Turkey Tail Colonized Agar Plate
Turkey Tail Colonized Agar Plate is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
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Description
Description
A fully colonized Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) agar plate, grown from our master culture and 1st-generation isolated genetics — the same strain we use in our Turkey Tail liquid culture syringes and grow kits, and for the Turkey Tail in our Myco Labs Cognitive Trifecta™ supplement.
Each plate is produced at our Illinois lab on standard malt extract agar (MEA), fully colonized before it ships, and held in inventory rather than made to order, so it ships within 1 business day. Multi-item orders may take an additional 1–2 business days so we can pack everything together.
- 90mmPolypropylene dish
- ~18mLMEA agar
- 10–14 daysColonizes agar
- 60–75°FFruiting temp
- 1 dayShips within
Why growers pick Turkey Tail
Turkey Tail is one of the most extensively studied functional mushrooms in the world, with a long history in traditional herbal practice across Asia and Europe. Its fan-shaped fruit bodies, banded in brown, tan, gray, blue, and orange, really do resemble a turkey's tail. Known in Chinese as yun zhi ("cloud mushroom") and in Japanese as kawaratake, it's notable for:
- Polysaccharide-K (PSK) – a beta-glucan compound studied extensively since the 1970s, particularly in Japan
- Polysaccharide-peptide (PSP) – a closely related compound studied since the 1980s, primarily in China
- Beta-glucans – the broader family of complex polysaccharides in the fruit body and mycelium
- Triterpenes and sterols – additional compounds found in the fruit body
For cultivators, Turkey Tail is also one of the most reliable and forgiving species to grow on supplemented hardwood.
Our Turkey Tail strain
This is the same strain we use to produce the Turkey Tail in our Myco Labs Cognitive Trifecta™ supplement, alongside Lion's Mane and Cordyceps militaris. Turkey Tail has many lookalikes in the wild, such as Stereum ostrea and Trichaptum biforme, which are easy to misidentify — starting from an isolated T. versicolor culture removes that identification risk.
Working with Turkey Tail on agar
- Moderate growth – typically 10–14 days to full colonization at 70–75°F, faster than Reishi but slower than oysters
- Bright white, dense, fluffy mycelium – with strong rhizomorphic patterns as it matures
- Yellow-tan tint at maturity – especially at the edges; this is healthy, not contamination
- Robust and forgiving – one of the most contamination-resistant functional species
What's included
- One 90mm polypropylene Petri dish, parafilm-sealed for sterility during transit
- ~18mL malt extract agar (MEA)
- Fully colonized with Turkey Tail mycelium (typically 90–100% coverage at ship time)
- 1st-generation isolated Trametes versicolor genetics from our master culture
- Lab-inspected for contamination before it ships
When your plate arrives
- Inspect it within 24 hours. Minor condensation on the lid is normal and harmless.
- Store it cool and dark. Keep the sealed plate at 55–70°F until you're ready to use it.
- Work clean. Open the plate only under a still-air box or laminar flow hood.
- Make your transfer. Cut a small wedge, about the size of a pencil eraser, and move it to grain, sawdust, liquid media, or fresh agar.
Shipping and storage: plates ship in insulated, padded packaging via USPS Priority Mail (typically 2–4 days in transit), with a cold pack included at no additional cost in summer months (May–September) or to hot-climate destinations. A sealed plate stays viable for 60–90 days at 55–70°F, or 6–9 months refrigerated at 35–40°F.
What you can do with one plate
- Transfer to grain – place a wedge onto sterilized grain (rye or our 5-grain blend); Turkey Tail colonizes grain in 14–21 days at room temperature
- Transfer to supplemented hardwood – Turkey Tail fruits on supplemented sawdust, hardwood pellets, or oak and maple logs, and many growers skip grain entirely
- Make liquid culture – drop agar wedges into sterile liquid media to produce your own LC
- Expand to more plates – divide one plate into 6–8 fresh plates for a long-term genetic library
- Isolate strong sectors – move the most vigorous growth to a fresh plate to refine your genetics over generations
Shatterproof polypropylene plates
Every Turkey Tail plate ships in a 90mm polypropylene Petri dish rather than the standard polystyrene. Polypropylene flexes under impact instead of cracking — and a cracked plate isn't just damaged, it's a contamination risk, since the crack breaks the parafilm seal. Our Lion's Mane plate is the one exception: it uses clear polystyrene for contrast against black agar.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Species | Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail, Yun Zhi, Kawaratake) |
| Genetics | 1st-generation isolate from our master culture |
| Plate | 90mm polypropylene Petri dish, parafilm-sealed |
| Agar | ~18mL standard malt extract agar (MEA) |
| Sterility | Poured and inoculated under HEPA-filtered laminar flow |
| Mycelium appearance | Bright white, dense, fluffy with strong rhizomorphic patterns; may develop a yellow-tan tint at maturity |
| Colonization speed on agar | Moderate — typically 10–14 days at 70–75°F |
| Preferred grain | Rye or our 5-grain blend |
| Fruiting substrate | Supplemented hardwood sawdust (oak, maple, beech), hardwood pellets, hardwood logs |
| Block colonization time | 30–60 days on supplemented hardwood blocks before fruiting initiation |
| Fruiting temperature | 60–75°F (wide range, very forgiving) |
| Fruit body | Fan-shaped polypore with concentric zones of brown, tan, gray, blue, and orange; thin and leathery |
| Culinary use | Not eaten as food — leathery texture; prepared as tea, tincture, decoction, or extract |
| Difficulty | Beginner-friendly within the functional category |
| Shelf life (sealed) | 60–90 days at 55–70°F; 6–9 months at 35–40°F |
| Ships | Within 1 business day |
Sterility and quality
Every plate is poured, inoculated, and inspected at Myco Labs under HEPA-filtered laminar flow, sealed with parafilm immediately after inoculation, and incubated in a dedicated clean room until fully colonized. Each plate is visually inspected for contamination before it's approved for shipment — if it doesn't look right, it doesn't ship.
Same genetics, other formatsThe Turkey Tail liquid culture syringe and Turkey Tail grow kit carry the same genetics, and so does the Turkey Tail in our Cognitive Trifecta™ capsules. The Cordyceps Hades 4212-A plate is the Trifecta's Cordyceps strain.
FAQ
Is this true Trametes versicolor, or a lookalike species?
Our master culture is Trametes versicolor. Turkey Tail has many lookalikes in the wild, including Stereum ostrea (false turkey tail), Trichaptum biforme, and other Trametes species. Working from an isolated culture removes the identification risk that comes with wild foraging.
What's the connection to the Cognitive Trifecta™ supplement?
This Turkey Tail strain is one of the three ingredients in our Myco Labs Cognitive Trifecta™ supplement, alongside Lion's Mane and Cordyceps militaris. When you cultivate from this plate, you're working with the same genetics used to produce the Turkey Tail in the supplement.
Why is Turkey Tail not eaten as food?
Turkey Tail fruit bodies are thin and leathery, closer to dried plant material than to the soft flesh of culinary mushrooms. They're not toxic, but they're essentially inedible as-is, so they're traditionally prepared as long-simmered decoctions, dual-extraction tinctures, or dried powders.
How do I prepare Turkey Tail tea or tincture?
For tea, break dried fruit bodies into small pieces, simmer 1–2 oz in 6–8 cups of water for 1–2 hours, and strain. For a dual-extraction tincture, soak chopped Turkey Tail in high-proof alcohol for 4–6 weeks and strain, then simmer the strained material in water for 1–2 hours and combine the two extracts 1:1.
My Turkey Tail plate is developing yellow-tan patches — is it contaminated?
Probably not. Healthy Turkey Tail mycelium often develops a light yellow-tan tint as it matures, particularly toward the edges. True contamination usually appears as green or black fuzzy mold, a pink or orange bacterial sheen with a sour smell, or wet, slimy patches that spread rapidly. If you're unsure, contact us with a photo.
Can I transfer this plate directly to a hardwood sawdust block?
Yes — many growers skip grain spawn and transfer agar wedges directly to sterilized supplemented hardwood sawdust blocks. Distribute several small wedges through the block, then seal and incubate at 70–75°F. Colonization takes 30–60 days, after which the block can be initiated for fruiting at slightly cooler temperatures with fresh air exchange.
How fast do these ship compared to other agar plate sellers?
Within 1 business day. Most agar plate sellers make plates to order, which can mean waiting 2–4 weeks for a plate to be poured, inoculated, and colonized. Ours are produced on a rolling schedule and held in inventory fully colonized. Multi-item orders may take an additional 1–2 business days so we can pack everything together.
Why do you use polypropylene plates instead of polystyrene?
Polypropylene flexes under impact instead of cracking. A cracked plate isn't just damaged — it's a contamination risk, since the crack breaks the parafilm seal and exposes the culture. Our Lion's Mane plates are the one exception: they use clear polystyrene for maximum contrast against black agar.
How long will the plate stay viable?
An unopened, parafilm-sealed plate stored at 55–70°F in a dark place stays viable for 60–90 days. Refrigerated at 35–40°F, it stays viable for 6–9 months. Turkey Tail tolerates refrigeration well, which makes it suitable for long-term library storage.
What if my plate arrives contaminated or damaged?
We guarantee every plate ships in clean, fully colonized condition. If you receive a contaminated or damaged plate, contact us within 5 days of delivery with a photo and we'll replace it free of charge.
