Basic Information

Maitake
Japanese name: Maitake (meaning "Dancing Mushroom" in Japanese

Chinese name:  Huai Su Gu

English name:  Hen of the Woods
Botanical name: Grifola frondosa or Polyporus frondosus
Recommended dose: 2-6 tablets per day

What is Maitake?
Maitake, or Grifola Frondosa, also known as Polyporus frondosus, is a perennial mushroom that grows in clusters at the foot of trees, particularly the oak. 

Maitake can grow up to 20 kilos in weight, for which it is sometimes known as "The King of Mushrooms".  This name also refers to the especially beneficial effect this fungus has on the Heart, the Emperor organ of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The meaning of Maitake, "Dancing Mushroom" alludes to the idea that one dances with joy on finding it in the woods.  This is due to its marked influence on the body's energy, particularly the cardiovascular system; the emotion associated with the Heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine is in fact, "Joy".

Maitake in Traditional Oriental Medicine
Maitake (Grifola Frondosa) is:

• Sweet

• Bitter

• Warm

Maitake enters the:

• Heart

• Kidney

• Liver organs/ channels

Maitake's actions are to:

• Strengthen and tonify the Heart and to

• Nourish and invigorate Blood

Maitake has been extensively researched since the early 1980s.  This research appears to bear out Maitake's traditional benefits in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Maitake is considered a very safe substance which can be taken over a prolonged period.

© Robert A D Cran 2005