by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

Chaga (Inonotus Obliquus) is a mushroom that typically grows on birch trees in colder climates across the Northern Hemisphere. At first glance, the mushroom doesn’t look very appealing; actually, it doesn’t even looks like a mushroom at all! Appearances can be deceiving, however, as this special mushroom packs a punch when it comes to its..

By Paul Stamets

Chaga is one of the weirdest mushrooms you may ever see. A fungal parasite found on birch trees, Chaga is a hardened, blackened, crusty formation that looks like a bursting tumor. While this strange-looking mushroom has been called a “tree cancer”...

by Nancy Faass, MSW, MPH.

The chaga have a symbiotic relationship with the birches on which they grow, and often help to heal the trees. If you insert chaga into a dying tree, frequently, that birch will recover. If a birch is damaged and splintered at the top, chaga will fill in and eventually heal the damaged bark.