Here in Aotearoa we have a really unique fungal biota. When we split off from what later became Australia we had distinct profile of life, with some groups being present in far higher numbers than expected and others being far lower. For example, we only have a single native species of Praying Mantis, but many thousand species of Moths! We have all the birds but only a few Bats as native mammals! This is important as it highlights just one of the ways our life here is different from anywhere else in the world.
We need to protect our unique biota. This is why there have been extremely strict bans and restrictions on bringing new species into Aotearoa since the 1993 Biosecurity Act. As such, we have an interesting array of species available to mushroom growers here in NZ. I won't provide a detailed list, but I do want to highlight the species commonly seen and for which The Mushroom Smith provides cultures and grow kits. So here are a few of the mushrooms you can grow in Aotearoa.
The following is still under construction sorry!
The Native Species:
Pekepekekiore - Hericium novae-zealandiae
This delicious edible fungus is part of the Hericium genus and is unique to Aotearoa. It was traditionally collected and eaten by Maori as part of the winter diet when other food sources were scarce. When scientists first visited Aotearoa they found this fungus and gave it the scientific name Hericium novae-zealandiae. This was soon changed to Hericium coralloides after it became the commonly held belief that it was simply the same fungus as one found in the northern hemisphere - Hericium coralloides. It wasn't until work done by colleagues and myself while I was at Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, that we were finally able to give it back it's original scientific name. This article that I am credited as a co-author on was the first to use this new/old name and the species is now recognized throughout Aotearoa with this epithet.
Aoteara Shiitake - Lentinula novae-zelandiae
Native Oyster - Pleurotus parsonsiae
Honey Mushroom - Armillaria novae-zelandiae
Wood Ear - Auricularia cornea
The Introduced Species:
Phoenix Oyster - Pleurotus pulmonarius
Shiitake - Lentinula edodes
Enoki - Flammulina velutipes