Chaga is a parasite that grows on weakened and damaged birches in the cold regions of Siberia, northern Europe and the northern regions of the United States and Canada.
Also known as:
Clinker polypore
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus or Fuscoporia obliqua) belongs to the fungal family Hymenochaetaceae .
Chaga is a parasite that grows on weakened and damaged birches in the cold regions of Siberia, northern Europe and the northern regions of the United States and Canada.
Damaged and old birches form the breeding ground for the spores. Chaga is a slow grower and can be seen all year round.
The visible part of the fungus consists of a tangle of compacted mycelial threads. This visible part most resembles a cork-like slab of 10 to 15 cm thick. The shape is irregular and varies from 4 to 40 cm in diameter. The surface is hard and cracked.
Antioxidant and antiviral properties are attributed to chaga, which is why the fungus is offered as a medicinal mushroom.
Chaga causes in the long run trunk rot which makes the affected tree susceptible to trunk breakage. Ultimately, the affected tree die.
