Discover the Many Types of Psilocybin Magic Mushrooms

Note: Veriheal does not support illegally consuming therapeutic substances like psilocybin magic mushrooms but acknowledges that it transpires because of the current illicit status of both, which we strive to change by advocating for research, legal access, and responsible consumption. Always consult a physician before attempting alternative therapies.

Thinking about magic mushrooms takes me back to my teenage years when we would pick liberty caps from the farmers’ field. The perfect time seems to be after a thunderstorm. It was like the more intense the lightning was, the more caps it would make pop. Liberty caps offered a great free buzz at the time in my life when I started to understand these substances to be a mind-expanding one as well. What started out as fun and giggles eventually turned into a more spiritual event. Liberty caps range from tiny little caps that had not popped yet all the way up to giant mushrooms larger than soda cans. Pretty much anywhere that cattle would free graze and conditions were right, you could find yourself some magic mushrooms or liberty caps in the field.

Fast forward two decades, and suddenly, the world of magic mushrooms becomes almost as complicated as that of learning about cannabis. Shrooms or magic mushrooms have gained traction being used as a therapeutical application for several different medical circumstances such as depression. It’s not just liberty caps anymore, folks. There are many different varieties and types of magic mushrooms.

One of the most common and popular varieties of magic mushrooms you will find today is quite possibly Golden Teachers. This variety of psilocybin is considered to be potent yet mild at the same time.

Those looking for a more intense experience when consuming psilocybin often look for a variety of magic mushrooms called PE. Forgive the name, but PE stands for Penis Envy. One look at PE shrooms, and you will completely understand how they got their name. These are considered to be highly potent and much stronger than Golden Teachers. Between Golden Teachers and PE, these are two of the most common varieties of magic mushrooms today. As you dabble into the culture, you will find there are many other varieties such as Cambodian, Blue Magnolia Rust, Malabar Coast, and Panama, just to name a few. Here are some of the most common varieties.

The Many Different Types of Magic Mushrooms

• Psilocybe semilanceata: Commonly known as Liberty Caps
• Psilocybe Cubensis: Commonly known as Golden Teachers
• Psilocybe Mexicana: Commonly known as Conical Caps
• Psilocybe Cyanescens: Commonly known as Wavy Caps
• Psilocybe azurescens: Commonly known as Flying Saucer Mushrooms
• Psilocybe Baeocystis: Commonly known as Bottle Caps, Knobby Tops, Blue Bells, and Olive Caps

Let’s take a closer look at each of these varieties of magic mushrooms.

Psilocybe Semilanceata

Psilocybe semilanceata mushrooms are considered to be highly potent and are characterized by large brown leather-like caps that often are attached to curved stems. Under the cap of these mushrooms, you will find 15-27 narrow gills that quickly turn blue when the shroom stem or cap is damaged or removed. This form of mushroom grows commonly in Europe and North America.

Psilocybe Cubensis

Psilocybe Cubensis mushrooms are the most common type of magic mushroom consumed globally. Being found in the US, Central America, Southeast Asia, and Northern parts of South America, this variety of magic mushroom have large caps ranging as large as 80mm in diameter. The caps of these mushrooms tend to flatten out with maturity. Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms have tightly spaced gills that turn black with maturity. When the stem or cap is damaged or removed, this type of magic mushroom tends to have a bluish-purplish color.

Psilocybe Mexicana

Psilocybe Mexicana grows commonly in Central and South America and have been used for centuries by indigenous tribes. Similar in appearance to semilanceata varieties of magic mushrooms, Psilocybe Mexicana mushrooms are characterized by a conical or bell-shaped cap typically ranging in diameter between 10-20mm. This variety of magic mushroom is typically beige with blue or green tones and quickly turn blue when damaged or broken.

Psilocybe Cyanescens

Psilocybe Cyanescens mushrooms are characterized by wavy caps ranging between 15-50mm in diameter and are commonly grown in North America, New Zealand, Central and Western Europe, and even parts of the Middle East. These mushrooms tend to have a brown caramel-like color that begins to fade as the mushroom dries out. When touched or damaged, the stems, caps, and gills of these mushrooms tend to turn blue. This form of mushroom is known for growing in mulched plant beds which has led to an increase in its growing areas in recent years.

Psilocybe azurescens

Psilocybe azurescens is considered to an extremely potent variety of magic mushrooms that grows naturally in a small remote area of the United States’ west coast. This form of magic mushroom is characterized by a large-cap that looks almost like a saucer hence the common name. The caps of these mushrooms tend to flatten with maturity and offer a caramel brown color when mature, which can also show hues of black and blue. This form of mushroom also has dark gills and white stems that tend to turn blue when damaged.

Psilocybe Baeocystis

Psilocybe Baeocystis commonly grow in the Pacific Northwest and offer a conical-shaped cap that are thin and rippled. The caps of these mushrooms tend to range between 15 and 55mm in diameter and offer a dark greenish-brown hue with electric blue gills. The stems of this variety of magic mushrooms are often chalk white and are known to be both curved and straight.

The Legality of Magic Mushrooms in the United States

In most places in the United States, magic mushrooms are still illegal. That is starting to change, however. Magic mushrooms are legal in Oregon and have been decriminalized in several other places such as Washington DC. Magic mushrooms have a very strange legality in the United States. You are allowed to basically legally purchase everything needed to cultivate these mushrooms at home. It becomes against the law when you add these ingredients together to make your own magic mushrooms in most places. For example, where I live in Oklahoma, I can order syringes with spores of many different varieties of psilocybin. I just can’t do anything with them legally.

Magic mushrooms still remain illegal in all states, with the exception of Oregon. Oakland, California, and Denver, Colorado, along with Washington DC, all of which have decriminalized Magic mushrooms. Other states are joining in, such as Maine, Connecticut, and Florida, where psychedelic mushroom bills have been filed that, if passed, would open up doors for legalization. While cannabis may be taking the limelight, there are many other natural substances that offer great potential in many different realms of health and wellness that are longing to be embraced.