FEATU RE F LO RA
Chaga
Inonotus obliquus
AUTHOR ELISE ASPA
PHOTO MATT WALKER
T
he Japanese call it ‘The Diamond of
the Forest.’ The Chinese refer to it
as ‘King of Plants.’ In the tradition
of Siberian Khanty shamanism it is known
as ‘King of the mushrooms.’ Other names
include clinker polypore, birch canker
polypore, tinder conk, and birch conk.
Whichever name you call it by, chaga is
a black fungus that grows on trees. It has
been used in folk medicine for many years.
Where It’s Found
Chaga is predominantly harvested in
the Northern Hemisphere on paper and
yellow birch, and can sometimes be found
on alder, beech, elm, and maple trees.
Chaga thrives in northern latitudes F