Difficulty: Beginner Snow Oysters (Pleurotus ostreatus) are a popular, fleshy, firm oyster variety. In the wild, they can often be found growing on dying maple trees. They have sweeter flavor and aroma than other oysters and hold their shape and texture when cooked. Snow oyster mushroom plugs are ideal for first time mushroom log growers as they colonize quickly and are reliable producers. They are also a cold weather loving strain that tend to fruit in the cooler months. Properties: Oyster mushrooms have a high protein content, several B vitamins, and all the essential amino acids (Marley, 2009). Its medicinal benefits include promoting anti-tumor activity and lowering high cholesterol. Oyster mushroom fruiting bodies and distillations have been shown to reduce tumor size in several studies on mice, rats, and hamsters (Hobbs, 1995). Additionally, Oyster mushrooms have been used in the Czech Republic as the main ingredient in a dietary supplement used to treat high cholesterol (Hobbs, 1995). Studies in animals have shown that a diet of Oyster mushrooms reduced the development of plaque in major arteries (Bobek et al., 1995).
