Foraging For Artist’s Conk

This very useful medicinal ‘shelf’ or ‘bracket’ fungus grows on dead or dying trees, breaking them down by digesting all the beneficial polyphenols, polysaccharides and triterpenes in the tree, which then accumulate in the mushroom. Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma Applanatum) gets its name from the pure, white, canvas-like underside which bruises brown when scraped. As a medicinal mushroom, it offers many of the same renowned health benefits of its more famous cousin, the Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma Lucidum). As well as offering a powerhouse of medicinal benefits to the physical body, in Chinese medicine, Artist’s Conk is also said to fortify one’s will, bestow the user with undaunted bravery and a quiet soul.

- Improves circulation and cardiovascular health by increasing blood flow through the arteries.

- A compound called Lectin, researchers isolated during a 2017 study, was found to be toxic to lung, gastric and colon cancer cells. A 2008 study found that mice suffering from sarcoma type cancers showed that, with even a small dose, Artist’s Conk extract inhibited tumor growth by up to 40% and increased the naturally occuring ‘killer’ cell count by more than 50%, compared to the control group.

- Other compounds found in the mushroom have been shown to help reverse chronic inflammatory diseases and conditions of all types.

- Infusions and decoctions of Artist’s Conk have significant antioxidant activity. Researchers from a 2002 study found that, when tested against other mushrooms for antioxidant properties, Artist’s Conk proved to have the strongest free-radical scavenging abilities of them all.

- Said to strengthen the lungs and clear upper respiratory infections.

*Please Note:

Artist’s Conk should not be taken when pregnant or breastfeeding. Aside from that, as long as you’re sure you have the correct mushroom, there are no contraindications known. However, you might be the first to experience one, everyone’s different and allergies can occur unexpectedly sometimes, so be careful and always test any new plant or mushroom before ingesting a whole bucket of it.

We do not attempt to diagnose or treat anyone’s medical condition or give personal health advice. We accept no liability for any harm, loss or injury which may occur as a result of choosing to act upon the information provided. Please understand, you do so at your own risk.