Michael Davis
APE, or Albino Penis Envy, is a variety of Psilocybe cubensis, one of the most well-known and popular magic mushrooms. It is a rare pale-capped sub-variety of Penis Envy mushrooms, which are reputed to be one of the most powerful varieties of P. cubensis. P. cubensis has a long history of both religious and recreational use and may have medicinal value in treating psychiatric conditions. Terence McKenna, a well-known author, is credited with discovering APE mushrooms in South America. The mushrooms are known for their ability to tolerate harsh growing conditions and are popular among entheogen users. However, they can be challenging to cultivate due to their infrequent release of fertile spores. The legality of APE mushrooms varies across jurisdictions, with some places considering them illegal to possess or grow, while other places have decriminalized them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Albino Penis Envy |
| Other Names | Magic Mushrooms, P. cubensis |
| Type | Small, long-stemmed mushroom with a bluish ring |
| Colour | Caps are almost white |
| Food | Eats and fruits from the dung of large grazing animals |
| Habitat | Tropical and sub-tropical areas of almost every continent |
| Growth | Difficult to grow as it rarely releases fertile spores |
| Legality | Illegal to grow or possess in many places |
| Effects | Changes in consciousness and perception, hallucinations, flashbacks, short-term changes in thinking and emotion |
| Use | Religious and recreational |
| Therapeutic Benefits | May have medicinal value in treating certain psychiatric conditions |
| APE Nutrition | 100% pure mushroom with no added fillers, starch, grains or mycelium |
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What You'll Learn
- APE is a cultivated variety of Psilicybe cubensis, a popular magic mushroom
- APE is a sturdy fungus, able to tolerate conditions that would kill most other crops
- APE is rare and difficult to grow as it rarely releases fertile spores
- The effects of APE mushrooms can be positive or negative, depending on the user's mindset, expectations, and environment
- In some places, it is illegal to grow or possess APE mushrooms
APE is a cultivated variety of Psilicybe cubensis, a popular magic mushroom
APE, or Albino Penis Envy, is a cultivated variety of Psilicybe cubensis, one of the most well-known and popular "magic" mushrooms. P. cubensis is a small, often long-stemmed mushroom with a bluish ring that is frequently stained black by falling spores. The stem and cap both bruise blue. Wild-type caps are brownish, but APE caps are almost white.
P. cubensis has a long history of religious and recreational use. It may also have medicinal value in treating psychiatric conditions, although all use, including medicinal, is illegal in most places. The species is not difficult to grow, and many cultivated varieties are available. However, APE is an exception to this rule. It rarely releases fertile spores, so other methods of propagation are usually necessary. This makes it a rare mushroom, but it is popular among entheogen users.
Like other hallucinogenic mushroom species, APE is illegal to grow or possess in many places. However, in some jurisdictions, possessing the spores is legal because the law concerns the hallucinogenic substances, not the fungus that produces them.
When someone consumes psychedelic mushrooms, the psilocybin binds to serotonin receptors on the surface of nerve cells. Serotonin helps regulate mood, thinking ability, perception, and sleep. Therefore, when psilocybin binds to serotonin receptors, it affects how information flows between different brain regions, resulting in changes in consciousness and perception. These changes can be positive or negative, depending on the person's mindset, expectations, and environment.
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APE is a sturdy fungus, able to tolerate conditions that would kill most other crops
Albino Penis Envy, or APE, is a cultivated variety of Psilocybe cubensis, one of the most well-known and popular "magic" mushrooms. It is a sturdy fungus, able to withstand conditions that would kill most other crops. For example, it can tolerate excessive heat, which is a common issue when a heater malfunctions. While poor growing conditions or cleaning product residue can cause malformed fruiting bodies, APE is resilient and can still produce a crop under such circumstances.
The wild-type P. cubensis grows freely in well-watered tropical and subtropical areas across almost every continent. It is a small, often long-stemmed mushroom with a bluish ring that is frequently stained black by falling spores. The stem and cap both bruise blue, with brownish caps in the wild type and almost white caps in the APE variety.
P. cubensis has a long history of religious and recreational use. It may also have medicinal value in treating psychiatric conditions, although its use, including for medicinal purposes, is illegal in most jurisdictions. The species is generally not challenging to cultivate, but APE is an exception. One of the challenges in growing APE is that it rarely releases fertile spores, necessitating alternative propagation methods.
Despite the challenges in cultivating APE, it is sought after by entheogen users. When consumed, psilocybin in magic mushrooms binds to serotonin receptors, affecting how information flows between different brain regions and resulting in altered states of consciousness and perception. These changes can be positive or negative, depending on the individual's mindset, expectations, and environment.
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APE is rare and difficult to grow as it rarely releases fertile spores
Albino Penis Envy, or "APE", is a cultivated variety of Psilicybe cubensis, one of the best-known and popular "magic" mushrooms. It is a pale-capped sub-variety of Penis Envy, which is reputedly one of the most powerful varieties of P. cubensis.
The wild type of P. cubensis grows freely in well-watered tropical and subtropical areas of almost every continent. It eats and usually fruits from the dung of large grazing animals. The species is small, often long-stemmed, with a bluish ring that is often stained black by falling spores. The stem and cap both bruise blue. Wild-type caps are brownish, but APE caps are almost white. Several look-alikes share the same habitat, so it is unwise for enthusiasts to go foraging without skill in mushroom identification.
Like other hallucinogenic mushroom species, APE is illegal to grow or possess in many places. However, possessing the spores is often perfectly legal, as it is the hallucinogenic substances, not the fungus that produces them, that the law concerns itself with.
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The effects of APE mushrooms can be positive or negative, depending on the user's mindset, expectations, and environment
Albino Penis Envy, or APE, is a cultivated variety of Psilocybe cubensis, a popular type of "magic" mushroom. The effects of these mushrooms are induced by psilocybin, which binds to serotonin receptors in the brain, affecting how information flows between different brain regions. This results in changes in consciousness and perception, which can be positive or negative depending on the user's mindset, expectations, and environment.
A positive mindset is important when consuming APE mushrooms, as they can amplify emotions. If an individual is feeling anxious or depressed, the mushrooms could trigger a "bad trip". It is also important to be in a safe and comfortable environment when taking APE mushrooms, as they can cause changes in perception. If a person is in an unfamiliar setting, they may get lost, hurt, or have a bad trip.
It is also recommended to have a "trip sitter", a sober companion who can provide calm and reassuring support if the user needs help. Taking psilocybin can trigger persistent changes in perceptions, feelings, and moods, as well as temporary hallucinations, flashbacks, and short-term changes in thinking and emotion. These changes can be long-lasting, and stress, fatigue, or other environmental factors can trigger flashbacks even after the substance's effects have worn off.
The use of psilocybin mushrooms has been advocated by some as an "evolutionary catalyst" for humanity, with proponents arguing that it spurred the development of language, self-reflection, and other unique functions of the human brain. This idea, known as the "stoned ape theory", suggests that the ingestion of mushrooms by early humans provided an evolutionary advantage and catalyzed the emergence of human culture. However, this theory has been widely criticized by the scientific community and is not widely accepted.
While the effects of APE mushrooms can be positive or negative depending on individual factors, it is important to approach their use with caution. APE mushrooms are illegal to grow or possess in many places, and it is crucial to source them from a reliable supplier to avoid consuming poisonous varieties.
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In some places, it is illegal to grow or possess APE mushrooms
APE mushrooms, or Albino Penis Envy mushrooms, are a cultivated variety of Psilocybe cubensis, one of the best-known and popular "magic" mushrooms. They are small, often long-stemmed mushrooms with bluish stems that are often stained black by falling spores. The stems and caps both bruise blue, and the caps are almost white.
APE mushrooms are illegal to grow or possess in many places. "Possession" includes growing the mushrooms, and the law considers the hallucinogenic substances that the mushrooms produce. The mushrooms contain prohibited substances, so they are just as illegal as a vial of liquid psilocybin. However, in many jurisdictions, possessing the spores is legal because it is the hallucinogenic substances, not the fungus that produces them, that the law addresses.
Psilocybe cubensis has a long history of both religious and recreational use. It may have medicinal value in treating certain psychiatric conditions, but all use, including for medicinal purposes, is still illegal in most jurisdictions. The species is not difficult to grow, and many cultivated varieties are available. However, APE mushrooms are an exception and can be challenging to grow. They rarely release fertile spores, so other methods of propagation are usually necessary.
The legal status of APE mushrooms is evolving as more research is conducted on their safety and effectiveness. Several U.S. cities have decriminalized psilocybin. In 2019, Denver, Colorado, became the first city to take this step, and in 2022, Colorado voted to decriminalize magic mushrooms statewide for people over 21, which took effect in 2024. Other cities that have followed include Santa Cruz and Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; Somerville, Northampton, and Cambridge, Massachusetts; Seattle, Washington; and Detroit, Michigan.
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Frequently asked questions
APE mushrooms, short for Albino Penis Envy, are a cultivated variety of Psilicybe cubensis, one of the best-known and popular "magic" mushrooms. They are small mushrooms with bluish stems and almost white caps.
When someone consumes APE mushrooms, psilocybin binds to serotonin receptors in the brain, affecting how information flows between different brain regions. This results in changes in consciousness and perception, which can be positive or negative depending on the person's mindset, expectations, and environment. Some of the potential effects include temporary hallucinations, visual flashbacks, and short-term changes in thinking and emotion.
APE mushrooms are illegal to grow or possess in many places due to their hallucinogenic properties. However, the legal status of magic mushrooms is evolving as more research is conducted on their safety and potential therapeutic benefits. Several U.S. cities and states have recently decriminalized psilocybin, and it is possible that other jurisdictions may follow suit in the future.
