditional Chinese medicine, Hen of the woods has similar effects to Polyporus umbellatus and can treat conditions such as dysuria, edema, beriberi, liver cirrhosis ascites, and diabetes. It is an extremely valuable medicinal fungus.

　　Zhejiang Medical University has conducted in-depth research on its anticancer properties and developed a new medicine called "Baolisheng" in 1992, using Hen of the woods extract as the main ingredient. Qingyuan in Zhejiang has begun mass-producing a traditional Chinese medicine called "Baolisheng Capsules," which mainly contain Hen of the woods polysaccharides.