The question of whether different types of mushrooms can be grown together is complex, and the answer is generally no, at least not in the same substrate or growing chamber. Unlike plants, mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of a massive underground network of fungal threads called mycelium. Different species have unique, often conflicting, biological needs and defensive strategies that make co-cultivation challenging. The primary barriers to multi-species cultivation stem from biological competition over food and widely divergent environmental needs during the fruiting stage.
Mycelial Competition and Substrate Preference
Fungi are highly competitive organisms, and their thread-like mycelium actively engages in warfare to secure territory and resources within a given substrate. When the mycelia of two different species meet, they do not typically coexist; instead, they enter into a battle for dominance. The fungi produce a wide array of secondary metabolites—natural compounds that act as chemical weapons—to inhibit the growth of their competitors.
In this mycelial combat, one species will almost always gain the upper hand, effectively starving the weaker competitor by colonizing the substrate first. This aggression is why a highly vigorous species, such as Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.), will often completely overwhelm slower-growing species like Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) if placed on the same food source.
Mushrooms also have specific dietary requirements, known as substrate preference, which further complicates growing them together. Species are categorized based on what they consume: for instance, Oyster mushrooms are generalists, thriving on a variety of agricultural waste products like straw, coffee grounds, and wood chips. In contrast, Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is a specialist, preferring hardwood sawdust or logs. Even if two species can both digest wood, they will still compete aggressively to colonize it, leading to a diminished yield for one or both species.
Managing Conflicting Environmental Needs
Even if species could peacefully share a substrate, their requirements for producing mushrooms are often incompatible within a single environment. The three main environmental variables that must be precisely controlled are temperature, humidity, and fresh air exchange (FAE). Mushrooms signal the end of the colonization phase and the start of fruiting by sensing changes in these external factors.
The optimal temperature range for the fruiting stage varies significantly between species. For example, Lion’s Mane mushrooms prefer a cooler range of 15–21°C (60–70°F). While Blue Oyster mushrooms can tolerate this, other warm-weather Oyster strains, like Pink Oyster, require temperatures in the range of 24–30°C (75–86°F). Shiitake mushrooms often require a cold shock, a sharp drop to 10–16°C (50–60°F), to initiate pinning.
Humidity and fresh air needs are equally divergent, making a shared chamber impractical. Nearly all mushrooms require high humidity, typically between 80% and 95%, for healthy development. Species like Oyster mushrooms are extremely sensitive to carbon dioxide buildup, which causes them to grow with long, spindly stems and tiny caps. Oyster cultivation requires constant, high-volume air exchange to keep CO2 levels below 1,200 parts per million (ppm), which can dry out the blocks of other species that are less demanding of FAE. Lion’s Mane is also CO2-sensitive, requiring levels below 800 ppm, but Shiitake can tolerate significantly higher CO2 concentrations, sometimes up to 1,500 ppm.
Practical Methods for Growing Multiple Species
The most reliable strategy for cultivating multiple mushroom species is through spatial separation, which involves dedicating a separate, controlled container for each species to meet its specific needs. Simple, low-tech options like a Shotgun Fruiting Chamber (SGFC)—a plastic tote with holes and a bed of damp perlite for humidity—can house a single type of mushroom block. More complex setups, such as a large grow tent or a dedicated climate-controlled room, allow a grower to separate species onto different shelves where microclimates can be managed with localized controls.
For species with highly similar requirements, such as certain strains of Blue and Grey Oyster mushrooms, co-fruiting in the same chamber may be possible as long as they are kept in separate substrate blocks. The use of individual Mono-tubs, which are large plastic containers modified for passive air exchange, is a common technique for managing different species in a small space. This allows the grower to tailor the substrate mix for each block while keeping them physically separated from each other’s mycelium.
Another highly effective strategy is sequencing or staggering the flushes, which means growing species one after the other rather than simultaneously. Since many cultivated mushrooms like Oysters and Lion’s Mane produce multiple harvests from a single block over several weeks, a grower can time the inoculation so that one species is harvested before the next begins its fruiting cycle. Additionally, a spent substrate block from one species, such as Oyster mushrooms, can sometimes be used as a base to grow a secondary species, like Wine Cap mushrooms (Stropharia rugosoannulata).