Laura Smith
Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are fungi that contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. While some mushrooms with high psilocybin content may turn black when drying, this is not the colour they typically turn. In fact, it is well known that the stems of many species of mushroom, including psilocybin-laden varieties, instantly turn blue when they are picked or cut. This colour change is due to a complex mixture of linked psilocybin oxidation products, most of which are quinoid psilocyl oligomers, compounds similar to indigo.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Do psilocybin mushrooms turn black? | No, they turn blue. |
| Why do they turn blue? | The compound that gives mushrooms hallucinogenic properties also makes them blue when damaged. |
| What causes the blue colour? | The pigment is a complex mixture of linked psilocybin oxidation products. |
| Do psilocybin mushrooms bruise? | Yes, bluing is believed to influence the potency of psilocybin mushrooms. The more bluish bruising on your shrooms, the more psilocin has degraded, and the less active the amount there is to produce psychedelic effects upon consumption. |
| How to prevent bruising? | When harvesting psilocybin mushrooms, it’s recommended to be as careful as possible to avoid unnecessary bruising. |
| Do psilocybin mushrooms turn black when dried? | Yes, when dried under a heater, some psilocybin mushrooms can turn black and crispy. |
| How to prevent mushrooms from turning black? | Dry your mushrooms with mild heat and lots of moving air and they should retain their normal colour. |
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What You'll Learn
- Mushrooms with high psilocybin content may turn black when drying
- Bluing vs blackening: heavy blue bruising can appear black
- Black spots that smell bad indicate rot and are unsafe to eat
- White mushroom spores treated with iodine turn bluish-black
- The stems of some mushroom species turn blue when plucked
Mushrooms with high psilocybin content may turn black when drying
While some mushrooms turn blue when picked or cut, others may turn black when drying. Mushrooms with high psilocybin content may turn black when drying, indicating potency. This phenomenon is not uncommon, and it is believed to be influenced by the oxidation of psilocybin.
Mushrooms that develop black spots and an unpleasant smell are likely to be contaminated and unsafe for consumption. A simple way to identify mushroom species is to treat white mushroom spores with iodine in the form of Melzers Reagent, which will turn bluish-black, a reaction termed amyloidity.
The mechanism behind the 'bluing' of psychedelic mushrooms that contain psilocybin puzzled scientists for decades. However, it was recently discovered that the blue colour is due to a complex mixture of linked psilocybin oxidation products, specifically quinoid psilocyl oligomers, which are structurally similar to indigo, the dye used to produce blue jeans.
It is important to note that not all magic mushrooms will bruise or turn blue. Bluing should not be confused with blackening, as heavy blue bruising can sometimes appear black. Additionally, a mushroom's potency is not solely determined by its colour, and a lack of bruising does not necessarily indicate that the mushrooms are ineffective.
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Bluing vs blackening: heavy blue bruising can appear black
Psilocybin-laden mushrooms or magic mushrooms are known to turn blue when picked or cut. This phenomenon is called bluing. Bluing is believed to influence the potency of psilocybin mushrooms. The more bluish bruising on the shrooms, the more psilocin has degraded, and the less active amount there is to produce psychedelic effects upon consumption. However, there is no evidence that psilocybin mushrooms turn black.
Bluing vs blackening:
When an injury makes small blood vessels under the skin bleed, a bruise shows up. The skin isn't broken, so the blood doesn't have anywhere to go. It pools and forms clots and changes the colour of the skin above the injury. Harder blows tend to cause bigger bruises, which may be tender or hurt badly. The area is usually swollen, raised, or painful. A flat, purple bruise that happens when blood leaks into the top layers of the skin is called an ecchymosis. A black eye is an example of this kind of bruise. A hematoma happens when clotted blood forms a lump under the skin. Heavy blue bruising can appear black.
Folic acid (folate) and vitamins C, K, and B12 help the blood clot. If you don't get enough of these, you may bruise more easily. Blood thinners, aspirin, corticosteroids, and chemotherapy that fights cancer can cause black-and-blue marks.
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Black spots that smell bad indicate rot and are unsafe to eat
While some mushrooms turn blue when picked or cut, it is not uncommon for psilocybin mushrooms to turn black when drying. This does not necessarily indicate that they are ineffective. However, if mushrooms develop black spots that smell unpleasant, this is a sign of rot and indicates that they are unsafe to eat.
Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are fungi that produce the psychotropic compounds psilocybin and psilocin. When picked or cut, the stems of many species of mushrooms instantly turn blue. This phenomenon is known as "bluing" and is well-known for some mushrooms. However, the bluing of psychedelic mushrooms that contain psilocybin puzzled scientists for decades.
Recently, chemists unravelled the mystery behind the blue colour of magic mushrooms. They found that the dark blue pigments are similar to indigo, the dye used to produce blue jeans. The pigment is a complex mixture of linked psilocybin oxidation products, mainly quinoid psilocyl oligomers. These compounds share structural similarities with indigo in their indole core, and the basis for the colour is a quinoid.
While bluing is a natural occurrence in some mushrooms, black spots that smell unpleasant indicate rot and are unsafe to eat. Mushrooms are believed to bruise when exposed to oxygen, handled, or manipulated. This damage to the mushroom's structure and subsequent oxidation lead to the degradation of psilocybin. Therefore, if you observe black spots that smell bad on your psilocybin mushrooms, it is best to discard them and not consume them.
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White mushroom spores treated with iodine turn bluish-black
Mushrooms are fungi that reproduce through spores, which are released from the mushroom and are most often dispersed through the air. White mushroom spores treated with iodine turn bluish-black. This phenomenon was described by Coker, a UNC botanist, over a century ago in 1917.
The process of treating white mushroom spores with iodine can be done using Melzer's Reagent. This treatment causes the spores to exhibit a bluish-black colour change. This colour change is a well-known method for identifying mushrooms.
The biochemical mechanism underlying the colour change of mushroom spores treated with iodine is not fully understood. However, it is known that iodine reacts with specific compounds present in the mushroom spores, resulting in the bluish-black colour.
Additionally, it is worth noting that not all mushrooms turn black when treated with iodine. The colour change is species-specific, and different mushrooms may exhibit varying responses to iodine treatment. Furthermore, the blue colour observed in some mushrooms, such as Psilocybe mushrooms, is caused by the oxidation of psilocybin. This phenomenon has puzzled scientists for decades, but recent studies have made significant progress in understanding the biochemical pathway involved.
In conclusion, the treatment of white mushroom spores with iodine resulting in a bluish-black colour change is an intriguing aspect of mushroom biology. While the exact biochemical mechanisms remain partially unexplained, ongoing research continues to enhance our understanding of this process.
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The stems of some mushroom species turn blue when plucked
The stems of some mushroom species instantly turn blue when they are plucked. This phenomenon, known as "bluing", is well understood in some mushrooms, but it has puzzled scientists for decades when it comes to psychedelic mushrooms containing the compound psilocybin. Bluing should not be confused with blackening, although heavy blue bruising can sometimes appear black.
The blue colour in psychedelic mushrooms is caused by a complex mixture of linked psilocybin oxidation products, most of which are quinoid psilocyl oligomers—compounds similar to indigo, the deep blue pigment used to dye jeans. In 2024, chemists unravelled the mystery behind the blue pigments, revealing that they are similar to indigo.
The biochemical pathway that produces the blue colour in Psilocybe mushrooms is different from that of Boletales mushrooms, where oxidised gyrocyanin or pulvinic acid causes the bluing. While previous research had established that the blue colour in Psilocybe mushrooms was caused by oxidised psilocybin, the exact nature of the pigment and the biochemical pathway that produces it remained unknown until recently.
It's important to distinguish bluing from blackening in mushrooms. Black spots that develop on mushrooms and smell unpleasant indicate mould or rot, meaning the mushrooms are no longer safe for consumption. Mushrooms can also turn black when drying, which is a sign of high potency and a large amount of psilocybin. Treating white mushroom spores with iodine can cause them to turn bluish-black, a reaction known as amyloidity.
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Frequently asked questions
No, psilocybin mushrooms do not turn black. However, they do turn blue when damaged or bruised. This phenomenon is called "bluing".
Bluing occurs due to a compound called psilocybin, which is also responsible for the mushrooms' hallucinogenic properties. When psilocybin is exposed to oxygen, it oxidises and turns blue.
Although psilocybin mushrooms do not inherently turn black, they may turn black when dried under certain conditions. For example, if they are exposed to too much heat and not enough air movement during the drying process, they may turn black.
No, not all psilocybin mushrooms turn blue when damaged. It is believed that only those containing a specific copper-based compound may bruise blue, which also explains why some non-psychoactive mushrooms exhibit this phenomenon.
Yes, the amount of bluing can influence the potency of psilocybin mushrooms. The bluing occurs due to the degradation of psilocin, one of the active compounds responsible for the psychedelic effects. Therefore, more bluish bruising indicates a lower concentration of psilocin and reduced potency.
