Psilocybin Mushroom Spores: What They Are, How to Grow Them and
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Psilocybin spores are small single-celled reproductive units that have the ability to grow into the fleshy, fruiting bodies of psychedelic mushrooms. These hallucinogenic fungi can be found growing on forest floors or on rotting logs throughout the United States. (But it's best not to eat what's collected, unless you're an experienced mycologx. Eating the wrong mushroom can be deadly.)
There are about 200 species of mushrooms within the genus Psilocybe, which contain psilocybin. They grow from spores, sometimes called psilocybin spores. There's a good chance you could get them legally, because psilocybin spores don't actually contain psilocybin, a substance banned in the U.S. But cultivate them? Well, that's a different story.
Psilocybin is not present in the fungus until the spores germinate and begin to produce mycelium. That is the cord-shaped network of mushroom threads. In nature, mycelium grows underground or on the trunks of decaying trees and gives rise to the fruiting bodies of fungi. As such, when psilocybin spores germinate and grow into mushrooms, they become illegal.
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Where to get psilocybin spores
You can extract your own psilocybin spores, but it may be easier to buy them online. On Google you can find a long list of suppliers ready to sell you a syringe or a stamp. A psilocybin spore syringe is simply an oral syringe containing water and fungal spores. Spore prints are pieces of paper with the spores stamped on them. That's usually done by putting a fresh mushroom hat on the paper and letting the spores fall on it. Spore prints dry out and need to be hydrated if you want to use them.
People buy psilocybin spores to study under the microscope or to grow mushrooms. In most of the United States, selling or buying psilocybin spores for the purpose of studying them is not illegal. The exceptions are Georgia and Idaho.
However, the purchase of psilocybin spores with the intention of growing them is illegal, except in Denver (Colorado), Oakland and Santa Cruz (California), and Ann Arbor (Michigan), where the cultivation, sale and possession of psilocybin have been decriminalized.
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How to grow
If you are interested in buying and growing your own psilocybin spores, you should first check that doing one thing or another is legal where you live. The next step is to understand what is at stake. Sterility is vitally important when growing any type of fungus, as bacteria or mold can contaminate spores or prevent them from growing in the first place. You'll also need plenty of equipment, such as large plastic containers, canning cans, a pressure cooker or cannery, brown rice flour or vermiculite, and other basic kitchen items. There are several sites that can guide you through the growing process.
Growing mushrooms also requires a little patience. Depending on the species, the fruiting bodies will appear as tiny white bumps of the mycelium before sprouting into small pins (primordia). After about 5-12 days, they will be ready for harvest. You'll want to cut them just before the veil breaks, before they reach their full growth, because they lose potency as they mature.
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Buy spores
When buying psilocybin spores online, you'll also want to make sure you get the spores you've ordered. Since these are unregulated products, delving into the cybernetic sale of psilocybin spores is like wandering the Wild West. There is no guarantee that a seller is taking steps to ensure the sterility of their syringes or that the syringe you get actually contains spores.
There are a few steps you can take to make sure you're getting a safe product. Look for sites that sell spores to mycologists with the sole intention of researching, identifying, or educating. Or search and ask on mushroom forums like Shroomery. You can also contact a store directly to inquire about spores, but keep in mind that if you say you plan to grow the spores or use them for purposes other than studying them, the seller won't be able to sell them to you. As already mentioned, the cultivation of psilocybin spores remains illegal in much of the United States.
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