Disclaimer: InoculateTheWorld and GreenState do not encourage people to consume self-foraged mushrooms and psilocybin mushrooms in general. Psilocybin is a Schedule I substance; some communities have enacted decriminalization. Check local laws and regulations prior to engaging with any psychedelic substance.
(AD) I have been foraging mushrooms like Psilocybe cyanescens, Chanterelles, Morels, and so many more for most of my life. My passion started when I was a little kid learning to forage with my dad and grandparents during the summer months. It’s the same passion that led me to start my own mushroom genetics company, InoculateTheWorld, years later, which is now one of the largest collections of spores and liquid cultures on the web. Our specialty is magic mushroom spore syringes, and many of our wild spores come from specimens I foraged myself.
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Psilocybe cyanescens spores are one of our most popular products, and I wanted to share how I hunt and identify P. cyanescens—commonly known as “Wavy Caps”—with my fellow mushroom enthusiasts to help spread the knowledge and forward our mission to inoculate the whole entire world.
Psilocybe cyanescens identification basics
Psilocybe cyanescens identification is simple once you know what to look for. First of all, these magic mushrooms are commonly known as Wavy Caps because of the distinct way their caramel-colored caps curl up as they mature. That feature distinguishes them from the more common type of psilocybin-containing mushroom, Psilocybe cubensis, which typically retains its umbrella-shaped cap even as it begins to drop spores. In addition to the curl in their caps, there are many key features that distinguish Psilocybe cyanescens from other magic mushroom species.
Like P. cubensis and other types of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, Wavy Caps bruise deeply blue when handled for just a few minutes. That’s a telltale sign of a psilocybin mushroom because the bluing is actually a reaction of the psilocybin content mixing with oxygen. Interestingly, P. cyanescens mycelium (the root-like underground structure of all mushrooms) also bruises blue, which can be a way for advanced foragers to identify patches where these mushrooms will sprout even before their fruiting season begins.
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Other Wavy Caps features include their white stems and how they grow in dense, prolific clusters. But more important for their identification is their spore color. If you pick a P. cyanescens and leave its cap on a surface, like a piece of paper or tin foil, it will drop a purple-brown spore print.
Another unique feature that aids in the identification of Psilocybe cyanescens is their pellicle. A mushroom pellicle is a thin, slimy film that covers the cap, which you can pull up by pinching the cap without breaking the skin. It’s a protective layer that helps keep the mushroom viable until it’s ready to drop spores, and it’s a distinctive feature that helps differentiate P. cyanescens from other mushrooms that grow in similar environments.
Psilocybe cyanescens habitat: where do wavy caps grow?
Psilocybe cyanescens grow in the Pacific Northwest, and I’ve found them in San Francisco all the way up to Seattle, Washington. They’re wood-loving mushrooms, meaning they grow out of decaying wood, often hardwood trees like alder and douglas fir, as well as from man-made wood chips.
In fact, because of their affinity for wood chips, my best advice for hunting Wavy Caps is to look for them in native restoration projects in northwest cities like Seattle. That’s because these government-funded projects that plant native species like ferns and rhododendrons end up providing P. cyanescens with the three things they need to survive: shade, wood chips, and drip irrigation.
The only tricky part is you can’t find native restoration projects on Google Maps, and so in order to locate them, you either have to drive around Seattle looking for them or volunteer with the local groups who go out and do the planting. If you do decide to forage in these native restoration areas, it is imperative you do so mindfully, being sure not to disrupt any of the new native plantings and habitats.
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Other known hotspots for finding Wavy Caps are in Arboretums, especially in Seattle and Portland. These locations have great irrigation and plenty of decaying wood, making them ideal locations for cyanescens and other wood-loving mushrooms to thrive.
It’s not as common to find them growing in the middle of a natural forest; however, I also often find Wavy Caps growing in the dunes of the Seattle and Portland coastlines. They can thrive on driftwood and other decaying woody material in those areas, and I often spot them next to another famous wood-loving magic mushroom: Psilocybe azurescens.
Psilocybe cyanescens season: when do Wavy Caps sprout?
The Psilocybe cyanescens season starts when the first cold shock hits the Pacific Northwest, usually around mid-September. Then, they can be found until the first snow, which usually occurs around January, depending on the area. The cold weather shock triggers their reproductive instinct to keep themselves alive through the next generation and spread their genetic material by dispersing spores from fruiting bodies.
Wavy Caps look-alikes: Galerina marginata vs. Psilocybe cyanescens
One of the main risks of foraging any wild mushroom is confusing it for a poisonous look alike. In the case of Wavy Caps, they do, unfortunately, have a look-alike that grows in the same environment: Galerina marginata.
Luckily, there are some features between the two mushrooms, the biggest being that Galerina marginata doesn’t bruise blue like Psilocybe cyanescens. Similarly, G. marginata spore prints are not purple like P. cyanescens and instead are more of a brown color.
However, if you happen to find marginatas growing in the same patch as cyanescens, my recommendation would be not to pick or consume those cyanescens just to be safe. Consuming Galerina marginata will make you very sick, causing bloating, gas, nausea, and vomiting.
The Psilocybe cyanescens experience and wood-lover’s paralysis
If you’re planning on foraging Wavy Caps for consumption, it should be noted that these are some strong magic mushrooms. Their psilocybin and psilocin content is typically higher than a standard Psilocybe cubensis strain, so it’s important to take this into account when calculating your dose.
People report that Psilocybe cyanescens are visually very intense, and some even describe the experience as being more akin to LSD than mushrooms. That might have something to do with the fact that Ps. cyanescens are woodlovers rather than dung lovers, and that difference in nutrient source seems to affect the trip they provide.
It’s also important to mention possible phenomena known in the mushroom community as “wood-lovers’ paralysis.” Basically, it’s a rare but possible occurrence when consuming wood-loving psychedelic mushrooms that cause consumers to lose their motor skills while under the effect of the mushroom. It goes away when the trip fades—which is typically within four to eight hours—but if you don’t know what’s happening to you, it can be extremely scary in that delicate frame of mind.
All in all, foraging Psilocybe cyanescens is a rewarding experience for anyone in the Pacific Northwest once you know what to look for and what to avoid.
*This article was submitted by a guest contributor who has a business relationship with GreenState. However, the content is editorial and not a paid ad.