Syzygy Shroom Strain: A Potent Strain Discovered by the Famed Terence McKenna
This strain comes straight out of Terence McKenna’s private stash.
Some magic mushroom strains are popular because of their super-high potency, and others make headlines for the massive size of their fruiting bodies. The Syzygy strain, however, is most famous for having been discovered, isolated, and sold by Terence McKenna — a man regarded by many as one of the godfathers of psychedelics.
Syzygy is allegedly the first strain McKenna sold spore samples for via an online store he named after this strain — or, perhaps, vice versa.
Unfortunately, some of the samples he collected and sold on his shop are no longer available and have been lost in time. The Syzygy strain is one of the few that remains.
The Syzygy strain is known for having an average potency, although many users report that the trip experience is more intense and introspective than the potency would suggest.
Syzygy Shroom Specs
| Potency | Average 🍄 |
| Cultivation | Beginner |
| Species | Psilocybe cubensis |
| Substrate Recommendation | Rye Grain or Brown Rice Flour |
| Cost | $ |
| Sold By | Ralphsters Spores, Free Spores, Lil Shop of Spores |
Potency & Psilocybin Content
The Syzygy strain is roughly average in terms of potency. This is based purely on anecdotal reports, however. There isn’t much in the way of formal testing on this relatively obscure magic mushroom strain (yet).
Although there isn’t enough analytical information to provide an accurate average — based on the reported potency of this shroom, we estimate the total tryptamine content is somewhere between 0.5% and 1%.
The total tryptamine levels refer to the combined percentage of psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin, and a variety of other trace tryptamine derivatives (most of which are psychedelic).
Where to Buy Syzygy Shroom Spores
If you live in the United States, you can purchase Syzygy spores from Ralphster’s Spores, Free Spores, or Lil Shop of Spores.
If you live in Canada, you can check Spores 101, although this strain was not available at the time of writing.
If you live in Europe, you’ll likely have some difficulty finding this strain — it doesn’t seem to be very popular here. You can check places like The Magic Mushroom Shop and Viking Spore, but this strain isn’t always available from those vendors.
There are also spore trading circles in most parts of the world where hobbyists get together and trade spores with each other. This is a great place to find some rare or exotic strains like Syzygy.
Related: How & Where to Buy Magic Mushroom Spores (Legally).
How to Grow Syzygy Shrooms
Growing the Syzygy strain is pretty straightforward — you don’t need to do anything differently when growing this strain compared to other Psilocybe cubensis strains. Stick to the same basics we recommend in our How to Grow Magic Mushrooms post and you shouldn’t have much difficulty with this strain.
The Syzygy strain isn’t known to be a particularly fast colonizer, so it’s somewhat sensitive to mold and contamination.
Syzygy shrooms were collected from a pantropical climate, so you can likely get away with some variance in your humidity levels and the temperatures in your incubator and fruiting chamber. Still, sticking to the standards will be the best and give you the greatest chance for success.
This strain is a dense fruiter, so although the fruiting bodies are small to medium-sized, you should get a decent harvest from each grow over three to four flushes.
Similar Strains to Syzygy
The Syzygy strain is sought-after because it was discovered by the legendary Terence McKenna himself. There’s just something special about this even though the strain itself isn’t particularly unique in terms of growth habits or potency.
Unfortunately, it can sometimes be challenging to find these spores, even from the larger vendors in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Here are some of the best alternatives to consider instead:
Mazatapec Shrooms
The Mazatapec strain was originally collected in Mexico, and it’s another variety that was discovered and isolated by Terence McKenna. For this reason, it’s a great alternative to the Syzygy strain if you’re looking for something with a similar history. This strain is relatively easy to cultivate and has a higher potency than the Syzygy strain.
Melmac Shrooms
The origins of the original sample of the Melmac strain are debatable, but it’s believed to have been collected by Terence McKenna. It’s a straightforward strain to grow, as it colonizes quickly and has good resistance to mold. This strain has a very high potency, and it’s probable that it’s very closely related to the Penis Envy strain, which is considered the most potent cubensis strain.
Penis Envy Shrooms
As mentioned above, the Penis Envy strain is likely related to the Melmac strain, which was one of McKenna’s discoveries. Many people believe that the Penis Envy strain was developed from a sample collected by McKenna as well, although the details are a bit fuzzy. Steven Pollock is credited with isolating the strain we know and love today, possibly from a sample collected during the famed McKenna shroom expeditions.
Amazon Shrooms
The Amazon strain — also called the P.E.S. strain or the PESA strain — was originally collected and isolated by the Hawaiian spore company Pacifica Exotica Spora, hence the abbreviated name. It hails from the Amazon, as the name suggests, so it has a lot in common with the Syzygy strain. Many people actually believe that the two are almost identical and were just collected at different times by two different foragers.
Golden Teacher Shrooms
Golden Teachers are one of the most popular strains because they offer a well-balanced and rarely-overwhelming trip experience. The same can be said for the Syzygy strain, so this is a popular and much more widely available alternative for those looking for a similar psychedelic experience to the Syzygy strain.
Strains vs. Species: What’s The Difference?
The term “strain” refers to a unique variety of plants or mushrooms within a given species.
Species refer to all members of related specimens that can reproduce together. Two members from different species cannot reproduce viable offspring.
When we talk about strains of magic mushrooms, we’re usually referring to unique varieties within the greater Psilocybe cubensis species.
Final Thoughts: Syzygy Shrooms
The Syzygy strain is a variety of magic mushrooms best known for having been discovered and isolated by Terence McKenna. It’s native to the Amazon in South America and one of the first strains ever sold on McKenna’s spore website. It’s believed to be closely related to the Amazon strain and several others that are native to South America.
The Syzygy strain is relatively resistant to contaminants, so it’s a great option for beginner cultivators. It also provides a well-balanced psychedelic experience, similar to Golden Teachers, and it’s a favorite among new and experienced psychedelic mushroom users.
