Identification: Mushroom-like plant - what kind of plant is this?

Please can someone tell me what the name of plant this is? It is hard and feels like plastic/wood and it is growing from a bulb. I do not know if it is real but I bought it from a plant store and the salesperson said that it is real but she did not know the name of it. The store owner purchased this plant from an auction in Holland.

 

Looks like Ganoderma lucidum

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganoderma_lucidum

Thank you so much for providing me with information. You are right! I think it IS a ganoderma lucidum.

Can someone please tell me how I should care for it? I want it to live and I do not plan to consume it. Do I water it? If so, how often should I water it? How long do these mushrooms live?

 

Hi there,

What a beautiful thing to find in a store! I've never seen it sold like that. I don't know for certain, but I suspect it may be dried and is no longer in a growing state.

In the wild this grows from wood; but perhaps yours are growing from commercial cultivation media? If it is still living, your resources for information would be reishi cultivators eg. www.nammex.com or cultivation manuals. I've done very little cultivation at home, but in general a bit of regular moisture is generally required to keep fruiting bodies going.

Good luck!
frog

 

Hi Frog

Thank you so much for your posting. I'll keep the mushroom moist by watering it weekly. So far it does has not changed much in appearance so it may have been dried before I purchased it. In any event I am going to leave it on my coffee table as a decorative piece until it withers away (hopefully not anytime soon).

I greatly appreciate your consideration in responding. Also, thank you for providing me with a link to the cultivators. Thank you!

Yours sincerely
mushymushy

 

If it is dried, watering will cause it to mold/rot.
So if it is dried, you might want to keep it as a display, unwatered, as it will last a long time if kept dry.
cheers,
frog

 

thanks again frog. I really appreciate your advice.