Magic Mushroom Strain Guide (100+ Strains Explained)

Learn about more than 100 different strains of magic mushrooms.

By Justin Cooke Last Updated: January 19, 2024
Last Updated: January 19, 2024
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By far, the most common magic mushroom species is Psilocybe cubensis. Within this species, there are hundreds of unique strain options to choose from.

Picking what strain to order when growing magic mushrooms at home can be a bit overwhelming.

This article will clear the air when it comes to different Psilocybe cubensis mushroom strains.

We’ll cover how to choose the most potent, review the best strains for beginners, and provide explanations for over 100 magic mushroom strains you’ll likely run into on the marketplace.

Where to Buy Magic Mushroom Spores

Magic mushroom spores are legal to buy in most U.S. states and Canada, most of Europe, and Central and South America. It’s only once the spores are germinated that they become illegal. Hence the reason why most spore vendors sell samples “for microscopic use only.”

There are lots of different vendors to choose from, but here’s a list of my preferred sources based on quality, value, and selection (in no particular order):

  1. Sporeslab Best Selection of Specialty Strains
  2. Sporeworks Oldest Vendor
  3. Ralphsters Spores Best Selection of Strains
  4. Spores 101 Best Option For Canadians

View All Spore Vendors

What is a Magic Mushroom Strain?

A strain is different from a species.

A species refers to a distinct genetic grouping of organisms that can reproduce together.

A strain is a subgrouping that refers to a specific phenotype or morphology within a species.

In other words, all species are genetically distinct. Strains within a species have the same genetic code, but some genes are more active than others — which produces slight differences in how they look or feel.

Let’s look at humans as an example: Someone of African descent (strain or race) can reproduce just as easily with someone of Caucasian descent. They’re considered a different race (strain) but can still reproduce because they’re the same species (Homo sapiens).

The same is true for mushrooms. Within the Psilocybe cubensis species, there are hundreds of different strains, each one with slight differences in how they grow. But all strains within this species can breed together.

Conversely, strains of Psilocybe cubensis can’t breed with strains of Panaeolus cyanescens because they’re genetically distinct from one another.

There are six key differences that make strains unique:

  1. Mushroom size — some strains have a higher affinity for growing into monster mushrooms; others are more likely to produce smaller, stubby mushrooms instead.
  2. Cap color — the color of mushroom caps can range from white (albinos) to tan to dark brown or black.
  3. Gill production — some strains, like Penis Envy, barely produce any exposed gills at all.
  4. Flush vitality — most strains will survive long enough for around 3 or 4 flushes, but some have the vitality to continue pushing out mushrooms for ten flushes or more.
  5. Colonization speed — the colonization time will vary slightly, but some strains will fully colonize spawn jars up to 20% faster.
  6. Resistance to infection — contamination is the biggest cause of failure when growing magic mushrooms. Some strains are more susceptible to mold and bacteria than others.

Why Strain Selection Isn’t As Important As You Might Think

There’s a lot of debate surrounding whether psilocybin strains mean much of anything beyond the physical appearance of the mushroom.

All magic mushroom strains contain three active ingredients — psilocybin, psilocin, and baeocystin. All the strains listed below are active at roughly the same dose, and the qualitative effects are virtually identical.

Lots of strain vendors will list certain qualitative effects with a given strain. Some are suggested to be more euphoric, more visually psychedelic, or more introspective.

This isn’t exactly true. The strain of mushroom you choose has little to no direct impact on the experience. Your mindset going into the trip greatly impacts your qualitative experience from taking magic mushrooms — not the strain.

The bottom line is that all strains are going to provide more or less the same experience. The core difference from one strain to another is the growth habits of the mushrooms themselves.

You can’t really go wrong when selecting a strain so go with whatever one’s sounds the most interesting to you.

There are some exceptions here. For example, if you’re growing on B.R.F. cakes, you should opt for a strain that doesn’t produce extremely large mushrooms. If the shrooms are too large, it could complicate the process by having to prop each of the cakes up, so they don’t keep falling over.

Additionally, depending on the climate conditions where you live, you may want to go with a more cold-tolerant or heat-tolerant strain.

For most people, the best strain is simply the one that sounds the most interesting to you. I encourage you to try many different strains and find one that works best for you. Sometimes the strains I think are going to be the best yield very poorly, and the ones I’ve tried on a random whim ended up being the best producers.

Strain List Summary

NameAbbreviationTS | PotencyAverage Psilocybin Content (%)Average Psilocin Content (%)Average Total Tryptamines (%)Peak Tryptamine Content
A+ StrainA+Above Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Acadian CoastACCAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Albino A+AA+Average 🍄0.77%0.06%0.83%0.83%
Albino BurmaABAbove Average 💪0.74%0.09%0.85%1.41%
Albino ChodewaveACWAbove Average 💪1.05% 0.08% 1.20%1.47%
Albino MelmacAMLCAbove Average 💪0.66%0.05%0.78%1.39%
Albino Penis Envy (APE)APEAbove Average 💪0.93%0.14%1.10%2.34%
Albino Penis Envy Revert (APE Revert)APERVery Potent 🤯N/AN/AN/AN/A
Albino Treasure CoastATCAverage 🍄0.13%0.05%0.33%0.33%
AlcabenziACBZAverage 🍄0.67%0.02%0.68%0.68%
Allen StrainASAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
AmazonAMZAbove Average 💪1.12%0.201.361.85%
ArgentinaARGAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
AustralianAUSAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Avery’s AlbinoAVAAverage 🍄0.58%0.04%0.64%0.86%
Aztec GodAZTGAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
B+ StrainB+Average 🍄0.59%0.11%0.73%1.38%
Ban Hua ThanonBHTAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Ban Phang KaBPKAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Ban ThurianBTAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Bix MexBIXMAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Blue MeaniesBMAverage 🍄0.67%0.05%0.75%0.87%
BrazilianBRZAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
BurmaBMAWeak 🐁0.46%0.04%0.50%0.63%
CambodianCMBWeak 🐁0.45%0.06%0.57%0.57%
CampinasCAMPAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
CasperCASPVery Potent 🤯1.51%0.08%1.79%1.79%
ChileanCHLAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Chitwan (Nepal)CHTAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
ChodewaveCHWWeak 🐁0.38%0.03%0.41%0.41%
Colombian Rust Spore (CRS)CRSUnknownNaNNaNNaNN/A
ColoradoCOLAverage 🍄0.56%0.02%0.64%0.64%
CorumbáCORAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Costa RicanCRAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
CreepersCREEPAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
CubanCUBAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Dancing TigerDTAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
DixielandDIXIAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
EcuadorECDAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
EnigmaENIGAbove Average 💪0.76%0.07%0.88%1.67%
EscondidoESCAverage 🍄0.11%0.09%0.24%0.24%
F+ (Florida White)F+Weak 🐁0.36%0.00%0.36%0.36%
FatassFTSSAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Fuzzy BallsFUZVery Potent 🤯1.67%1.32%3.00%3.00%
Golden EmperorGEAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Golden HaloHALOAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Golden TeachersGTAverage 🍄0.66%0.05%0.73%1.35%
Great White MonsterGWMAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
GuadalajaraGDJAAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Gulf CoastGCAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
HanoiHANAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
HawaiianHAWAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
HillbillyHILLAverage 🍄0.69%0.06%0.81%1.07%
Hillbilly PancakeHPANWeak 🐁N/AN/AN/AN/A
Hillbilly PumpkinHILLPWeak 🐁N/AN/AN/AN/A
Huautla (Oaxaca)HUAWeak 🐁0.47%0.01%0.47%0.47%
Jack FrostJFRSTAverage 🍄0.72%0.03%0.83%1.00%
Jedi Mind FuckJMFAverage 🍄0.50%0.04%0.64%0.86%
Kathmandu (Nepal)KATHAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Koh SamuiKSAverage 🍄0.63%0.04%0.69%0.86%
La PrimaveraPMVAAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Lipa Yai (Thai)LYAverage 🍄0.66%0.05%0.75%0.75%
Lizard KingLKWeak 🌷0.27%0.07%0.34%0.39%
Malabar IndiaMLBRAbove Average 💪0.81%0.06%0.87%1.14%
MalaysianMALAverage 🍄0.81%0.03%0.85%0.85%
Matias RomeroMRAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
MazatapecMZTCAverage 🍄0.61%0.08%0.71%1.15%
MckenaiiMCKAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
MelmacMELMAbove Average 💪0.78%0.14%0.98%1.45%
MenaceMENAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
MestizoMESAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
MexiCubeMEXCAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
MississippiMSAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Oak RidgeORAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Old Dirty Penis EnvyPDPEAbove Average 💪0.99%0.34%1.37%2.13%
Orissa IndiaOIVery Potent 🤯N/AN/AN/AN/A
Palenque MexicoPMEXAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
PanamaPANAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
ParaguayPARAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Penis EnvyPEVery Potent 🤯0.94%0.16%1.13%2.90%
Penis Envy #6PE6Above Average 💪0.63%0.08%0.71%0.71%
Penis Envy UncutPEUVery Potent 🤯1.36%0.68%2.04%2.32%
PeruvianPERUAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/A0.00
PESAPESAWeak 🐁0.30%0.11%0.43%0.43%
PF ClassicPFCAverage 🍄0.62%0.05%0.67%0.69%
Pink BuffaloPBAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Plantasia MysteryPMAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Puerto RicanPRAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Quezon (Philippines)QUEZAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
R44 CubensisR44Average 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
Rosa’s StrainROSAAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
SG30SG30Average 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
South AmericanSAAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
StrophariaSTROAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
SyzygySYZAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
T3T3Above Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
Tak Mountain CubeTAKAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
TapalpaTAPAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
TasmanianTAZWeak 🐁0.44%0.01%0.44%0.44%
TeonanacatlTEOAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
ThaiTHAIAverage 🍄0.64%0.08%0.74%0.91%
Tidal WaveTWVery Potent 🤯0.87%0.27%1.17%3.82%
Trans EnvyTEVery Potent 🤯N/AN/AN/AN/A
Transkei (South African)TRANAbove Average 💪0.83%0.02%0.92%0.92%
Treasure CoastTCAverage 🍄0.59%0.08%0.67%0.69%
TrinityTNTYAbove Average 💪0.83%0.11%0.99%1.29%
True Albino TeacherTATAbove Average 💪0.81%0.06%0.87%1.11%
US Virgin IslandsUSVIAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
White RabbitWRVery Potent 🤯N/AN/AN/AN/A
WollongongWOLLAverage 🍄N/AN/AN/AN/A
XapuriXAPAbove Average 💪N/AN/AN/AN/A
YetiYETIAbove Average 💪0.88%0.13%1.14%1.56%
Z-StrainZSAverage 🍄0.66%0.17%0.83%0.83%

All Magic Mushroom Strains

There are more strains of magic mushrooms than any single resource could cover.

New strains are collected from the wild all the time, and even more are “developed” in a mycology lab.

Some people create hybrids by mixing two or more strains together; others isolate specific growth habits from existing strains using agar plates.

Here, we’ll cover over 100 of the most common strains available online. Many more undocumented strains are circulating in closed spore trading circles, mycological societies, or private labs. You can also collect your own wild strains by harvesting samples from the wild.

A+ Strain

The A+ strain (sometimes called A-strain) was developed by Mr. G — an infamous mushroom breeder and Shroomery user. He’s also credited with the B+ strain.

You can also find an albino version of the A+ strain.

This strain is known for its large mushrooms with a pale yellow cap and heavy spore production.

A+ Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Acadian Coast

The Acadian Coast strain is hard to find, and there’s a lot of conflicting information about its origins. It’s thought to be a naturalized species found on the East Coast of North America, spanning from Newfoundland to Louisiana.

This strain has nice thick, tan-colored caps and produces fairly prolific flushes, especially in the second and third flushes.

Acadian Coast Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Albino A+

The Albino A strain is the isolated genetics of a pale white version of the classic A strain. This is not a true albino because the spores still carry the dark purple or black color. Albinos have no pigment in the flesh or spores.

Albino A shares the same infamous large fruiting bodies, cap shape, and thick spore production as its parent genetics.

Regarding potency, this strain sits right in the middle of what we’d consider average — with tryptamine levels (psilocybin, psilocin, and others) at around 0.83% of the dried weight of the mushrooms.

Albino A+ Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, & Sporeslab

Albino Burma

This strain is the leucistic variant of the Burma strain — a classic choice among indoor growers for decades. Despite its name, the Albino Burma strain isn’t a true albino (it still produces some pigment) — but the caps are generally a beautiful pale white color.

This strain is choice for its consistent potency, excellent bag appeal, and relative ease of growing.

The only downside is it’s become nearly impossible to find spores for this strain in recent years.

Samples of Albino Burma shrooms have proven to be fairly inconsistent in terms of potency. The average tryptamine level (psilocybin, psilocin, and related compounds) is around 0.85%, but some samples contained much higher at around 1.41%. This is nearly double the potency listed for the original Burma strain.

Albino Burma Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
CostN/A
Sold ByNot Available

Albino Chodewave

This is the albino version of the Chodewave strain — which is a lesser-known strain of unknown origins. So far, this strain is not available on most commercial spore vendors.

Albino Chodewave has been entered into the Psilocybin Cup twice. The average potencies were 1.05% psilocybin, 0.08% psilocin, and 1.20% total tryptamines. The highest sample tested was submitted by Purple Mystic Myco in the Spring of 2022 and presented 1.47% total tryptamine levels.

Albino Chodewave Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
CostN/A
Sold ByNot Available

Albino Melmac

This is the leucistic version of the Melmac mushrooms — which is one of the more popular options for novice growers.

This strain has been entered three times into the Psilocybin Cup — presenting an average potency of 0.66% psilocybin, 0.05% psilocin, and 0.78% total tryptamines. This makes it slightly weaker, on average, than the original Melmac mushrooms.

So far, the strongest sample of Albino Melmac tested contained 1.39% total tryptamines, which is definitely above average.

Albino Melmac Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
CostN/A
Sold ByNot Available

Albino Penis Envy

Albino Penis Envy is the non-pigmented version of Penis Envy. It was developed by Workman at Sporeworks.

This strain is just as potent as the conventional Penis Envy mushroom and produces prolific flushes. The only trade-off is that this strain is much more prone to aborts than the original strain, so this is considered an intermediate-level strain for home growers.

This is a very popular mushroom because of its unique appearance and exceptional potency. Over the past 4 Psilocybin Cups, 32 APE entries have been recorded. The average psilocybin content is around 0.93%, the average psilocin is 0.14%, and the average total tryptamine levels are 1.10%. The highest concentration recorded was 2.34% in a sample submitted by Dr. Greythumb in the spring 2021 competition.

Albino Penis Envy Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeworks & Sporeslab

Albino Penis Envy Revert (APE Revert)

This strain was isolated from a sample of Albino Penis Envy (APE). Like other penis envy progenies, this strain is exceptionally potent — though no formal testing has been performed. Despite having no quantitative figures on potency, this strain is notoriously potent — likely featuring comparable tryptamine levels to its parent genetics (around 1.5%).

This strain is called “revert” because it’s been reverted back towards the original Penis Envy strain in terms of both appearance and potency — though it was originally isolated from APE genetics.

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeworks, Planet Spores, The Magic Mushrooms Shop

Albino Treasure Coast

The Albino Treasure Coast mushroom is an albino mutation of the classic Treasure Coast strain — originally harvested from the Southern Florida Gulf Coast.

It’s unclear whether Mr. G developed this strain himself or if he just liked it. Still, he’s often cited in various online mushroom-growing communities posting really beautiful flushes with this strain.

The only company currently selling this strain is Sporeslab which managed to score it from a local mushroom grower in B.C.

Albino Treasure Coast Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeslab

Alcabenzi

This strain is thought to be a cross between Psilocybe cubensis (Golden Teachers) and Psilocybe semilanceata (Liberty Caps) — however, this is hotly debated. Many mycologists argue this cross isn’t possible.

This strain is an aggressive colonizer and highly resistant to infection and mold. It’s an O.G. in the mushroom cultivation space and was one of the most popular strains in the early 2000s.

The potency of the Alcabenzi shroom is average. Recent tests found an average tryptamine concentration (dried weight) of around 0.70%.

Alcabenzi Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByNot Currently Available

Allen Strain

This is one of the many strains discovered by Mushroom John Allen on his trip to Southeast Asia. This particular strain was found in Thailand, near Ban Tailing Ngam, Koh Samui.

The Allen strain is well-loved in the mushroom community. Its characteristics are thin, tall mushrooms with rapid colonization times. This strain will colonize jars about 10 or 20% faster than many other Psilocybe cubensis strains.

Allen Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores & Spores 101

Amazon Strain

The Amazon strain was originally sold as “P.E.S. Amazonia.” P.E.S. stands for Pacifica Exotica Spora — the company that first started selling the spores for this strain.

It was trendy for a while to name a newly discovered strain after the company that “discovered” them, but this isn’t a common practice anymore. Now there are plenty of other vendors that sell the Amazon strain simply as “Amazon” or “Amazonian Cubensis”.

Amazon is a very large mushroom strain and grows surprisingly quickly for its size. Part of the reason they can grow so large so quickly is the fact that this strain has hollow stems. They shrink quite a bit when you dry them out.

Sporeworks mislabelled this strain for a while as B+, which has created a lot of confusion around the P.E.S. Amazonia and B+ strain ever since.

Data collected from the past 4 Psilocybin Cups, presented by Oakland Hyphae, demonstrated above-average potency of 1.12% psilocybin, 0.20% psilocin, and 1.36% total tryptamines. The strongest entry tested contained 1.85% total tryptamines.

Amazon Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101, & Sporeslab

Argentina Strain

This strain was (unsurprisingly) discovered in the mountainous rainforests of Argentina.

The mushrooms of the Argentinian strain are smaller than average, but it’s reportedly capable of producing up to 10 flushes before losing vitality and molding. It’s also more resistant in regions with high humidity and cooler weather.

Argentina Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Australian Strain

This strain is sometimes called “the aussie” or “gold tops” in Australia.

As you can imagine, this strain was first collected in pastures around Australia (no specific region identified).

The Australian cubensis strain is a classic golden top mushroom with large fruits, rapid colonization, and relatively strong resistance to mold and bacteria. This is an excellent strain for beginners.

Australian Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Avery’s Albino

This is one of the rare examples of a true albino magic mushroom. This strain produces no pigment whatsoever and thus produces a pure, ghostly white color. I’d even go as far as to say Avery’s Albino shrooms are my personal favorite in terms of overall appearance.

This strain appears to be especially popular in Canada. This is where I first bumped into it, and have yet to see this strain available outside the country. Some spore vendors carry the spores, though, so you can always grow it at home yourself.

The potency you can expect from these mushrooms is about average for Psilocybe cubensis. 9 different samples produced an average tryptamine level of 0.64%. The strongest of the group tested 0.86% tryptamines.

Avery’s Albino Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Aztec God

This strain comes from Central America. Its name comes from the Aztec tribes that used these mushrooms several hundred years ago.

Aztec God shrooms are medium-sized with a light brown or chestnut-colored cap.

This is a good intermediate species to consider for people who want something a little different.

Aztec God Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeslab

B+ Strain

This is a classic strain invented by the legendary Mr. G, who claims it’s a hybrid between Psilocybe cubensis and Psilocybe azurescens (hotly debated). It’s unlikely these two species are able to produce viable offspring, but there are some features that appear to resemble aspects of both species — so it’s entirely possible.

Either way, B+ is an excellent strain for beginners because of how resistant it is to cool weather and contamination.

This strain is slower growing than most, but the increased defense against infection and unoptimized growing conditions is worth waiting a few extra days.

This strain is also known for producing particularly large mushrooms.

The B+ strain was once awarded for being “The Shroomery’s most popular cube.”

Potency testing on this shroom suggests an average potency of around 0.59% psilocybin, 0.11% psilocin, and 0.73% total tryptamine levels.

The strongest sample tested so far contained nearly twice the average at 1.38% total tryptamine levels.

B+ Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, & Sporeslab

Ban Hua Thanon

Ban Hua Thanon is more commonly referred to in the mushroom community as BHT (mushroomers love their acronyms).

The original sample was collected by Mushroom John Allen on a tour through Southeast Asia in the 90s as he collected new strains of Psilocybe cubensis.

This strain is noted for having strong resistance to high temperatures.

Ban Hua Thanon Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByNot Currently Available

Ban Phang Ka

Ban Phang Ka (B.P.K.) was discovered in Thailand by Mushroom John Allen.

This strain is noted for its large mushrooms, but not much else is known about this strain. It’s hard to find spores for this strain from the major suppliers.

Ban Phang Ka Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Ban Thurian

Ban Thurian (B.T.) is a standard Thai strain brought to us by Mushroom John Allen. It’s moderate in all categories — colonization speed, disease resistance, and mushroom size.

Ban Thurian Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Bix Mex

This strain is an isolation of the Mexican Cubensis strain (one of the O.G. strains still available today).

There’s a lot of confusion around this strain, with many vendors calling it Psilocybe cubensis Mexicana — but there is an important distinction between this Mexican cubensis strain and Psilocybe mexicana — which is another species of psychedelic mushrooms altogether.

Bix Mex is a genetic isolation of another Psilocybe cubensis strain collected in Mexico but does not share the same growth characteristics as Psilocybe Mexicana (which is a much smaller and spindlier mushroom).

The Bix Mex isolate produces characteristic flat caps with a light-colored ring around the edges. They’re very photogenic mushrooms but be careful not to wait too long — this strain is a heavy sporulator. Once the veils break, these mushrooms throw thick black mounds of spores all over the place in just a few short hours.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to find Bix Mex mushrooms — but if you do, I highly recommend giving this strain a try.

Bix Mex Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByNot currently available

Blue Meanies

“Blue Meanies” is also the nickname for another species of magic mushroom, Panaeolus cyanescens, which has led to a ton of confusion around this strain.

The name for this strain comes from the distinct blue coloration that forms around the caps and stems when touched or grazed. This discoloration is present in all psilocybin-containing mushrooms but is more noticeable in larger and light-colored strains such as this.

The original stock for this mushroom strain is reported to come from Australia, and the appearance of these mushrooms is very similar to the Australian strain.

This mushroom strain has about average potency — testing between 0.75% and 0.87% total tryptamine levels.

Blue Meanies Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores & Sporeslab

Brazilian Strain

The Brazilian strain is known for its aggressive colonization and large mushrooms.

In the wild, these mushrooms can easily grow larger than 18 inches, but in cultivation, the fruiting is much smaller.

Brazilian Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Burma Strain

This is a classic beginner-friendly strain from Southeast Asia.

The original sample was collected from outside Yangoon, Burma (now Myanmar). It was reportedly collected by a Thai student who gifted a sample to Mushroom John Allen, who then propagated the spores throughout the mushroom community.

You can find these spores from just about any of the major suppliers — sometimes carried under the name “Burmese strain”.

The Burma shrooms aren’t especially potent. In fact, we’d consider them to be on the low end of average compared to most of the other strains on this list.

Recent potency testing found the Burma shrooms to contain an average of just 0.5% total tryptamines (psilocybin, psilocin, and others).

Burma Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeworks, Sporeslab

Cambodian Strain

The Cambodian cubensis strain is popular because it’s to grow and produces notoriously dense flushes. This strain is highly resistant to unoptimized growing conditions and contamination.

Mushroom John Allen allegedly collected the original sample for this strain near the ancient temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The Cambodian strain is fun to grow but doesn’t offer anything special in terms of potency. Recent testing found the average psilocybin level of this shroom to be around 0.45% (0.57% total tryptamines).

Cambodian Strain Specs:

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Cambodia Gold

This strain was bred by combining the infamous Golden Teacher strain with the Cambodian strain — two well-known and legendary magic mushrooms strains that have been on the market for decades already.

The Cambodian Gold shrooms have distinct gold-colored caps, wavy, white stems, and the large size inherited from the Cambodian strain.

Overall it’s pretty well-rounded, featuring decent potency, dense flushes, and good resiliance against mold or bacterial infection.

Cambodian Gold Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByPlanet Spores, Sporeworks, Tatanka, Shiny Spores

Campinas

This strain is very rare — the only place selling it at the moment is Ralphsters Spores.

The original sample was taken in Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was then genetically stabilized through several generations of inbreeding before it came onto the market in the mid-2010s.

Campinas Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Casper

Casper shrooms are a ghost grey-colored Psilocybe cubensis with a reputation for being quite strong.

These shrooms form thick whitish-grey stalks with chubby caps. They’re heavy sporulators so be prepared for your smaller shrooms to be completely dusted in dark purplish black spores if the veil breaks before you harvest.

There isn’t much technical information on the Casper shrooms, but we have the data from one sample submitted to the Psilocybin Cup in the Spring of 2022 by Traejen Veladorn. This sample contained 1.51% psilocybin, 0.08% psilocin, and a total tryptamine level of 1.79%.

Casper Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Chilean Strain

The Chilean strain is noted for growing in a wide range of altitudes and climates. This means it’s most likely going to be more tolerant to unoptimized growing conditions than other strains.

The mushrooms produced from this strain closely resemble the large, lightly-colored specimens in the Amazon strain — but rarely reach the same monstrous sizes. 

This strain is difficult to find.

Chilean Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByNot currently available

Chitwan (Nepal)

This strain comes from the high mountains of Nepal in the Chitwan region. John Allen collected this strain on his trip to Southeast Asia, and it’s been slowly circulating in spore trading communities ever since.

It’s only recently that this strain has made its debut on some of the larger spore vendors, and it’s a welcome addition.

This strain is very well-balanced — the mushrooms are medium-sized, the flushes are dense, and it’s reasonably resistant to contamination.

Chitwan Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySpores 101

Chodewave

Chodewave is the progeny of the powerfully psychedelic Albino Penis Envy and Tidal Wave mushrooms. Like it’s predecessors, it features thick white stalks and impressive psychedelic effects.

This elusive strain is one of the most promising up and coming modern strains — but it’s notoriously hard to find.

Most samples available right now are being offered only in local sporetrading circles — however the authenticity of many of these samples is unclear.

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationBeginner
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost
Sold ByUnavailable Publicly

Colombian Rust Spore

The Colombian Rust Spore (AKA Colombian Redspore) is known for three main features — its aggressive colonization rates, its relatively “chill” effect profile, and its unique red-colored spores (as opposed to dark purple or black).

Many people will argue that different strains have different characteristics, but every time I take this shroom, I feel a strange sense of peacefulness inside — no thought loops or anxiety (which I’m prone to). I’ve heard very similar reports both online and from other psychonauts.

The Colombian Rust Spore also has some pretty decent bag appeal — the caps are smoothly concave and sport a yellowish-white skin. The stems are very slim so the bulk of this mushroom material comes from the caps themselves.

Colombian Rust Spore Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeworks

Colorado Strain

The climate in Colorado is not well-suited for Psilocybe cubensis — so it’s unlikely this strain really came from the mountainous region of Colorado, as some vendors claim.

However, it isn’t impossible, and there have been rumors of psilocybe species growing here during the summer.

The true origins of this strain remain a mystery, but it’s a popular strain for its strong resistance to infection.

What the Colorado strain boasts in disease resistance, it lacks in potency. The average tryptamine level for this shroom was found to be slightly higher than 0.60% (which we consider to be the low end of average for Psilocybe cubensis).

Colorado Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByNot currently available

Corumba

This strain was collected by an amateur mycologist in the Brazilian city of Corumbá. The original collector was unable to germinate the spores and ended up sending them off to a local mycological society, where it was successfully propagated.

Several years later, this strain is now available on several large vendor sites.

This strain can be a little bit tricky, so it’s recommended for intermediate or expert growers who want something a little more challenging to try.

Corumbá Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Costa Rican Strain

This strain was reportedly discovered by Rhino, a frequent Shroomery user who entered the spores into widespread circulation. The sample was supposedly collected at the famous Arenal volcano in Costa Rica.

You can now buy Costa Rican cubensis spores from just about any of the major spore vendors.

Costa Rican Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores & Sporeworks

Creepers

This strain was isolated from the Cambodian strain and first sold under the Keeper brand as “Keeper’s Creepers.”

The original Keeper’s Creeper was overpriced for being an isolate from an already popular strain. However, several vendors now carry this strain, and the price has settled back down to Earth. Most vendors simply call this strain “Creeper.”

Creepers are known for producing very large mushrooms.

Creepers Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores & Spores 101

Cuban Strain

The cubensis in Psilocybe cubensis literally translates to “coming from Cuba.”

This strain was first discovered in 1904 by Franklin Sumner Earle — an American mycologist who spent a lot of time studying mushrooms in Cuba, where he eventually died. Originally, Earle categorized his finding as a species under the Stropharia genus, but it’s since been removed and is now considered a strain of Psilocybe cubensis.

You can find Cuban cubensis spores from most spore vendors.

Cuban Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Dancing Tiger

This strain was allegedly collected from somewhere in Southern China and isolated to produce a strain with distinct domed caps with “oatmeal-like” warts covering them.

This strain is considered to have about average potency — however no samples have ever been formally submitted to professional competitions such as the Psilocybin Cup, so the explicit potency of this strain remains unknown.

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeslab, Shiny Spores, The Magic Mushrooms Shop

Dixieland

Dixieland is a nickname for the Southern United States. The original sample was reportedly collected from somewhere in Mississippi.

These mushrooms have a medium-sized bulbous cap and long thin stems.

Dixieland Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Ecuadorian Strain

The first sample of this strain was collected in the mountains of Ecuador by B.I.O. more than 30 years ago.

This strain is a slow colonizer but produces nice large mushrooms with high potency. The mycelium is also more tolerant to unoptimized growing conditions, which makes it an excellent choice for beginners.

Ecuadorian Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Enigma

Enigma doesn’t produce mushrooms. Instead, it forms thick truffle-like growths with above-average psilocybin and psilocin concentrations.

Out of over 22 Enigma samples submitted to the Psilocybin Cup over the years, the average psilocybin and psilocin levels were around 0.76% and 0.07%, respectively. Total tryptamine levels averaged at around 0.88%, but several samples tested as high as 1.67%.

In fact, a sample of this strain submitted by Little Tree was awarded the winner of the Psilocybin Cup held in Oakland, California, in the spring of 2021.

Today there are several off-shoots of this strain that are becoming popular options as well.

This is a great strain if you prefer growing magic truffles and want something different. It’s important to note that this is not a true magic truffle but has truffle-like qualities.

This strain takes a long time to form the psilocybin-rich masses, sometimes up to 4 months. The longer you let them grow, the more potent they become.

Enigma Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeslab

Escondido

Escondido is a new strain collected from the Puerto Escondido area of southern Mexico. Not much is known about this strain, but it’s already recognized for its prolific flushes and climate tolerability.

This strain is pretty weak compared to other Psilocybe cubensis shrooms. A sample was entered into the Fall 2022 Psilocybin Cup, where it was found to have a psilocybin concentration of just 0.11%.

Escondido Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

F+ (Florida White)

This strain is sometimes called “F+,” sometimes “Florida Strain,” “Florida White,” or simply “F-Strain.”

Despite how easy this strain is to grow and how potent the mushrooms are, it’s not that popular. Ralphsters Spores lists this as one of the top ten strains of all time, but mentions of this strain by amateur growers are sparse.

One of the reasons for this could be its notoriously poor potency. The only sample to be submitted to the Psilocybin Cup tested a meager 0.36% total tryptamine levels.

This is a leucistic strain, which means it appears (mostly) white but isn’t a true albino because it still produces some pigment.

F+ Strain Specs:

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Fatass

Fatass is a term used by mushroom cultivators to describe shrooms that have a short but fat stem and a small cap size.

As you can imagine, that’s exactly what this strain is most likely to produce.

The short and fat nature of these shrooms means they can be very dense. You won’t see much size reduction when it comes to drying these shrooms, and they can be pretty potent.

Fatass Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Fuzzy Balls

Fuzzy Balls is a private strain of Psilocybe cubensis with exceptional potency.

A sample of Fuzzy Balls submitted by Chip Forsythe in the Spring 2021 Psilocybin Cup tested at a whopping 3% total tryptamine level (0.94% psilocybin and 0.16% psilocin). No other samples have been submitted since.

Fuzzy Balls Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationUnknown
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
CostN/A
Sold ByNot Available

Golden Emperor

Golden Emperor is a genetic isolation of the infamous Golden Teacher strain by Sporeslab.

This is a good option to try out if you’re a fan of Golden Teacher mushrooms and want something different.

This strain produces mushrooms that are slightly larger than Golden Teachers while providing the same euphoric and insightful experiences that make Golden Teachers so popular.

Golden Emperor Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeslab

Golden Halo

Golden Halo was first collected in Jamaica. It’s an excellent strain today, but it’s had some issues in the past.

The original Golden Halo spores sold online before 2017 were notoriously unstable. Every sample appeared to produce different mushrooms. Yields were consistently poor, and samples were notoriously prone to contamination. This sort of ruined the reputation for this strain early on, and it never became very popular on the mainstream market.

However, more recent batches have been significantly more consistent, and this strain could be eligible for a come-back soon.

The Golden Halo shrooms produce medium to large size golden caps with a nice flat top. Some growers have reported some significant yields with this strain, but it appears to be picky with the growing conditions. This may be a better choice for more seasoned mushroom cultivators looking for a challenge.

Golden Halo Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByNot Available

Golden Teachers

Golden Teachers are one of the most common mushroom strains on the market and an excellent option for beginner mushroom cultivators because of their tolerance to unoptimized growing environments.

The origins of this strain remain a mystery, but experts believe it was originally picked from somewhere in the Gulf region of the United States. This strain has been circulating around since at least the 1980s.

This is a very well-rounded strain. It grows quickly, produces dense flushes, and carries average strength for a cubensis.

Appearance-wise, these mushrooms are about as average as Psilocybe cubensis gets.

Potency testing on this strain across 11 different samples suggests averages of 0.66% psilocybin, 0.05% psilocin, and 0.73% total tryptamine levels. These figures further suggest this shroom is a near-perfect average for Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms.

One sample submitted by Exelixi Pharmz contained 1.35% total tryptamines, so these shrooms have the potential to be very potent when grown and stored under the right conditions.

Golden Teacher Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Great White Monster

The Great White Monster strain is famous for its striking white color and propensity for creating behemouth mushrooms seemingly out of nowhere.

Most of the mushrooms produced are normal size, but every so often, a monster is born — with some samples boasting nearly 3 inches in cap diameter.

This strain was bred from the Puerto Rican strain and the A+ strain. It features average psychedelic potency and is relatively resistant to mold and bacterial infection. A great strain for beginners.

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationBeginner
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySouthwest Shroomery

Guadalajara

This strain is distinguished by its dark pinhead mushrooms that form into light golden-colored caps as they mature.

The flushes on this strain are very prolific but are more prone to molding. This is considered an intermediate-level strain for those who have a strong understanding of how to keep a growing medium clean — especially past the second or third flush.

Guadalajara Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Gulf Coast

This strain is noted for being a heavy producer and makes some decent-sized mushrooms even when the growing environment isn’t optimized.

Most vendors selling this strain suggest cold shocking as a necessity for this strain — but that’s something you should be doing for just about any strain if you want to optimize production anyway.

Gulf Coast Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold By Ralphsters Spores, Spores 101

Hanoi

The Hanoi strain was identified in the 90s by Mushroom John Allen while he was visiting Vietnam.

This strain is easy to grow and has relatively high potency for a cubensis strain.

Hanoi Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySpores 101

Hawaiian Strain

There are a few strains in circulation marked “Hawaiian,” — and it isn’t clear if these are the same strain or not. Some have large dark caps; others tan-colored caps with white edges.

The first Hawaiian strain was the P.E.S. Hawaiian. P.E.S. stands for Plantasia Exotica Speciosa — a spore vendor based out of Honolulu.

Some experts suggest Hawaii isn’t an ideal location for magic mushrooms, and this strain must have come from somewhere else, but I beg to differ. There are several species of magic mushrooms, including Psilocybe cubensis, that have been discovered growing on the tropical islands of Hawaii.

I don’t recommend this strain if you care about the history and origins of the mushrooms you’re growing.

Hawaiian Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Hillbilly

This is an older strain — first emerging sometime in the 90s. Over the past few decades its ___ to the fringes of the mushroom cultivation scene. It was cast aside for its low overall potency, only to emerge in the Spring 2022 Psilocybin Cup as the champion for the microdose award.

Ever since then, it’s become a lot more popular among home-growers looking for a more gentle option.

Hillbilly contains relatively low levels of psilocybin, but high concentrations of a related tryptamine called norpsilocin. The fresh mushrooms of Hillbilly mushrooms are significantly more potent than dried versions.

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101, The Magic Mushrooms Shop

Hillbilly Pancake

This strain is a progeny of the original Hillbilly strain — bred to produce distinct short, thick, and fat mushrooms (sort of like pancaked).

This strain, like its parent, contains curiously high levels of norpsilocin, but low levels of psilocybin. It’s considered quite weak, but a great option for microdosing.

The genetics for the Hillbilly Pancake are not for sale and are part of the original grower’s private stock.

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByNot Available

Hillbilly Pumpkin

This Hillbilly offshoot features utterly bizarre mushrooms — they’re large, round, darkish brown-colored, and ribbed like pumkins (hence the name).

Much like it’s parent strain, the Hillbilly Pumpkin isn’t going to break any records for potency, but offers an excellent starting ground for microdosing.

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByBasidium Equilibrium, Planet Spores, Inoculate the World

Huautla (Oaxaca)

This strain was collected somewhere near Huautla de Jimenez.

This is the hometown of the legendary mushroom shaman Maria Sabina who first introduced magic mushrooms to R. Gordon Wasson in the 1950s.

This strain is fairly new but has become quite popular in the mushroom community for its reliability, dense cluster formation, and beginner-friendly potency (average tryptamine levels are around 0.47%).

Huatla Strain Specs:

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Jack Frost

Jack Frost is an albino Psilocybe cubensis related to the True Albino Teacher and Albino Penis Envy mushrooms — two of the most potent albino strains available.

Despite its genetic composition, Jack Frost is about average in terms of potency. Testing indicates you can expect the average batch to deliver around 0.72% psilocybin and 0.03% psilocin for a total of around 0.83–1.00% total tryptamines (based on dried weight).

This is a great beginner shroom and a good choice for growers looking for a strain with top-notch bag appeal. These mushies are ghostly white and feature large symmetrical caps.

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Jedi Mind Fuck

The origin of this strain is unknown, but it’s thought to have been a genetic off-shoot from the Z-strain.

While there’s a lot of debate around the qualitative experience different strains can or can’t produce, this one is often regarded for its strong, long-lasting hallucinations that almost resemble the effects of deliriants.

Despite its reputation, testing of this strain showed an average psilocybin level of 0.50%, an average psilocin level of 0.04%, and a total tryptamine concentration of just 0.64%. The strongest sample tested was only slightly stronger (and still within average levels) with 0.86% total tryptamines.

Jedi Mind Fuck Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeslab

Kathmandu (Nepal)

Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal. It’s unclear who collected the first specimen. Some suggest it was one of several specimens collected by John Allen, but he only mentioned one Nepalese strain.

Wherever it came from, this is a great first strain for new growers because of how well-rounded it is. The Kathmandu mushroom strain doesn’t excel in any one category but offers a good balance of fast colonization, resistance to contamination, medium to large mushroom size, and ease of germination and spore collection.

Kathmandu Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Koh Samui

Koh Samui mushrooms is one of the most popular strains for beginner growers. It has a high resistance to contamination and produces several dense flushes before eventually succumbing to mold.

This strain is best known for its production of “fatasses” — which is a slang word referring to mushrooms that are short and have a fat stem.

Koh Samui was first collected by good ol’ Mushroom John Allen in the town of Hua Thanon on the island of Koh Samui.

The potency of this mushroom maintains a relatively tight range between 0.69% and 0.86% total tryptamine levels (psilocybin, psilocin, and other related compounds).

Koh Samui Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySpores 101

La Primavera

La Primavera is a large painting done by the Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli.

It’s unclear what the correlation is with this strain or who to give credit for developing it. Either way, this is a decent strain to try if you’re looking for something new.

Flushes continue well into the fifth or sixth round, and the mushrooms have respectable potency levels even without adding tryptophan to the growing medium.

La Primavera Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Lipa Yai (Thai)

This is another strain from Thailand. It closely resembles the Koh Samui strain, with one major difference. Instead of producing short mushrooms, Lipa Yai produces tall fruiting bodies. The color and spores are very similar, albeit a tad darker.

This strain is heralded for having the same disease resistance as Koh Samui (a quality that makes Koh Samui one of the most popular beginner strains).

Lipa Yai mushrooms share similar potency to Koh Samui, with an average of 0.66% psilocybin, 0.05% psilocin, and 0.75% total tryptamine levels (by dried weight). For comparison, Koh Samui samples had an average of 0.69% total tryptamines.

Lipa Yai Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Lizard King

This strain is named after the (amateur?) mycologist that discovered it — an anonymous mycologist using the online handle “Lizard King.” They’re well-known in the mushroom-growing community.

This strain is reported to have been collected in Mexico and was noted to have been growing on wood (which is strange for a Psilocybe cubensis).

This mushroom is pretty weak. Expect low levels of tryptamines with this one (0.30–0.40%).

Lizard King Strain Specs:

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Malabar India

Malabar cubensis can be hard to find but is worth searching for if your goal is producing particularly large mushrooms.

There are reports on Reddit of samples of this strain weighing more than 250 grams fresh.

A distinguishing feature of this strain is the veils that remain connected to the cap even after the mushroom is matured.

In terms of potency, this strain is slightly above-average. Across three different samples, the average remained very close to 0.90% total tryptamines. The strongest of the three submissions contained 1.14% tryptamines (psilocybin, psilocin, and other related compounds).

Malabar India Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101, Sporeslab

Malaysian Strain

The Malaysian strain (sometimes called Malay) is unstable and will continue to mutate. Every batch is different from the last.

The only potency testing data we have on this shroom listed a tryptamine level of 0.85% — which places it about average. But we expect this range to vary significantly with more samples.

This strain, like many on this list, was originally collected by Mushroom John Allen on his infamous trip to Southeast Asia.

Malaysian Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Matias Romero

This strain was collected in the Mexican village Matias Romero. It’s noted for its thick, watery stems and caps. This strain will tolerate higher humidity levels than other strains. If the ambient air is too dry, it’s prone to aborts — which increases the chances of contamination later on.

The Matias Romera mushroom is considered an intermediate strain. It’s well worth it if you’re looking for something a little different. This is a very photogenic strain.

Matias Romero Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Mazatapec

This is one of the first magic mushroom strains to be brought to the west, along with Huautla and some of the original stock that Dennis and Terence McKenna collected when they visited the Amazon for the first time.

This strain was collected from the mountainous region of Mazatapec, Mexico. Distinguishing features of this strain are round, bulbous caps and long stems.

The potency of this mushroom is about average, at roughly 0.61% psilocybin, 0.08% psilocin, and 0.71% total tryptamines.

Mazatapec Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Melmac

The true origins of Melmac is unclear, but many believe it to be a direct off-shoot of the infamous Penis Envy strain. Other theories suggest Penis Envy either came from Melmac, or both PE and Melmac came from the same source Amazon strain stock Terence and Dennis McKenna brought back with them on their infamous expedition in the 1970s.

Either way, expect very similar growth patterns and potency from this mushroom as you would with Penis Envy. Some growers even claim this strain carries all the benefits of PE but offers even faster colonization.

Melmac shrooms contain an average of 0.98% total tryptamines, which places them slightly above average in terms of potency. The most potent sample submitted to the Psilocybin Cup contained 1.45% total tryptamine levels.

Melmac Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeslab

Menace

P. Menace (Psilocybe Menace) is a well-known member of the mushroom community — especially on the Shroomery forums.

This strain is named after and collected by the one and only P. Menace in pastures just outside of Houston, Texas.

These shrooms have a nice cinnamon-brown color with distinct cap edges. It produces a deep blue bruising reaction when touched — which is an indicator of how potent this mushroom is.

The Menace Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeworks

Mestizo

This strain is noted for being prolific in the first and second flushes — which makes it great for beginners.

Mushrooms can continue flushing several times, but only if the environmental conditions are right and contamination is kept at bay. For newbies, it can be difficult to extend a grow beyond the second or third flush, so getting as much as possible in the first couple of rounds pays dividends quickly.

Mestizo Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Mexican Albino

This strain isn’t always a true albino strain, but it’s relatively easy to isolate albino genetics using agar plates. Even the non-albino

The Mexican strain used to originate this stock was discovered by Mushroom John Allen. It’s unclear if John Allen also isolated the albino genetics or if someone else is owed credit for this discovery.

Either way, this is an excellent strain for beginners interested in growing a (nearly) albino strain.

Mexican Albino Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByNot currently available

Mexicube

This strain produces mushrooms with uniquely spotted caps. They have a nice yellow or golden color and thick stems.

You’ll find Mexicube produces plenty of dense clusters of small to medium-sized mushrooms. They aren’t particularly large but form really thick clusters that make harvesting quite an event. 

Mexicube Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101, Sporeslab

Mississippi

This strain comes from the same general region as the Dixieland strain. Unsurprisingly, there’s a decent amount of overlap between the growth patterns of these two strains.

The Mississippi strain grows plenty of nice large shrooms, filled in with lots of smaller ones. It’s a prolific sporulator, so make sure to harvest before the gills are fully opened up, or you’re going to blanket the smaller mushrooms in a thick layer of deep black spores.

Mississippi Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Oak Ridge

This strain was collected from a sample growing near a nuclear facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Oak Ridge produces a nice uniform set of medium-sized mushrooms — almost like a tiny forest of virtually identical mushrooms. These shrooms are also noted for being one of the more contamination-resistant options — making them a great option for commercial operations and newbies alike.

Oak Ridge Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Old Dirty Penis Envy

The origins of this strain are unclear, but there are two leading theories. The first is that it was a subset of the Penis Envy mushrooms developed by a Shroomery user by the name of “Old Dirty.”

The other theory is that this strain was originally developed as “Out Door Penis Envy” (AKA ODPE) that evolved into the “Old Dirty” moniker instead.

Only 3 samples of this mushroom have been submitted into the Psilocybin Cup so far — one by Fungi Guru, another by Counter Culture, and the last one by Mychochondria. All three samples displayed radically different potencies ranging from 2.13% to 0.61% total tryptamines (psilocybin, psilocin, tryptamine, baeocystin, and others), respectively.

Old Dirty Penis Envy Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
CostN/A
Sold ByNot Available

Orissa India

The original sample collected for this strain was found growing in cow dung near a temple in Orissa, India.

This strain is notably potent for a cubensis strain and tends to produce some monster mushrooms on the first, second, and potentially third flushes.

A sample of the Orissa India strain once held the record for the largest cultivated cubensis ever — but that title has since been beaten by a grower using South American cubensis.

Orissa India Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Palenque Mexico

Despite what some vendors note, this strain is a little bit more difficult to cultivate than others on this list. They’re a fast colonizer but highly susceptible to green mold. This strain works best when grown in rye grain or manure.

Palenque Mexico Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Panama

The original prints for this strain were collected in a garden in a hotel in Panama City. This strain was reportedly picked, isolated, and introduced to the spore market by Ralphster from Ralphsters Spores.

Panama Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySpores 101

Paraguay

This South American strain shares a lot of similarities with the well-known Amazon strain. It produced very large fruits, though not as large as Amazon.

The Paraguay strain is an aggressive colonizer, which helps it evade contamination during the incubation phase of the grow and is known for producing consistent flushes for the first three for four before tapering off.

Paraguay Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Penis Envy

Penis Envy is one of the most popular strains of cubensis on the market today. It’s loved for its alleged “high potency” as a super shroom.

These shrooms are named after their “penis-like appearance. The cap remains close to the stem, making these mushrooms look like a circumcised penis. They produce dense fruits that don’t shrink much when dried.

Cultivating this strain is easy, but perpetuating the stock can be difficult as many caps produce little to no spores, and in some cases, the spores are sterile.

Occasionally, penis envy will produce a thick flush of albino fruits. If you like growing albino shrooms, a few rounds of isolation on agar can reliably produce albino inoculant.

The infamous “Roger Rabbit” (a Shroomery user and respected mushroom expert) is famous for saying, “Cubes are cubes, with the exception of Penis Envy.”

Penis Envy was likely discovered in Colombia by Terrance McKenna and his brother Dennis in the early 1970s. This strain is thought to be part of the mushroom stock the brother’s collected on their trip to the Amazon in search of psychoactive mushrooms.

Some believe it was part of the McKenna’s stock, but the Penis Envy strain we know today was isolated via the work of Steven Pollock after receiving a sample of the spores from the McKenna’s.

Penis Envy was popularized by Hamilton Morris in a documentary on Vice and has since reached legendary status alongside other members such as Golden Teachers and Cambodian cubensis.

There are now several off-shoots of the penis envy strain — such as Penis Envy #6 and Penis Envy Uncut.

Penis Envy Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Sporeslab

Penis Envy #6

Penis Envy #6 is a cross between the original Penis Envy and the Texas strain.

This strain is a faster colonizer than P.E. but maintains the exceptional potency these mushrooms are famous for.

The growth pattern of these shrooms is less phallic and more closely resembles the wavy, wider caps of the Texas strain.

Penis Envy #6 Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeslab

Penis Envy Uncut

This genetic off-shoot of Penis Envy is characterized by veils that rarely open, even once fully mature (hence the “uncut” portion of the name).

Some regard these shrooms as the strongest version of the Penis Envy series — but the smaller mushroom size counteracts some of these benefits. You’ll get lower yields, but the mushrooms will (most likely) be stronger.

The average psilocybin content of these shrooms are around 1.36%. Psilocin is around 0.68% and the total tryptamine level is 2.04%.

Penis Envy Uncut Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeworks, Sporeslab

Peruvian Strain

The Peruvian strain was developed by Ralphsters Spores. The company claims this strain is best grown in manure and produces medium-sized shrooms with caps that change color from one flush to the next.

Peruvian Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

PESA

PESA stands for “Pacifica Exotica Spora Amazon.” It’s an oldie but a goodie. There are plenty of experienced and amateur growers alike who highly recommend this strain.

It’s renowned as a rapid colonizer and prolific flusher — great for commercial operations or hobbyists looking to maximize yields.

Unfortunately, potency is pretty low for this strain — with an average of just 0.30% psilocybin and 0.43% total tryptamines (by dried weight),

PESA Strain Specs:

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

PF Albino

PF Albino is a non-pigmented mutation of the PF Classic Strain. This strain is almost identical to the original strain. However, the fruiting bodies are completely white.

PF Albino Specs:

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByMYYCO (🇺🇸), Sporeslab (🇨🇦), Spores 101 (🇺🇸/🇨🇦), Miracle Farms (🇺🇸/🇨🇦), The Magic Mushrooms Shop (🇪🇺)

PF Classic

This is one of several strains isolated by Professor PF — one of the O.G.s in the mushroom growing space.

Distinct characteristics of this strain are the slow maturation times — which means it takes longer for this strain to start dumping spores all over the place (usually a day or two after the veil breaks).

If you’re the type that wants to avoid getting the thick black mess of spores all over their grow room and equipment, this is a great option.

The potency of this shroom is nothing special — with an average tryptamine content of 0.67% they’re certainly psychedelic, but they’re not going to blow your mind at 2 gram doses the way some of the other strains here might.

PF Classic Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

PF Redspore

This is a genetic off-shoot from the P.F. Classic strain with one key difference — instead of producing the normal dark purple or black spores, this strain produces a light brown or red spore.

Everything else is the same as the P.F. Classic strain, but this is a unique strain for amateur mycologists who want something a little different to check out under the microscope.

Because of the lighter spore coloration, the gills of this mushroom is also distinctly colored.

Overall an excellent strain worth trying if you’re in need of something a little out of the ordinary.

PF Redspore Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeworks

Pink Buffalo

The legend is that when this strain was collected somewhere on the island of Koh Samui from the manure of a literal pink buffalo.

Pink Buffalo has large and broad caps covering each other in a blanket of black spores. The caps themselves are lightly colored, but most harvested samples end up with a dense black color because of the dense spore distribution.

Pink Buffalo Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySpores 101

Plantasia Mystery

This strain has a high chance of producing fatass mushrooms — they’re very short and thick-stemmed. However, you can also get some more conventional mushrooms from this strain as well.

A unique characteristic of this strain is a white trim color along with the mushroom cap.

Plantasia Mystery Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Puerto Rican Strain

The Puerto Rican Cubensis strain was discovered near the town of Canovanas, Puerto Rico.

The distinguishing factors of this strain are its large caps and thin stems.

This strain has a bit of a cult following. Users often list it as one of the stronger strains they’ve tried.

Puerto Rican Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Quezon (Philippines)

The Quezon (Philippines) strain was collected from a garden in Quezon City, Philippines, over a decade ago.

Most of the growth characteristics are considered standard for a Psilocybe cubensis, but what makes this one unique is its tendency to continue growing to ever large sizes after reaching maturity.

Quezon Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

R44 Cubensis

The R44 strain was originally collected and further developed by Ralphster at Ralphsters Spores. The original sample came from somewhere in the Southern United States.

Unfortunately, this strain is no longer available at Ralphsters, but it could be brought back again one day in the future.

R44 Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByNot currently available

Rosa’s Strain

This strain was collected and developed by Pitbull from CogumelosMágicos.org — which is a Brazilian community of spore traders and mushroom cultivators.

The name is apparently a tribute to the farm owner on which the original sample was collected.

Rosa’s Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

SG30

SG30 was essentially brought back from 30-year-old spores. An expert grower with the username Shdwstr reportedly discovered the spores in an envelope he’d been storing for nearly three decades.

He slowly rehydrated and inoculated agar plates until it started to grow again.

SG30 Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

South African Transkei

Sometimes this strain is sold as “South African Cubensis”; other times, it’s sold as “Transkei Cubensis” or just “Transkei.”

This could be the only strain of Psilocybe cubensis discovered in South Africa. Psilocybes are not common in this part of the world, where the climate is hot and dry for most of the year.

Fortunately, the original sample was collected by professionals who did a great job at documenting the location — which clears the air on their origins.

The sample was collected at low elevations in dung in the shade of a tree near the Indian ocean in the Transkei region of southern Africa.

Expect slightly higher than-average potency with these shrooms. Recent testing found a sample of Transkei mushrooms to contain around 0.92% total tryptamine levels by dried weight.

South African Transkei Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

South American

The South American cubensis strain currently holds the record for the largest single Psilocybe mushroom ever collected. The title goes to the Shroomery user P. Menace.

This strain is notorious for its large fruit size. If your goal is to produce large statement mushrooms, this is one of the best strains to go about achieving that. Orissa India or Australian cubensis are good alternatives.

The original sample used for this strain was collected in Venezuela. Why it gained the name “South American” instead of “Venzuelan,” I’m not sure.

South American Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Stropharia

Stropharia is a genus of mushrooms. A few decades ago, Stropharia cubensis was a distinct species of mushroom, but it was later reclassified as a strain of Psilocybe cubensis.

Everything about this mushroom is Psilocybe cubensis, but there are some unique growth characteristics that make it reasonable to understand why mycologists believed this was a unique species prior to the introduction of modern genetic profiling.

These shrooms are dark-colored with atypical cap shapes and hollow stems.

Stropharia Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold By Ralphsters Spores, Spores 101

Syzygy

The famous psychonaut, Terence McKenna, who was instrumental in bringing psychedelics to the masses in the 80s and 90s, opened a store selling spores and psychedelic paraphernalia and books. The name of this store was Syzygy.

One of the spores he sold here had no name — this is the Syzygy strain available today.

The true origins of this strain is unknown, but it is one of the last remaining strains of McKenna’s stock.

Syzygy Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold By Ralphsters Spores

T3

The T3 strain is named for its three distinct growth patterns, which seem to change with every flush.

The mushrooms themselves closely resemble Koh Samui, and this strain is believed to be a genetic off-shoot of this infamous strain. This is not a great strain for commercial growers, but it’s an interesting one to try if you like the idea of getting all kinds of growth patterns out of a single stock. It makes harvesting and cultivating magic mushrooms all the more interesting.

T3 Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Tak Mountain Cubes

Tak Mountain was harvested by John Allen while traveling through Thailand.

This strain is known for its large mushroom sizes — especially on the first flush.

Tak Mountain Cubes Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Tapalpa

This is another legendary strain originating from Mexico — an epi-center for excellent Psilocybe cubensis strains.

Tapalpa is a very fast grower, with some growers reporting harvest within 2 months from inoculation.

The potency of this strain is also slightly above average and it’s affinity for producing dense clusters of shrooms mean its yields are pretty impressive too.

Tapalpa Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Tasmanian Strain

This strain was collected from Tasmania, a large island off the southern tip of Australia.

This strain produces nice medium to large-sized shrooms with a below-average potency (more suitable for beginners). Recent tests indicate a psilocybin level of 0.44%.

Tasmania is an excellent strain for those who like to collect the spores for reproduction or microscopy. If you harvest the mushrooms with the veil attached, you can tear them off and collect a beautifully rich sample with ease. This is one of the easiest strains to collect copious amounts of spores from.

Tasmanian Strain Specs:

PotencyWeak 🐁
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySpores 101

Teonanacatl

Teonanacatl is an Aztec word that loosely translates to “divine mushroom” — a fitting name for a mushroom as potent as this one.

This strain was collected from Mexico and developed by various amateur mushroom growers over several years before being offered for sale on Ralphsters Spores.

If you like the more potent strains, this is definitely one worth trying out.

Teonanacatl Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Texas Strain

The Texas strain is known for its small but dense fruits. They have a thick stem, but the caps don’t grow very large. When drying, the lack of water content means these shrooms don’t lose much of their size. They may look smaller than other strains when picked fresh but often end up being larger by the time the drying process is complete.

Another notable characteristic is the sensitivity of this strain to light. This strain will grow no problem in complete darkness. Too much light can cause the pinheads to abort.

Texas Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Thai Strain

This is another one of the many strains collected by Mushroom John Allen on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand.

This strain shares a lot of similarities with the official Koh Samui strain but with some key differences.

The main difference is that this strain is unlikely to produce fatasses. Koh Samui is notoriously prone to short and fat mushrooms.

Instead, the Thai strain produces large round mushroom caps that gradually flatten out and can even become convex if harvested after maturity.

The potency of this mushroom strain is about average. Recent tests show averages of 0.64% psilocybin, 0.08% psilocin, and 0.74–0.91% total tryptamines.

Thai Strain Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Tidal Wave

Tidal Wave is a cross between B+ and Penis Envy. The mushrooms produced by this strain are a balance between both parent strains.

It has shorter, fatter stems like Penis Envy but a wider golden cap like B+. The potency is notably high, but not quite as high as the original Penis Envy or other Penis Envy off-shoots.

A sample of this strain won an award in the spring of 2021 for having the highest tryptamine content with a whopping 3.82% (three times higher than average).

The average total tryptamine levels for this strain is around 1.17%, but some samples have been found to contain as much as 3.8%.

Tidal Wave Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeslab

Trans Envy

This strain was developed by accident.

Spawn from two separate mushrooms were inadvertently mixed in the same fruiting chamber — South African Transkei and Penis Envy. Some distinctly different mushrooms were found fruiting in the resulting mixture, which was then isolated and renamed Trans Envy.

This strain has features of both mushrooms — thicker stems and increased potency from P.E. and larger mushroom size from Transkei.

Trans Envy Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$$
Sold BySporeslab

Treasure Coast

The Treasure Coast strain has an excellent yield overall, but only if you can make it through the first flush, which is especially prone to aborts.

Be patient with this one. Once you’re through the first round, the mushrooms on this strain come through with a ton of force.

This mushroom is on the low-end of average in terms of potency. Recent samples showed psilocybin levels of 0.59% (total tryptamines were around 0.67% of the dried mushroom).

Treasure Coast Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

Trinity

This strain is a bit of a genetic salad. This strain was made by breeding Penis Envy and Aztec God, which was then bred with Tidal Wave. Tidal Wave itself is a mix of B+ and Penis Envy.

The growth patterns of this strain are similar to Penis Envy, which is the dominant source of genes in this particular mix. The caps are just slightly larger than the stems, and the cap color has a light golden color.

Trinity is noteably less potent than it’s parent strain, but still above average at around 0.83% psilocybin, 0.11% psilocin, and 0.99% total tryptamines.

Trinity Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Sporeworks, Spores 101

True Albino Teacher

This strain is essentially the albino version of the infamous Golden Teacher strain. It’s potency is nearly identical, the growth characteristics (aside from color) are nearly identical, and it’s pretty consistent in terms of yields.

The potency of True Albino Teacher shrooms is comparable to Golden Teachers at around 0.81% psilocybin, 0.06% psilocin, and 0.87% total tryptamines.

This is a good strain to go for if you’re just getting started and want something easy to grow with mellow effects.

True Albino Teacher Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeslab

US Virgin Islands

This strain was collected and developed by Joshua — a renowned member of the mushroom cultivation community and the creator of the F+ strain.

These mushrooms are large and prolific, with nice large golden caps.

US Virgin Island Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

White Rabbit

This albino Psilocybe strain is a hybridization of Albino Penis Envy and Moby Dick — both of which are renowned hybrids on their own. Moby Dick is a hybridization of Golden Teacher and A+ strain.

The White Rabbit strain is an excellent set of genetics to work with. It was developed by a group of cultivators in Holland and has won several awards for it’s high potency among independent growers.

Some people list this strain as the most potent Psilocybe cubensis strain — rivaling other prominent options, including Penis Envy and Orissa India.

White Rabbit Strain Specs:

PotencyVery Potent 🤯
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeslab

Wollongong

Wollongong is a city in Australia on the coast just south of Sydney. This strain has been popular in Australian spore trading communities for decades but has only recently entered the North American market through Ralphsters Spores.

This is a classic Australian strain with light brown caps, large mushrooms, and tenacious colonization.

Wollongong Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Xapuri

The Xapuri mushroom was allegedly collected on the side of the road in Brazil while driving down the BR317. It’s a classic South American strain with a high propensity for producing very large mushrooms.

It’s not uncommon for these mushrooms to grow so large they can no longer support their weight. B.R.F. cakes often fall over when these large mushrooms protrude off one side, so keep an eye on these in the later stages of growth. If mushrooms fall over and sit in the moist substrate or perlite below, they can easily start to rot and mold.

Xapuri Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores

Yeti

The Yeti strain was developed by a renowned mycologist that goes by the online handle “Jik Fibs.”

This strain was apparently a genetic isolation from an older strain called True Albino Teacher.

Yeti is an albino strain that looks and feels a lot like Golden Teachers, only with a much lighter color. When the caps mature, you may notice some yellow or gold color forming on the tops of the caps.

The psilocybin levels of this mushroom are around 0.88% on average (total tryptamine average is 1.14%) — establishing it as well above average compared to other Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms.

So far, the strongest Yeti submitted into the Psilocybin Cup tested at 1.56% total tryptamines.

Yeti Strain Specs:

PotencyAbove Average 💪
CultivationEasy
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold BySporeslab

Z-Strain

Z-strain is one of the most tenacious strains you’ll find. They colonize very quickly and produce dense clusters of shrooms almost immediately when placed in the fruiting chamber.

This strain is prone to aborts, so it’s recommended for intermediate or experienced growers only. If you can crack the code for getting the Z-strain right, it’s hands down one of the best options for commercial grows or those looking to maximize yields.

Some reports suggest this mushroom to be very potent, but we’ve found it to be pretty average compared to other Psilocybe cubensis. This mushrooms strength is certainly it’s tenacity while growing rather than being especially strong in the hallucinogenic department.

Recent potency testing found an average of 0.66% psilocybin, 0.17% psilocin, and 0.83% total tryptamines with samples of this mushroom.

Z-Strain Strain Specs:

PotencyAverage 🍄
CultivationIntermediate
SpeciesPsilocybe cubensis
Cost$
Sold ByRalphsters Spores, Spores 101

Magic Mushroom Spore Vendor List (A-Z)

There are a TON of great (and legal) places to get your spores. Most countries don’t restrict the sale of spores because they don’t contain any of the active psilocybin or psilocin. They usually arrive in either a liquid syringe or sealed spore print.

In general liquid syringes are easier to use and tend to have less issues with contamination — but the best bang for your buck in terms of money are the spore prints.

Here’s the full list of spore vendors we’ve ordered from so far and believe to offer nothing but high-quality spores. The best vendor depends entirely on where you live and what genetics you’re after.

For more information on spores and spore vendors, check out the full post here.

Basidium Equilibrium (🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 45

Ships to: USA Only

Genetics Offered: Albino A+ (Leucistic), Avery’s Albino, Albino Bluey Vuitton, Albino Burma, Albino Chodewave, Albino Golden Teacher, Albino Melmac, Albino Penis Envy (APE), Albino Texas PE6, Albino Tosohatchee, APE Revert, B+ Strain, Baper Rust, Blue Meanie OB1, Bluey Vuitton, Cabo Rojo, Cambodian, E4K Flower Power, Fiji, Golden Halo, Golden Teacher, Hillbilly Pumpkin, Honduras, Jack Frost, Jedi Mind Fuck, Machine Elf, Manna From Heaven Penis Envy, Melmac, Old Dirty Penis Envy, Orissa India, Pakalensis, Pearl Harbor, Penis Envy #21, Penis Envy #22, Penis Envy #7, Plantasia Mystery, Rusty White, Squat Mac, Texas Yellow Cap, Tosohatchee, True Albino Teacher, Ultra Thic boi, Vader, Xico, and Yeti.


High Desert Spores (🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 48

Ships to: USA Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Albino A+ (Leucistic), Albino Cambodian, Albino Golden Teacher, Albino Penis Envy (APE), Albino South American, Albino Tidal Wave, Allen Strain, Avery’s Albino, B+ Strain, Blue Magnolia, Blue Meanie, Bluey Vuitton, Brazilian, Burma, Cambodian, Chitwan (Nepal), Colombian Rust Spore, Ecuador, Elephant Dung, Enigma, Escondido, F+ (Florida White), Fiji, Fortuna Costa Rica, Ghost, Golden Teacher, Haole, Hawaiian, Hillbilly, Huatla (Oaxaca), Illusion Weaver, Jack Frost, Jedi Mind Fuck, Malabar, Mazatapec, Oak Ridge, Orissa India, Penis Envy, PF Classic, Purple Mystic, Roatan Honduras, Rusty White, South American, SV10, Texas, Texas Penis Envy #6, Tidal Wave, and Treasure Coast.

Other Species Offered: Black Reishi (Ganoderma sinense), Blue Oyster (Pleurotus columbinus), Chestnut Mushroom (Pholiota adiposa), Cordyceps, Golden Oyster (Pleurotus citrinopileatus), Grey Dove Oyster, King Oyster (Pleurotus eryngii), Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), Maitake (Grifola frondosa), Pearl Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), Pink Oyster (Pleurotus djamor), Psilocybe natalensis, Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), and Wood Ear Mushroom (Auricularia auricula-judae).


Inoculate the World (🇨🇦/🇬🇧/🇦🇺)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 47

Ships to: Canada, United Kingdom, Australia

Cubensis Genetics Offered: Albino A+, Albino Burma (Leucistic), Albino Ecuador (Leucistic), Albino Golden Teacher, Albino Penis Envy (APE), Amazon, APE Revert, B+ Strain, Ban Hua Thanon, Blue Magnolia, Blue Meanie, Cambodian, Chitwan (Nepal), E4K, Ecuador, F1 Alamaba, Golden Halo, Golden Teacher, Guapiles, Gulf Coast, Hanoi, Hawaiian, Jack Frost, Jedi Mind Fuck, Koh Samui, Lipa Yai, Lizard King, Malaysian, Mazatapec, Mexican Sombrero, Nezuko, Oak Ridge, Orissa India, Penis Envy, Pink Buffalo, Puerto Rico, Rusty Melmac, Rusty White, Stargazer, Tak Mountain, Taman Negara, Texas, Texas Yellow Cap, Tosohatchee, Venezuelan, White Rabbit and Z-Strain.

Other Species: Psilocybe mexicana, Psilocybe hoogshagenii, and Psilocybe tampanensis.


Miracle Farms (Golden Teacher Spores) (🇺🇸/🇨🇦)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 121

Ships to: USA & Canada

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: A+ Strain, Acadian Coast, Ajax, Albino A+, B+ Strain, Albino Cambodian, Albino Golden Teacher, Albino Melmac, Albino Penis Envy, Albino Treasure Coast, Alcabenzi, Allen Strain, Amazonian, APE Revert, Argentina, Australian, Aztec God, Ban Hua Thanon, Ban Nathon, Ban Phang Ka, Ban Thurian, Bayou, Bix Mex, Blue Magnolia, Blue Meanie, Brazilian, Burma, Cambodian, Campinas, Chilean, Chitwan (Nepal), Colorado, Corumba, Costa Rican, Creepers, Cuban, Dancing Tiger, Dixieland, E4K, Ecuador, Elephant Dung, Elephant Gate, Enigma, Escondido, F+ (Florida White), Fatass, Fiji, Glowing Teacher, Golden Emperor, Golden Mammoth, Golden Teacher, Guadalajara, Gulf Coast, Hanoi, Hawaiian, Hillbilly, Huatla (Oaxaca), Jack Frost, Jedi Mind Fuck, Kathmandu, Koh Samui, La Primavera, Lipa Yai, Lizard King, Luminous Lucy, Malabar India, Malaysian, Matias Romero, Mazatapec, McKennaii, Melmac, Melmac Penis Envy, Menace, Mestizo, Mexican Albino, Mexican Dutch King, MexiCube, Mississippi, Oak Ridge, Orissa India, PESA, Pakalensis, Palenque, Panama, Paraguay, Penis Envy, Penis Envy #6, Penis Envy Uncut, Peru, PES Hawaiian, PF Classic, PF Redspore, Pink Buffalo, Plantasia Mystery, Puerto Rican, Quezon, R44, Rusty White, SG30, South American, Steel Rain, T3, Tak Mountain, Tasmanian, Teonanacatl, Texas, Texas Orange Caps, Texas PE6, Thai, Tidal Wave, Trans Envy, Transkei, Treasure Coast, Trinity, US Virgin Islands, Vietnamese, White Rabbit, Wollongong, Xapuri, Yeti, and Z-Strain.

Other Species Offered:Psilocybe tampanensis, Psilocybe semilanceata, Psilocybe mexicana, Panaeolus cyanescens, Psilocybe azurescens, Psilocybe natalensis.


Mushroom Prints (🇨🇦/🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 35

Ships to: USA & Canada

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Alcabenzi, Allen Strain, Amazonian, Argentina, Aztec God, B+ Strain, Blue Meanie, Brazilian, Burma, Cambodian, Chitwan (Nepal), Creeper, Ecuador, F+ (Florida White), Golden Teacher, Koh Samui, Koh Samui Super Strain, Lipa Yai, Lizard King, Malabar, Mazatapec, Mexican Albino, Mexican Dutch King, Oak Ridge, Orissa India, Palenque, Penis Envy #6, PF Classic, Puerto Rico, Red Boy, South American, Stropharia, Treasure Coast, Wollongong, and Z-Strain.

Other Species Offered: Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Portabello/White Button/Crimini (Agaricus bisporus), Enoki (Flammulina velutipes), Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa), Fried Chicken Mushroom (Lyophyllum decastes).


MYYCO (🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 9

Ships to: USA Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Albino Penis Envy (APE), Amazonian, B+ Strain, Blue Meanies, Golden Teacher, Jedi Mind Fuck, Koh Samui Super Strain, Penis Envy, and Pink Buffalo

Other Psychoactive Species Offered: Panaeolus cyanescens

Functional/Edible Mushrooms Offered: Blue Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), Chestnut Mushroom (Agrocybe aegerita), King Oyster (Pleurotus eryngii), Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), Pink Oyster (Pleurotus djamor), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor).


Ralphsters Spores (🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 78

Ships to: USA Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: A+ Strain, Albino A+, Acadian Coast, Amazon, Argentina, Australian, B+ Strain, Ban Hua Thanon, Ban Phang Ka, Ban Thurian, Blue Meanie, Brazil, Cambodian, Campinas, Chilean, Colorado, Corumbá, Costa Rican, Creeper, Cuba, Dancing Tiger, Dixieland, Elephant Dung, Ecuador, Escondido, F+ Florida White, Fatass, Fiji, Golden Teacher, Guadalajara, Gulf Coast, Hawaiian, Hillbilly, Huautla, John Allen Strain, Kathmandu, Large Fruit, Lipa Yai, Lizard King, Malabar, Malaysian, Matias Romero, Mazatapec, Mestizo, Mexican, Mexican Dutch King, Mississippi, Oak Ridge, Orissa India, Palenque Mexico, Penis Envy 6, Peru, PESA, PF Classic, Plantasia Mystery, Puerto Rican, Quezon, R44, Rosa’s, SG30, South American, Stopharia, Syzygy, T3, Tak Mountain Cube, Tapalpa, Tasmanian, Teonanacatl, Texas, Texas-Goliad, Thai Mystery, Transkei, Treasure Coast, U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Wollongong, Yosterizii, and Z Strain.


Planet Spores (🇨🇦)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 27

Ships to: Canada-Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Amazonian, Avery’s Albino, Aztec God, B+ Strain, Blue Magnolia Classic, Blue Magnolia Rust, Blue Meanie, Burma, Cambodian, Golden Penis Envy, Golden Teacher, Hillbilly, Jedi Mind Fuck, Koh Samui Super Strain, Lizard King, Malabar, Mazatapec, Penis Envy #6, Penis Envy Uncut Revert, PES Hawaiian, Texas Orange Cap, Thai Elephant Dung, Trans Envy, Transkei, Treasure Coast, True Albino Penis Envy, and White Teacher.

Other Species Offered: Blue Oyster, Lion’s Mane, Pink Oyster, Turkey Tail, Wine Cap


Shiny Spores (🇪🇺)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 55

Ships to: European Union Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Acadian Coast, Albino A+, Alcabenzi, Amazonian, B+ Strain, Ban Hua Thai, Blue Meanies, Brazil, Burma, Cambodian, Cambodian Gold, Corumba Brazil, Costa Rican, Creeper, Dancing Tiger, Ecuador, Elephant Dung, Entheogen Explosion, Fiji, Flea Market, Florida Wild, Golden Halo, Golden Teacher, Gulf Coast, Hillbilly, Hillbilly Leucistic, Huautla, Jack Frost, Jedi Mind Fuck, Koh Samui Super Strain, Lizard King, Malabar Coast, Mars, Mazatapec, Mckennai, Mexican Dutch King, Moby Donk, Orissa India, Penis Envy #6, Penis Envy Uncut, Peru, PES Amazonian, Pink Buffalo, Purple Mystic, Purple Sherpa, Red Boy, South American, Tasmanian, Thai Elephant Dung, Tidal Wave, Titanic, Treasure Coast, White Treasure Coast, Will Mexican, and Yeti.

Other Species Offered: Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus)


Southwest Shroomery (🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 23

Ships to: USA Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Albino Penis Envy, Aztec God, B+ Strain, Blue Meanie, Burmese Penis Envy, Cambodian, Golden Halo, Golden Mammoth, Golden Teacher, Jedi Mind Fuck, Koh Samui Super Strain, Lizard King, Maui Platinum, Mazatapec, McKennaii, Melmac, Penis Envy #6, Penis Envy Uncut Leucistic, Pink Buffalo, Purple Mystic, Syzygy, Tidal Wave, and Z Strain.

Other Species Offered: Amanita muscaria


Spores 101 (🇺🇸/🇨🇦)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 26

Ships to: USA & Canada

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: A+ Strain, Alcabenzi, Amazon, Argentina, Brazilian, Cambodian, F+ (Florida White), Golden Teachers, Gulf Coast, Hawaiian, Huautla (Oaxaca), Malabar India, Mississippi, Orissa India, Palenque Mexico, Panama, Penis Envy, Penis Envy #6, Pink Buffalo, South American, Teonanacatl, Texas, Tidal Wave, US Virgin Islands, Vietnam, and White Rabbit.


Sporeslab (🇨🇦)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 36

Ships to: Canada Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: A+ Strain, Acadian Coast, Albino A+, Albino Treasure Coast, Allen Strain, Amazon, Argentina, Aztec God, B+ Strain, Blue Meanies, Burma, Cambodian, Creepers, Cuban, Enigma, Escondido, Golden Emperor, Golden Teachers, Jedi Mind Fuck, Kathmandu (Nepal), Matias Romero, MexiCube, Mississippi, Orissa India, Paraguay, Penis Envy, Penis Envy Uncut, Quezon (Philippines), T3, Teonanacatl, Tidal Wave, Transkei (South African), True Albino Teacher, White Rabbit, Xapuri and Yeti.


Spore Store (🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 24

Ships to: USA Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Alcabenzi, Amazonian, B+ Strain, Burma, Chitwan (Nepal), Creepers, Ecuador, Golden Teacher, Hanoi, Huautla (Oaxaca), Jamaica, Malaysia, Mazatapec, Oasis, Penis Envy, PES Hawaiian, PF Classic, Pink Buffalo, Plantasia Mystery, Puerto Rican, Stargazer, Transkei, Treasure Coast, and Z-Strain.

Other Species Offered: White Morels, Black Morels, Oyster.


Sporeworks (🇺🇸)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 25

Ships to: USA Only

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Albino A+, Albino Penis Envy (APE), Amazonian, B+ Strain, Burma, Chitwan (Nepal), Colombian Rust Spore, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Golden Teacher, Huautla (Oaxaca), Koh Samui Super Strain, Malabar, Mazatapec, Menace, Oak Ridge, Penis Envy, Penis Envy Uncut, PES Hawaiian, PF Albino, PF Classic, PF Redspore, Puerto Rican, Tidal Wave, and Treasure Coast.

Other Psychoactive Species Offered: Panaeolus bisporus, Panaeolus cambodginiensis, Panaeolus cyanescens, Psilocybe azurescens, Psilocybe cyanescens, Psilocybe mexicana, Psilocybe natalensis, Psilocyne subtropicalis, and Psilocybe tampanensis, Amanita muscaria, Amanita pantherina.

Edible/Functional Mushroom Genetics: Blue Oyster, Pink Oyster, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulminarius, Volvariella volvacea.


Tatanka (🇪🇺)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 10

Ships to: European Union

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: B+ Strain, Cambodian, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Golden Teacher, Hawaiian, Mazatapec, McKenaii, Mexican, and Thai.


The Magic Mushrooms Shop (🇪🇺)

Tripsitter Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of Strains: 17

Ships to: European Union

Psilocybe Genetics Offered: Albino A+, B+ Strain, Ban Hua Thanon, Burma, Cambodian, Ecuador, Fiji, Golden Teacher, Mazatapec, McKennaii, Mexicana, Orissa India, PES Amazonia, PES Hawaiian, PF Classic, Red Boy, and Treasure Coast.


FAQs: Magic Mushroom Strains

Here are some of the most common questions about magic mushroom strains we get asked.

Feel free to send us your questions to feedback@tripsitter.com

1. What’s The Easiest Strain To Grow?

Fortunately, virtually all Psilocybe cubensis are easy to grow. They’ll eat just about any substrate you throw at them and will produce mushrooms with minimal effort.

Many growers consider strains like Koh Samui and Golden Teachers the easiest to grow because of their resistance to contamination and rapid colonization speeds.

More difficult strains are still easy to grow, but yields may suffer if climate or substrate conditions aren’t perfect.

For example, Z-strain is easy to grow but can result in aborted pinheads more easily if the ambient temperature is too high or humidity levels are too low.

Another example is Xapuri which can produce mushrooms that are large and unstable, which could cause them to fall over if you don’t support them or use more advanced cultivation techniques.

Both of these strains will still produce plenty of high-quality mushrooms even if you don’t do everything perfectly.

2. What’s The Most Potent Magic Mushroom Strain?

The potency of magic mushrooms depends on many factors — not just the strain. Everything from ambient humidity and temperature levels to substrate composition can affect the potency of the final mushroom.

With that said, strain selection still counts. If grown under perfect conditions, some Psilocybe cubensis strains carry a much higher chance of producing exceptionally potent mushrooms.

Based on tryptamine testing by the folks at Oakland Hyphae for their bi-annual Psilocybin Cup, here are some of the strongest strains available:

  1. Tidal Wave (3.82%)
  2. Fuzzy Balls (3.00%)
  3. Penis Envy (2.90%)
  4. Shiva Lingam (2.41%)
  5. Albino Penis Envy (2.34%)
  6. Penis Envy Uncut (2.32%)
  7. Old Dirty Penis Envy (2.13%)
  8. Amazon (1.85%)
  9. Casper (1.79%)
  10. Enigma (1.67%)

Other species of magic mushrooms, such as Panaeolus cyanescens or Psilocybe azurescens, are even more potent gram for gram than the majority of Psilocybe cubensis strains — but yields are lower and cultivation is much more difficult.

Adding a source of tryptamine to the soil has been shown to further boost the potency of psilocybin and psilocin in all magic mushrooms strains.

3. What’s The Best Cold-Tolerant Magic Mushroom Strain?

Psilocybe cubensis is more of a tropical mushroom. It thrives in warmer weather than species like Psilocybe semilanceata, Psilocybe baeocystis, or Psilocybe azurescens.

With that said, there are a few strains that have shown more cold tolerance than others.

The best cold-tolerant magic mushroom strains are Gulf Coast, Tasmanian, Argentina, and A-strain.

4. What’s The Best Heat-Tolerant Magic Mushroom Strain?

If you’re living in a more tropical location, it’s better to go with strains that were collected from tropical regions of the world. All Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms will do well in heat, but the problem comes from the fact that mold also thrives in warmer climates with high humidity.

The best strains for high heat are the ones that are used to living in environments with tropical heat-loving molds, such as Koh Samui, Thai, Amazon, Burma, Lipa Yai, and Puerto Rican.

There are likely many other heat-tolerant strains that will thrive in more tropical parts of the world too.

5. Who is Mushroom John Allen?

The name Mushroom John Allen appears a lot in this guide. He’s the original source for well over a dozen strains that are now considered staples in the mushroom cultivation scene.

Mushroom John Allen is a renowned author, ethnomycology, and artist who spent the better half of his life traveling around the world in search of new species of fungi.

He’s credited with discovering and developing the following strains:

6. What Are “Albino” Mushroom Strains?

Albino strains don’t produce any pigment and are pure white in color.

There are true albinos and false albinos.

True albinos don’t have any pigment whatsoever on either the mushroom flesh or the spores. The only color the mushroom develops is a bluing reaction caused by the psilocybin and psilocin.

False albinos are isolated light-colored strains that maintain pigment in the spores or in certain areas near the top of the cap or in the stem.

There’s no real difference between an albino mushroom strain and a regular strain — they require the same growing conditions and produce more or less the same potency.

Here are some of the most prominent albino strains:

7. How Do I Use Magic Mushroom Spores?

Once you’ve decided what strain you want to cultivate and buy the spores, they’ll arrive as either a spore print or spore syringe (sometimes called a liquid culture).

Using your new spores involves placing them into sterilized substrate jars (as outlined in our magic mushroom cultivation guide). This process is called “inoculation.” It must be done in a clean environment to limit the chances of contamination.

The general idea is to create a substrate that serves as both the food and housing for your mushrooms to grow. The substrate is sterilized to reduce competition for your mushrooms, and then the spores are injected or placed inside the jar so they can germinate and grow.

Only when the jars are fully colonized with a nice white mycelium are they moved on to the next stage, which introduces them to the ambient light and air, which causes them to start producing mushrooms.

8. Where Do Magic Mushroom Strains Get Their Name?

There’s no hard rule about what a magic mushroom strain should be named. Much like the world of cannabis, magic mushroom strains can be named anything the creator or collector wants. Sometimes the wider mushroom community will rename them (such as the stripping away of the “Keeper” brand name on Keeper’s strains.

In general, mushroom strain names come down to three main factors:

  1. Where they were first discovered — Examples include Koh Samui, Australian, Cambodian, or the South American Strain
  2. Their unique appearance — such as Penis Envy, Fatass, or White Rabbit
  3. As a tribute to their collector or other influential person — such as the Menace strain, Mckennaii, Rosa’s Strain, or Allen strain

Key Takeaways: What Are Magic Mushroom Strains?

There’s a ton of options to choose from when it comes to magic mushrooms.

First of all, there are more than 100 individual species of magic mushrooms to choose from. By far, the most widely available and easiest to grow is Psilocybe cubensis, but Psilocybe azurescens, Psilocybe semilanceata, or Panaeolus cyanescens are also good options.

Strains refer to the individual phenotypes within a given species. There are more Psilocybe cubensis strains than any other species as these are by far the easiest to grow at home.

There’s a lot of debate about the importance of what strain to choose — all are comparable in their psychoactive effects, all are easy to grow, and all are going to produce more or less the same characteristics. Some vendors suggest some strains have more euphoric effects, stronger visuals, or other qualitative differences — but these suggestions are unreliable and vary from person to person. Your mindset going into the trip has a far greater impact on the experience than the strain selection.

The main reason you may want a specific strain over another is growth characteristics. Some people like the look of some strains over others, some are optimizing for higher yields, and others want strains that are (allegedly) going to be more potent than others.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what strain you choose. If you’re on the fence, unsure about what to order first, just go with your gut. You honestly can’t go wrong.