3 alternative Psilocybe mushroom species

When referring to magic mushrooms, we are typically talking about the Psilocybe Cubensis strain. The reason behind its popularity is that this strain has the most readily available information, and it is typically the easiest one to cultivate indoors. Psilocbye Cubensis species include well known mushrooms such as: Golden Teacher, B+ & McKennai. Nevertheless, there are other species of Psilocybe mushrooms that are also available for human consumption. Underneath you will find information regarding three of these species:

1. Psilocybe Semilanceata

This specie is commonly referred to as Liberty Caps and is known to be one of the most widespread psychedelic mushroom growing in the wild. This specie was one of the first mushrooms to be discovered in Europe, with reports dating back to the late 18^th century. They like to grow in rich and acidic soil, such as meadows and grassland.

Liberty Caps are one of the smallest psilocybin mushrooms available (4 to 10cm long). The caps are bell-shaped and have a grainy taste to them. They are difficult to cultivate indoors, therefore the majority of these are picked in the wild and then consumed. However, one must be careful when picking them in the wild as they can easily be confused with poisonous species.

2. Psilocybe Azurescens

This specie is commonly referred to as the Flying Saucer mushroom, and it is considered to be one of the strongest magic mushrooms available in the wild. Legend has it that they were discovered in the late 20^th century by a group of boy scouts, however they weren’t considered an official specie until it was discovered by Paul Stamets in 1996.

This specie is only found in the wild in the West coast of the US, with the majority clustering by the Columbia river delta. They. Their preferred habitat are sandy soils, dunes, sea grasses or decaying wood. Unlike other species, the Azuerecens is capable of withstanding lower temperatures (16-24 degrees Celsius). For this reason, they are easier to grow at home than other mushroom species.

The taste of the mushroom is described as very bitter, making it unpleasant to eat. This specie contains some of the highest percentages of Psilocybin (1.78%), which is considered 3-4 times stronger than the cubensis species. This specie is only for advanced consumers!

3. Psilocybe Cyanescens

The Cyanescens specie is commonly referred to as Wavy Caps mushroom due to its rippled appearance. This mushroom was first identified in 1946 by an English woman named Elsie Wakefield. This mushroom is endemic to Central Europe and the Pacific Northwest, making it one of the most widespread psilocybe mushrooms in the world. Rumour has it that the mushroom spread worldwide through the international trade of lumber and mulch production.

This specie prefers woody debris found along gardens, trails, parks and any other form of nature. The specie is quite tough to grow indoors, however due to their popularity amongst mycologists it is considered a favourite. A big factor for their popularity is the potency (between 0.3 – 1.68% psilocybin). Funnily enough, this specie is stronger when eaten fresh, even though it still produces significant effects when dried.