Reishi is the mushroom of immortality. It is defined by a varnished, lacquered surface that looks like it belongs in a temple, not on a tree stump. The bracket is kidney-shaped to fan-shaped. It measures five to twenty centimetres across. The upper surface is glossy, reddish-brown to purplish-brown. It shines like polished wood. The underside is white to pale brown. It is covered in a layer of tiny pores. The flesh is tough and woody. The fruiting body can persist for years. The appearance is cultivated. The texture is enduring. This is the mushroom that has been revered in China for over two thousand years. The lingzhi is the mushroom of immortality. It is the herb of spiritual potency. It is the elixir of life. It has been depicted in paintings. Carved in jade. Sung about in poems. It is one of the most famous medicinal mushrooms in the world. The reputation is ancient. The status is elevated. Biologically, Reishi is both a parasite and a saprotroph. It grows on the trunks of living trees. It enters through wounds in the bark. It slowly rots the heartwood from the inside out. It can take years to kill a tree. But eventually, the tree will fall. The fungus will continue to feed on the dead wood. It is a slow, patient, persistent decomposer. The strategy is dual. The outcome is certain. In New Zealand, Reishi is an introduced species. It is naturalised in urban gardens and parks. It grows on the stumps of exotic trees. Oak, maple, ash. Occasionally on native trees. It is cultivated commercially as well. Farms produce dried Reishi for the health food market. The introduction was cultural. The establishment was practical. The spread is managed. Reishi is not edible in the traditional sense. It is too tough and woody to eat. But it is brewed as a tea. Ground into a powder. Extracted with alcohol to make a tincture. It is said to boost the immune system. Reduce inflammation. Improve sleep. Promote longevity. Whether the claims are true or not, the mushroom has a powerful placebo effect. That has its own kind of magic. The utility is subjective. The belief is potent. To find a Reishi in a New Zealand garden is to find a piece of Asian culture growing on a tree stump. It is a reminder. The world is connected. Plants and fungi travel with people. The forest is never static. Always changing. Always absorbing new arrivals. The fungus does not care for borders. It cares for substrate. It finds it in the stump. It shines in the rain. It carries on. And that seems to be enough.