Emma Wilson
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, are hallucinogenic and contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. They are often depicted as recreational drugs, but they have also been used in healing rituals and religious ceremonies. Psilocybin mushrooms occur on all continents, but the majority of species are found in subtropical humid forests. They grow in meadows and woods in the subtropics and tropics, usually in soils rich in humus and plant debris. They are also commonly found in urban-proximate spaces, such as landscaped areas of office buildings or apartment complexes. Psilocybin mushrooms were first cultivated indoors in the mid-1970s, and the techniques for growing them have been widely taught following decriminalization campaigns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common names | Magic mushrooms, Shrooms |
| Genus | Psilocybe |
| Species | P. cubensis, P. semilanceata, P. cyanescens, P. allenii, P. ovoideocystidiata, P. ingeli, P. maluti, P. azurescens |
| Origin | Pacific Northwest, Australia |
| Growth conditions | Temperate to tropical, 60°F, low lighting, oxygen-rich environment |
| Growth medium | Wood chips, sawdust, logs, stumps, straw |
| Incubation time | 2-18 months, depending on the growth medium and species |
| Distribution | North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand |
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What You'll Learn
- Psilocybin mushrooms are grown in the Pacific Northwest, California, Oregon, Washington, and the San Francisco Bay Area
- They are also found in Canada, the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
- They grow in urban areas, gardens, and landscaped areas of office buildings or apartment complexes
- Indoors, they require temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit and sufficient lighting
- They are grown from spores, with the most common species being P. cubensis
Psilocybin mushrooms are grown in the Pacific Northwest, California, Oregon, Washington, and the San Francisco Bay Area
Psilocybin mushrooms are grown in several regions of the United States, including the Pacific Northwest, California, Oregon, Washington, and the San Francisco Bay Area. In California, the cultivation, possession, distribution, transportation, and sale of psilocybin outside of approved research settings are generally illegal. However, there have been recent efforts to legalize and regulate psilocybin in the state, with some cities like Oakland and San Francisco effectively decriminalizing its use.
In Oregon, the legalization of psilocybin has led to an expansion of the illegal market, with people facilitating psilocybin trips outside of the regulated system. Despite the ballot measure, there is a lack of licensed service centers, manufacturers, and facilitators to meet the demand. Oregon residents with knowledge of underground sessions respect the anonymity of those involved.
In Washington, cities across Western Washington have decriminalized psilocybin, and there is a growing underground network of advocates and activists. Statewide efforts to legalize psychedelic mushrooms have faced challenges due to conflicting visions, cost and equity concerns, and worries about pharmaceutical company control. The Global Psychedelic Society lists ten psychedelic societies in Washington state, believing in the power of entheogens to help individuals reconnect.
Psilocybe allenii, a psilocybin-active species, is known to grow wild in the San Francisco Bay Area and along the Pacific Coast. The region has a diverse range of options for acquiring psilocybin mushrooms, from shroom churches to street stands and underground markets. However, it is important to note that the sale and possession of psilocybin remain a felony violation of the CA health and safety code, and buyers are advised to exercise caution.
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They are also found in Canada, the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are hallucinogenic mushrooms that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin when ingested. They are found in several regions across the world, including Canada, the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
In Canada, the production, sale, and possession of magic mushrooms are illegal. However, there is increasing interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin, one of the active ingredients in magic mushrooms. Clinical trials with psilocybin have shown promising results, but there are currently no approved therapeutic products containing psilocybin in Canada or elsewhere.
In the US, psilocybin and psilocin were criminalized in 1970. However, the possession of spores and mycelium of psilocybin-active species remained legal in most states, leading to the emergence of an underground industry of mail-order Psilocybe spores. Since the 1970s, psychedelic enthusiasts have developed unique technoscientific practices, fostering several not-quite-wild, not-quite-domesticated species across the American landscape. In recent years, there has been a growing movement to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms for personal use in the US.
In Europe, Asia, and Africa, psilocybin mushrooms have been widely collected and used since the early 1970s. Psilocybe semilanceata, considered the world's most widely distributed psilocybin mushroom, is found in temperate parts of these continents. Additionally, psychedelic mushrooms growing in southern Africa have been identified as a new species closely related to Psilocybe cubensis, a well-known magic mushroom species.
In Australia, magic mushrooms are native and introduced species that have flourished in disturbed ecosystems. There are an estimated 20-30 species of magic mushrooms in the country. However, the cultivation, manufacture, possession, use, and supply of psilocybin are illegal throughout Australia, hindering the study of their biodiversity and potential applications.
In New Zealand, Psilocybe makarorae is a unique species of psilocybin mushroom found growing on rotting wood and twigs of southern beeches. It is related to Psilocybe weraroa and Psilocybe subaeruginosa and is presumed to contain the psychedelic compounds psilocybin and psilocin.
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They grow in urban areas, gardens, and landscaped areas of office buildings or apartment complexes
Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. They are commonly found in urban areas, gardens, and landscaped areas of office buildings or apartment complexes. While they can be cultivated indoors, they also grow abundantly in natural environments, particularly in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
The Pacific Northwest, including California, Oregon, and Washington, provides ideal conditions for psilocybin mushrooms to thrive. Every winter and spring, after sufficient rainfall, cool nights, and sunshine, these mushrooms begin to sprout in urban and suburban environments. They are particularly fond of wood chips, which are commonly found in landscaped areas, making urban settings ideal for their growth.
Psilocybin mushrooms are attracted to wood that has been sufficiently broken down, as they feed on wood from which many of the nutrients have already been extracted by other fungi. This broken-down wood is abundant in urban and suburban areas due to the widespread use of mulch beds and wood chips in landscaping. The human creation of concrete jungles with abundant wood chips has inadvertently provided an ecological niche that psilocybin mushrooms have learned to exploit.
These mushrooms are not limited to urban areas, however. They can also be found in the wild, particularly in meadows and woods in subtropical and tropical environments. Psilocybe cubensis, for example, grows naturally in tropical and subtropical conditions, often near cattle due to the ideal conditions provided by their dung. This species is commonly found in Central and South America and is known for its potency and ease of cultivation in controlled settings.
While psilocybin mushrooms have a long history of human consumption, dating back to their use in pre-Columbian South America for religious ceremonies and healing rituals, their cultivation and distribution are complex due to legal restrictions. Even in areas where psilocybin has been decriminalized, such as Colorado or Oakland, California, possession and distribution may still be regulated by federal or state authorities. Despite these legal complexities, the potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin mushrooms are being explored, particularly for treating mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
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Indoors, they require temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit and sufficient lighting
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, are hallucinogenic mushrooms that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. They are often depicted as growing in the wild, but they can also be cultivated indoors.
Psilocybin mushrooms were first cultivated indoors in the mid-1970s. The most common Psilocybe in tropical areas, P. cubensis, is easily grown in controlled settings and is relatively potent. It grows naturally in tropical and subtropical conditions, often near cattle due to the ideal conditions they provide for the growth of the fungus.
Psilocybin mushrooms require specific temperature and lighting conditions to grow indoors. For most species, temperatures in the 60s Fahrenheit are ideal. The highest quality mushrooms with good fruiting speed develop at temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit. If a fruiting room was designed perfectly, keeping it around 62-65 degrees Fahrenheit would be ideal. This is a big part of the appeal of fruiting mushrooms in basements and other in-ground areas, as temperatures can be kept in the range of 50-65 degrees Fahrenheit with little to no supplemental heating or cooling. As temperatures decrease, mushrooms tend to fruit slower but have a meatier texture. Once temperatures drop below 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, many species greatly decrease their productivity. As temperatures increase, mushrooms become thinner and go past maturity quickly. At temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, many species reduce their productivity and become low-quality mushrooms. Some growers shift the species being grown based on seasonal temperatures.
Lighting is another important factor in creating the ideal environment for healthy mushroom fruiting. Contrary to the common adage, "keep mushrooms in the dark and feed them shit," specialty mushrooms, unlike Psilocybe and agaricus (button), require light for proper morphology. While there isn't a particular light spectrum that is needed as the mushrooms are not converting light into energy, light is used as a measurement of how far to extend their stems. Low-light environments create skinny mushrooms with long stems, similar to plants grown in low-light environments. Regular shop lights or LED strip lights can be used to provide sufficient lighting for mushroom growth.
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They are grown from spores, with the most common species being P. cubensis
Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are grown from spores. They are dark-spored, gilled mushrooms that grow in meadows and woods in the subtropics and tropics, usually in soils rich in humus and plant debris. They can also be cultivated in controlled settings.
Psilocybin mushrooms occur on all continents, but the majority of species are found in subtropical humid forests. They are also commonly found in urban and suburban environments, feeding on mulch beds and wood chips.
The most common species of psilocybin mushroom is Psilocybe cubensis (P. cubensis). It is a tropical species, originally found in Cuba, but also commonly found in Central and South America, as well as in other parts of the world, such as Thailand, Australia, and recently in Zimbabwe. P. cubensis is easily grown in controlled settings and is relatively potent. It is also known as shroom, golden halo, golden teacher, cube, or gold cap.
Psilocybin mushrooms were first cultivated indoors in the mid-1970s, driven by psychedelic enthusiasts who developed unique technoscientific practices. An underground industry of mail-order P. cubensis spores emerged, and cultivation methods were shared and refined online. Today, P. cubensis remains one of the easiest psilocybin-containing mushrooms to cultivate, with well-known "best practices" drawn from a technical canon.
Growing mushrooms, including psilocybin mushrooms, generally involves seven main stages, regardless of location, species, and method. The process includes preparing the substrate, sterilizing the substrate, inoculating the spores, encouraging mycelium growth, inducing fruiting, harvesting, and storing. The rate of growth and productivity can vary depending on temperature, light, and substrate density.
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Frequently asked questions
Psilocybin mushrooms are grown in the Pacific Northwest, including California, Oregon, and Washington. They are also found in the San Francisco Bay Area, along the Pacific Coast, and in the wild in Australia.
Psilocybin mushrooms, or magic mushrooms, are thought to have originated in the Pacific Northwest or Australia and spread worldwide.
Psilocybin mushrooms thrive in urban and suburban environments with mulch beds and wood chips. They grow on fallen trees or anything with excess carbon and prefer temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit for fruiting.
Common species of psilocybin mushrooms include Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe cyanescens, Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, and Psilocybe allenii.
The legality of growing psilocybin mushrooms varies by location. While some places have decriminalized psilocybin, it may still be considered a Schedule I drug with high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.
