Lion's mane culture | Mushroom culture | Biobritte mushrooms Lion's mane culture. Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus), also known as hedgehog mushroom, has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine and as a food in Asia. In China, it is known as hou tou gu, and in Japan as yamabushitake. The mushroom has a distinctive appearance, with what appears to be a large mass of long tendrils similar to a shaggy lion’s mane. (The entire length of each tendril is attached to the mushroom’s body.) Other names for this mushroom may refer to its similar shape or appearance to a pom pom or a monkey’s head. Lion’s mane mushroom is white in color when fresh, but turns a rusty brown or creamy color when dried. In culinary use, it’s sometimes compared to lobster or crab in taste and texture, with a mild sweetness. The mushroom is commercially grown on oak logs, miller’s bran, beech sawdust, and soybean substrates. Lion’s mane mushrooms, also known as hou tou gu or yamab