10 Things You Should Know Before Buying Psilocybin Spores

Disclaimer: Psilocybin is a largely illegal substance, and we do not encourage or condone its use where it is against the law. However, we accept that illicit drug use occurs and believe that offering responsible harm reduction information is imperative to keeping people safe. For that reason, this document is designed to enhance the safety of those who decide to use psilocybin spores or other psilocybin-containing substances for research or ingestion purposes.

This article has been medically reviewed by Katrina Oliveros, MSN-ED, BSN

Magic mushrooms aren’t like other drugs that have to be produced in a laboratory – they grow in the wild. More specifically, the psychedelic prodrug psilocybin naturally occurs in multiple genera and species of fungi, the mostly underground kingdom of life that produces mushrooms as fruiting bodies. So mushrooms exist to spread fungal spores and reproduce. But psychedelic mushrooms are unique in delivering spiritually healing experiences and positive mental health outcomes.

Though psilocybin and psilocin remain controlled substances, psilocybin spores reside in a legal gray area, allowing them to be bought and sold in most countries, but not germinated for consumption purposes. This article aims to answer some of your questions about obtaining and experimenting with psilocybin mushroom spores, given their confusing legal status and legendary pharmacological properties.

What Are Psilocybin Spores?

Psilocybin spores are the reproductive seeds of magic mushrooms, the latter of which have been honored and feared throughout human history for their hallucinatory effects. Spores are single cells carrying a set of chromosomes with all the genetic information needed to reproduce a new primary mycelium, the threadlike underground network comprising most of the fungi’s life cycle.

Are Magic Mushroom Spores Legal?

Yes, but with caveats. Because they don’t contain psilocybin, the sale and purchase of psilocybin mushroom spores are decriminalized in 47 of 50 US states, whose criminal laws only prohibit the possession, sale, and transport of the psychoactive compound itself.

The exceptions are California, Georgia, and Idaho. In California, the letter of the law specifically bans the sale, transport, and gifting of spores except by authorized researchers and research institutions. In contrast, Georgia and Idaho ban their possession for everyone.

Even in other states, spores can only be legally bought and sold for educational or research purposes, like microscopy, not to cultivate into hallucinogenic mushrooms, as most purveyors explicitly caution. So as soon as spores germinate into mycelium or fruit mushrooms, law enforcement can penalize you for possession of a controlled substance.

How high the risk or severe the punishment also varies by jurisdiction. Since 2020, some US cities, starting with Denver, have decriminalized psilocybin’s use and possession, making it the lowest priority of local law enforcement. However, such offenses remain felonies under the purview of the state of Colorado and the US federal government. Federalism can be funny that way.

Across the globe, a few nations buck the trend of prohibiting this naturally-occurring compound, such as Brazil, Samoa, and Jamaica, where hallucinogenic mushrooms are legal to grow and possess.

How Do You Acquire Psilocybin Spores?

Spores are relatively easy to find online with a simple Google search, but you’ll want to shop around and peruse forums to vet reputable sources before buying. Sources range from social media groups on Facebook and Reddit to more traditional, official-looking online shops, many based in Canada.

Where Can I Get Psilocybe Cubensis and Other Magic Mushrooms Spawn?

You can always extract mushroom spawn from an existing culture, but for those without an active substrate, it’s probably easiest to buy online. While social media can be a helpful way to find such sellers, it’s not a great idea to make purchases on sites like Facebook and Instagram directly.

Most growers and vendors sell spores in two primary forms: spore syringes and spore prints.

What Are Mushroom Spore Syringes?

Spore syringes are oral syringes containing a simple solution of psilocybin spores suspended in water. Some contain liquid cultures, or spores stored in a microbiological growth medium to beget the mycelial phase of fungal development using nutrients like glucose and malted grain extract. Mycologists generally employ agar Petri dishes for their mushroom studies, but the jellylike agar is too solid and uncommon for online shipping purposes.

What Are Mushroom Spore Prints?

In mycology (the study of mushrooms), spore prints are like a mushroom’s fingerprint. They’re made by laying a fresh mushroom cap facedown on a piece of paper overnight to deposit their variously colored spores. Psilocybin spore prints, for example, are generally bluish-black and vaguely resemble the iris of a human eye due to the arrangement of gills underneath the cap.

How Long do Spore Syringes Last?

Psilocybin spore syringes will generally last at least 30 days and often up to two years. Spores in this form won’t survive as long as in spore prints, but they’re more manageable in measuring a specific volume of liquid for study.

To maximize the life of spores in a syringe, they should be stored in the refrigerator or another cool, dark place. In warmer temperatures, bacteria can develop faster. Also, be careful to avoid accidental freezing, which could contaminate the spores and make them unusable.

Important: Each manufacturer offer their own advice on spore syringes storage and shelf-life, so make sure to carefully read the packaging instructions.

What Strain of Shrooms Should I Buy?

There are dozens of magic mushroom species and hundreds of unique “strains” within those species. Therefore, the answer to this question is a matter of preference and intention.

For instance, for a milder psychedelic experience, you could consider microdosing a smaller amount of mushrooms to start, in which case the strain won’t be as significant a factor as for more profound psilocybin journeys.

The most commonly cultivated and circulated magic mushroom species is Psilocybe cubensis. However, growers have bred Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms into a staggering variety of strains with differing effects, appearances, and growing qualities, which can be found online as Psilocybe cubensis spore syringes and spore prints. A few common strains to look for include:

• Penis Envy, popular for their high potency, distinguished by their phallic appearance
• PES (Pacifica exotica spora) Amazon, renowned as a rapid colonizer with prolific fruitings to maximize mushroom yields
• Golden Teacher, common and easy for beginners to grow even in unoptimized conditions
• Magic Truffles, the underground sclerotia of various other psilocybe species, often easier to cultivate than mushrooms

Blue Meanies refers to either a bright blue-staining strain of Psilocybe cubensis or the species Panaeolus cyanescens. You’ll want to clarify with the vendor for identification purposes and to account for different growing conditions

Why It’s Important to Buy Psilocybin Spores from a Reputable Organization

Standard consumer protections may fail you when it comes to the barely legal marketplace for psilocybin spores. The risk of fraudulent advertising and payment scams increases on the darknet, so after purchasing, you’re more or less on your own. In addition, there’s no guaranteeing that spore syringes or spore prints ordered online will contain actual psilocybin spores, and there may be no recourse to get a refund or exchange coupon for an illegitimate product.

Vendor organizations will usually refuse to answer questions about growing mushrooms due to legal considerations, making it difficult to access information about what to do with the spores once you have them. Thankfully, we’ve put together a mushroom grow kit that comes with all the equipment and step-by-step information you need to start cultivating your own psilocybin medicine from the comfort of your own home.

Third Wave’s Recommendations for Reputable Psilocybin Spores

There are a few things you can look for when evaluating online sources for psilocybin spores. Look for what substrate they use to grow and descriptions of the drying and sterilization process in packaging spore prints or spore syringes with purified water.

A reputable vendor should provide a contact form and be willing to answer questions about their standards if they are not already stated on their website. Other signs of legitimacy include an About Us page, quality control methods, and shipping and payment details. Don’t take vendors at their word, though – search for reviews from other sites, like the dedicated review site Spore Authority or discussion boards at Shroomery or r/PsilocybinMushrooms and r/SporeTraders. Do they seem to deliver what they say they will? Do they specify that buyers must be 18 or older?

While we can’t give you a coupon, here are some suggestions for reputable places to buy psilocybin spores – intended for microscopy purposes, of course – along with some of each site’s distinctions and quirks:

Sporevision

Sporevision is a simple and reliable source of high-quality psilocybin strains, providing valuable online information on sterilization and spore identification.

Sporeworks

Online and reliable since 1998, Sporeworks offers print and syringe microscopy kits. Although they don’t offer shipping outside of the US, they do accept most major credit cards, cryptocurrencies, and mail-in payments.

SporesLab

Based in Canada with limited international shipping, SporesLab sells grow kits, providing complimentary online instructional videos and expert resources. They’re also affiliated with Psychedelia, a Canadian supplier of ready-to-use psychedelics like LSD and DMT.

PremiumSpores

PremiumSpores has fewer strains, but they’re all research-level quality, offered with fast shipping and reliable communication.

ShamanMushroomSpores

Named for the medicinal healers who have long harnessed the power of psilocybin, Shaman Mushroom Spores specializes in “100% organic” spore syringes, with quick, reliable delivery from Denver.

Conclusion

To sum up, psilocybin spores are the reproductive cells of magic mushrooms that don’t contain any psychoactive compounds and are therefore legal to obtain throughout most of the US and the world, as long as you’re not planning to cultivate them. This makes them an unusually accessible resource in the world of psychedelic medicines, though what to do with spores once you have them is a different story.

Before buying, get a grip on some basics, like what strain you’re buying, in what form, from what vendor, and even for what purpose. In this article, we’ve offered a few guidelines to start understanding psilocybin spores, but there’s still a whole world of mushroom spawn out there to explore. If you’re ready to launch your experience as a grower, check out our mushroom grow kit today.