Hillbilly Pumpkin Mushroom Strain: One of the Most Unusual Strains We’ve Seen
Fancy a “trip” for Halloween in the South? — The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain has all the treats with no tricks. Let’s take a look at this unusual Psilocybe cubensis strain.
The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain is a genetic offshoot of the original Hillbilly strain of Psilocybe cubensis. It’s not famed for its potency — producing less than 0.60% total tryptamines — but it’s a fantastic microdose shroom.
This strain is renowned for its utterly bizarre fruits. The mushrooms are large and round — often resembling small pumpkins. The white stems are usually thicker than the caps, which are light brown caps and have distinct wavy edges.
If you’re looking for a super-potent strain, Hillbilly Pumpkin isn’t the choice for you. However, if you’re dabbling with the idea of microdosing or wish to grow something unlike any other cube on the market, it’s the perfect choice.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- The history of the Hillbilly Pumpkin strain
- The potency of Hillbilly Pumpkin mushrooms
- The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain’s genetic relatives
- Where to buy Hillbilly Pumpkin spores
- How to grow Hillbilly Pumpkin shrooms
- Other strains of Psilocybe cubensis that produce “fatasses”
I’ll also be answering a few frequently asked questions about psychedelic mushrooms and Psilocybe cubensis strains.
Hillbilly Pumpkin Strain Specs:
| Potency | Weak |
| Cultivation | Beginner |
| Species | Psilocybe cubensis |
| Substrate Recommendation | Rye Grain or BRF (Brown Rice Flour) Cakes |
| Cost | $$ |
| Sold By | Basidium Equilibrium, Planet Spores, Inoculate the World |
History of The Hillbilly Pumpkin Strain
The Hillbilly strain has been around since the late 1990s. A frequent Mycotopia user that goes by the online handle “Hillbilly” is responsible for collecting and taming the strain in Arkansas in the Southern United States.
The original Hillbilly strain occasionally throws out a fatass mushroom in a flush. It’s believed that a cultivator by the name “Mycology Mage” isolated spores from a large pumpkin-shaped fatass phenotype and created the strain from there.
We’re not entirely sure of this origin story, and the spores available for the strain seem somewhat inconsistent. Some cultivators report fatass shrooms as round as a bowling ball, weighing in at 200 grams fresh. Others report a single flush of small “pumpkin-like shrooms” before the colony reverts to normal-looking Hillbilly shrooms.
Out of the 100s of unique strains of Psilocybe cubensis, Hillbilly Pumpkin is up there with some of the most bizarre.
Related: List of Psilocybin Mushroom Species (And Other Psychoactive Fungi).
Hillbilly Pumpkin Potency & Psilocybin Content
The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain isn’t famed for its potency. We’ve ranked this strain as “Weak” — producing less than 0.60% total tryptamines. However, that’s not to say it’s useless. The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain is ideal for people that want to microdose — its mother strain (Hillbilly) even won a spot as the “Microdose Champion” in the Spring 2022 Oakland Hyphae Psilocybin Cup.
The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain’s large mushroom size and weak potency make it easy to divide into accurate microdoses. Even half a gram of dried Hillbilly pumpkin could be considered a microdose. It’s far easier to split shrooms into half-gram doses than 0.05-gram doses, as is sometimes needed with more potent mushrooms.
These shrooms deserve a lot more recognition than they get, and hopefully, they’ll grow in popularity as amateur cultivators begin to explore their potential as “microdose shrooms.”
Related: Magic Mushroom Dosing: Psychedelic Mastery
The Hillbilly Pumpkin Strain’s Variations & Genetic Relatives
The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain is part of the “Hillbilly” series of P. cubensis. The series doesn’t have many variations (yet), with three main strains — one being the “Pumpkin variant.”
Here are the Hillbilly Pumpkin strain’s two closest Genetic Relatives:
1. The Hillbilly Strain
The Hillbilly strain has been around since the late 1990s. It was created by a mycologist that goes by the name “Hillbilly” — hence the naming of the strain. It was originally collected from somewhere in Arkansas in the Southern United States.
This strain isn’t particularly potent, but it’s a favorite among microdosers. A sample of the Hillbilly strain famously won a spot in the Spring 2022 Oakland Hyphae Psilocybin Cup as a “Microdose Champion.” The sample produced a mere 0.24% psilocybin level, 0.11 psilocin level, and around 0.49% total tryptamines.
This strain is easily cultivated and can produce large yields over several flushes.
2. Hillbilly Pancake Strain
The Hillbilly Pancake strain is a rare variant of the original that produces short mushrooms with flat doughnut-like caps. Not much is known about the history of the strain, but a few Shroomery users have got their hands on spore samples.
The fruits produced are similar to the Hillbilly Pumpkin strain, except they’re smaller, have flatter caps, and thinner stems. The potency of the Hillbilly Pancake strain is likely comparable to the original Hillbilly strain — producing less than 0.60% total tryptamines.
Where to Buy Hillbilly Pumpkin Spores
Hillbilly Pumpkin spores are relatively rare, and as far as we know, samples can only be purchased in swab or print format in the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, we haven’t found a reliable source for Hillbilly Pumpkin Spores in the United Kingdom or mainland Europe yet.
If you’re lucky enough to be based in the United States or Canada, you’ll find spore swabs and prints at:
- United States: You’ll find Hillbilly Pumpkin spore swabs at Basidium Equilibrium.
- Canada: Hillbilly Pumpkin spore syringes can be purchased from Basidium Equilibrium or Planet Spores.
- Europe: There are currently no European-based vendors selling Hillbilly Pumpkin spores. However, you may be able to order samples internationally from Inoculate the World.
How to Grow Hillbilly Pumpkin Mushrooms
The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain is a prolific fruiter and capable of producing massive yields over several flushes. The mushrooms can grow to monstrous sizes, too — with some cultivators reporting single samples weighing over 200 grams (fresh).
It’s an easily-grown strain thanks to its contamination resistance, aggressive mycelium, and ability to grow in an unoptimized environment. It’s an excellent choice for beginners who want to start with something more interesting than the typical Golden Teacher strain.
However, spore samples only come in swab format, which makes it trickier for those new to growing. When using swabs, there’s a risk of contamination when inoculating the substrate. Therefore, the spores must first be isolated on agar to remove any potential contaminants and extract the strongest Hillbilly Pumpkin mycelium. This extra step is relatively simple, but it can be confusing for newbies to mushroom cultivation.
The easiest way to cultivate shrooms is using a cultivation method known as PF Tek. It’s easy to grow Psilocybe cubensis using this technique when you can access sterile spore-filled syringes.
Learn how to perform PF Tek: How To Grow Magic Mushrooms: The Easy Way
Other Strains That Produce “Fatasses”
The Hillbilly Pumpkin strain can be difficult to find. If you’re looking for a strain that produces wide, round mushrooms (fatasses), don’t worry, there are plenty of other strains to choose from.
Here are some other Psilocybe cubensis strains that produce fatass mushrooms:
1. The Koh Samui Strain
The Koh Samui strain is a classic Thai strain originally discovered by the legendary shroom hunter “John Allen” during his travels through Southeast Asia in the 1990s. The first sample was collected from the island of Koh Samui — hence the name of the strain. This strain is famed for producing dense flushes of “fatass” mushrooms.
Considered “average potency,” Koh Samui mushrooms appear to sit consistently in the range of 0.69% and 0.86% total tryptamines. Like many Southeast Asian strains, this strain is incredibly resistant to contamination and can thrive in an unoptimized environment, making it a good choice for the beginner cultivator.
2. The Fatass Strain
The Fatass strain — also known as “Mystery Fatass” — is named after the short, fat shrooms it produces. This strain is a little harder to grow than most, but those willing to take on the challenge can get dense fatass shrooms that barely shrink after drying.
The Fatass strain is rated “above average potency” — producing somewhere around 1.10% total tryptamines.
3. The Chodewave Strain
The Chodewave strain is a lesser-known shroom that produces fatasses — or “chodes” if you like. The short, fat mushrooms can have psilocybin levels upwards of 1.00% and total tryptamine levels higher than 1.20%.
The origins of this strain are unclear, and spore samples are extremely difficult to source. However, those that manage to find spores and successfully cultivate them will get fairly potent fatass shrooms that look utterly wild.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some FAQs to help you in your quest for knowledge.
1. What Psilocybe cubensis Strains are Good for Microdosing?
It’s not all about mind-blowing psychedelic trips. Although super-potent Psilocybe cubensis strains often take the podium, weaker ones can be good for microdosing because they’re easier to divide into sub-perceptual doses.
The Hillbilly Pumpkin and original Hillbilly strains are great for microdosing, with the latter winning a place in the Spring 2022 Hyphae Psilocybin Cup “Microdose Champion” category.
The Hillbilly series doesn’t hold the only strains suited for microdosing.
Here are six more strains that are perfect for the cultivator who wants to grow their own medicine:
2. Is Psilocybe cubensis the Strongest Magic Mushroom Species?
If you’re looking for something a little stronger than a microdose strain, you’re probably wondering what the most potent strain of Psilocybe cubensis is.
The most potent strain of P. cubensis is Penis Envy. This strain is responsible for over a dozen super-potent strains. We categorize strains that feature Penis Envy’s super-potent genetics part of the “Penis Envy series.”
The Penis Envy series includes strains such as Tidal Wave that are capable of producing as much as 2.26% psilocybin and 1.56% psilocin — that’s around six times as potent as an “average potency” strain.
Here are some of the most potent P. cubensis strains on the planet:
3. What are the Active Components in Psilocybe cubensis Shrooms?
The main psychedelic compounds in Psilocybe cubensis shrooms are psilocybin and psilocin. These two compounds are part of a class known as “tryptamines.” They interact with the serotonin receptors in the brain, especially the 5-HT2A receptors.
There’s also a range of other tryptamines present in psilocybin mushrooms that may also be responsible for some of the psychoactive effects associated with magic mushroom consumption. However, further study into these compounds is needed before they’re categorized as hallucinogenic.
