You’ve likely heard about the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin therapy. The potential of such treatments is truly impressive when it comes to dealing with various mental health conditions, but is there such a thing as a singular “best” mushroom strain for this type of inner healing? The short answer is “no” – but given how there are over 180 different strains, that’s hardly a surprise. Though some may be more readily accessible than others, each of these species comes equipped with their own visually-cadent spirit of hallucinogenic ascent. Ultimately, though, the strain of your psychedelic mushroom medicine is of not too much importance, with the exception of impacts on potency. Read on to find out more on the topic and the most potent mushroom strains for psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Key Takeaways
- Therapeutic Benefits of Psilocybin: Psilocybin mushrooms have been shown to have significant therapeutic effects, including treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction. They work by activating serotonin receptors in the brain, helping to alleviate feelings of isolation and enhance connectedness with the world.
- Psilocybin and Mental Health: Studies, including those on smoking cessation and depression, suggest that psilocybin can lead to lasting benefits. It has been shown to be effective even for patients who have not responded to traditional treatments, with some patients experiencing long-term positive effects.
- Popular Psilocybin Strains: Different psilocybin mushroom strains, such as Golden Teachers, Albino Goodies, and Flying Saucers, have unique characteristics in terms of potency and effects. Strains like Penis Envy and Knobby Tops are among the most potent, while others like B+ Cubensis are ideal for beginners due to their more moderate effects.
- Psychedelic Journey and Healing: The strain of the psilocybin mushroom is less important than the individual’s healing intentions. Understanding the strain can help with dosing and safety, but ultimately, the therapeutic effects depend on the individual’s ability to surrender and engage with the experience fully.
Explore more topics like this one in The Encyclopedia of Psilocybin Mushrooms: From Cultivation to Therapy.
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What Are the Therapeutic Benefits of Magic Mushrooms?
Thanks to a growing body of research, we keep uncovering more about the incredible healing potential of psilocybin, the main psychoactive compound contained within these ancient fungi. Indeed, they have been used for thousands of years for their therapeutic and spiritual benefits. Today, psilocybin has been linked to:
- Significant reduction in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety
- Relief from PTSD and trauma-related symptoms
- Improved emotional processing and introspection
- Enhanced neural connectivity and openness
We discuss the potent effects of psilocybin and its interactions with your brain’s chemistry here: The Science of Psilocybin – How It Affects the Brain.
But let’s talk specifics. When measured up against depression, a 2016 study found that psilocybin-assisted therapy was effective in reducing symptoms of depression in patients who had not responded to traditional treatments. Curiously enough, psilocybin can also be used to quit smoking, with a 2018 study confirming that psilocybin treatment in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). showed 67% of participants were smoking abstinent at 12-month follow-up and 60% at long-term follow-up (≥16 months after psilocybin administration).
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The Most Potent Species & Strains of Therapeutic Psychedelic Mushroom
While most magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, different strains can offer slightly different therapeutic effects depending on their potency, alkaloid profile, and subjective experience. Here’s a breakdown of the most commonly used strains in therapeutic settings.
Magic Mushrooms: Psilocybe Cubensis
Psilocybe cubensis strains are probably the image that comes to mind when we think of therapeutic psychedelic mushrooms. These sacred fungi belong to the family of Hymenogastraceae and have appropriately gained the nickname “golden halos” for their almost-unmistakeable convexes or flat, yellow-brown caps and smooth, sticky surface.
Local to the tropics of Gulf Coast states, “cubes” are amongst the most widely distributed species because of their easy-to-cultivate properties, naturally germinating in cattle dung and grown indoors with substrates like coffee or brown rice flour.
These medicinal fungi often bruise blue due to oxidation, with narrow gray gills edged by an off-white color, typically containing 10-12 mg of psilocybin per gram of dried mushrooms. Mostly odorless and with a ringed stipe, P. cubensis has been the lucky subject of much selective breeding, yielding over 60 divergent strains like Wavy Caps and Penis Envy.
The result? Carefully curated hybrid species of mushrooms whose desired characteristics have been isolated to produce heightened hallucinogenic effects and better adaptation to unpredictable environmental conditions.
Psilocybe cubensis can be differentiated from its derivative counterparts by their commensurately large stem size and widened caps. Now let’s explore the extensive genetic analogs of these psychedelic mushrooms.
Magic Mushrooms: ‘Golden Teacher’
‘Golden Teacher’ is amongst the most favored strains of therapeutic psychedelic mushrooms. Their beautifully plump, smooth-to-the-touch caps produce a tinge of burnt-orange that fades into a slightly paler, somewhat-girthy stem. Journeying with Golden Teachers will take you along for a very introspective ride.
This cultivar is considered to be medium-strength in terms of potency, scaling in with 0.63% psilocybin, 0.60% psilocin, and 0.25% baeocystin, and with a shorter than average trip duration of 2-4 hours, making it a perfect strain for the not-so-experienced journeyer. However, the healing powers of these tough, little mushrooms should not be overlooked.
In fact, Golden Teachers make their claim to fame by depositing a palpable sense of ancient intelligence through consoling feelings of heart-centered warmth and love. A sense of educational clarity is often reported with their experiences, offering the perfect balance of consciousness expansion and euphoric enjoyment.
Magic Mushrooms: ‘Albino Goodies’
‘Albino Goodies’ or albino mushrooms are a cross between the strains Golden Teacher and Albino A+ (AA+). They’re often deemed one of the most potent strains of cubensis and this popular speculation comes from the assumption that AA+ is biochemically similar to Panaeolus, which would explain why their potency is so highly sought-after (0.75% – 2%).
This dynamic combination carefully extracts the unreserved wisdom, deeply reverenced in Golden Teacher strains, to produce revelatory experiences that employ the reportedly quicker-acting, physically-racing intensities of AA+.
Though the name suggests AA+ is albino, their cream-colored fruiting body falls more in par with a leucistic denomination, showing visible signs of reduced pigmentation. When crossed with Golden Teachers, these ghostly mushrooms showcase a slightly more sun-kissed cap, favoring a minimal amount of light and propagating a focus on physical sensations, or what some would call a “body high”.
Magic Mushrooms: ‘Flying Saucers’
Psilocybe azurescens, aptly tagged ‘Flying Saucers’, are a relict therapeutic strain of P. cubensis that are thought to have been discovered in 1979 by a group of Boy Scouts wandering the forested grounds of Oregon state. Later, American mycologist, Paul Stamets, was the first to name and identify this strain in 1996.
Though the slick-looking, rusty-orange flesh of this strain is known to produce 25 mg of psilocybin for every dried gram (4x more potent than than p.cubensis), the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board suggests these mushrooms be avoided if their source is unknown, due to several reports of induced wood lover’s paralysis.
This condition can cause prolonged muscle weakness and is associated with other mushrooms that grow in decaying wood, like P. stuntzii, P. alennii, and P. Cyans.
However, plenty of anecdotes report a pleasantly potent therapeutic psychedelic experience on this strain, with no negative side effects. The best way to ensure a safe experience with the most potent strain of psilocybin mushrooms, is ensuring that your supply was sourced from an indoor cultivator, using wood chips or sandy soil substrates.
Magic Mushrooms: ‘Knobby Tops’
Ranking in as the second most potent strain of therapeutic psilocybin mushrooms are Knobby Tops, or Psilocybe Baeocystis. With 15 mg of potency for every gram of dried mushrooms, these mulch-loving fungi express a strong attachment to the bark of Douglas firs. First discovered in Oregon, these gelatinous mushrooms showcase a purple-brown spore print with a relatively thin, white-colored stem.
Mushroom fanatics use several names to reference this strain, including ‘bottle caps’, ‘blue bells’, or ‘olive caps’. Reports suggest that the psychoactive properties of Knobby Tops produce a higher-than-average intensity of colors, making this an ideal strain for the bravest, most thrill-seeking psychonauts.
Magic Mushrooms: The Bohemian Psilocybe
Bohemian Psilocybe or Psilocybe Bohemica yields a whopping 15 mg potency per 1 gram of dried mushrooms, making these the third most potent strain of magic mushrooms. This fierce strain of psilocybin is native to central Europe and can be found making its annual debut during the autumn season. They have a particular affinity for wood debris, more specifically, Betula, Carpinus, Piceae, and Alnus trees, and produce a farinaceous odor.
Their identification dates back to 1969 when Meinhard Moser and Egon Horak brought them to public attention. Their caps mature into a sandy orange-brown color and grow paler when dried. Just like any derivative of P. cubensis, these fungi bruise blue when exposed to oxygen or physical disruption.
Magic Mushrooms: ‘Penis Envy’
With a name like “Penis Envy” we’d expect much introspective complexity to emerge from these mushrooms, and thankfully, this strain does not disappoint. Its bulbous, underdeveloped cap and chunky stem are home to a remarkably high concentration of psilocybin and psilocin.
These medicinal mushrooms bruise blue and carry a dark-toned appearance, but their stringent need for longer periods of maturation impose strenuous levels of cultivation care, leaving much envy to be felt toward these notoriously hard-to-find mushrooms.
However, if you can get your hands on this coveted strain, your therapeutic psychedelic experience will undoubtedly mirror the mushroom’s 50% increase in psychoactive concentrations.
Typical sensations of synesthesia, euphoria, and distorted time, will be present in your journey, but some reports even compare the heightened effects of this strain to the experiences of LSD and DMT, though this is definitely up for debate. So we advise treading lightly in terms of dosage, starting small then working your way up is always the smartest choice.
Magic Mushrooms: B+ Cubensis
B+ Cubensis is a more widely accessible strain of P. cubensis, some believe its genetic origins likely stem from a hybridization with P. azurescens that occurred at least 20 years ago by experienced Floridian cultivator, Mr. G. B+ features a large and lengthy, yellow-white fruiting body and its hallucinogenic effects are known to usher perceptual feelings of warmth and ease.
B+ has gained a reputation for being the ideal beginner strain, since its effects are more moderate and toned-down, as the name implies. Another compliment to the B+ strain is their supernatural ability to reduce side effects of nausea, associated with most other strains of mushrooms. It’s likely that your own supply of mushrooms will be sourced from a larger batch of this strain, as their low-maintenance growth makes them easy and quick to cultivate in bulk.
Magic Mushrooms: Burma, Cambodian, Costa Rican & Ecuadorian Cubensis
These Psilocybe cubensis strains are local to the regions they’re named after. Similar strains include Australia, Chilean, Cuban, and Palenque mushrooms. What bridges these strains together are their akin genetic contents. Though their organic garments vary slightly in shape, size, and potency, this group of mushrooms is relatively reliable at producing a productive psychedelic experience.
Some, like the Cambodian Cubensis, yields dense flushes with a high level of adaptability to unoptimized growing environments, making them more prevalent amongst mushroom buyers. While others, like the Australian or ‘Aussie’ Cubensis, are fancied for their unique resistance to mold and bacteria.
Magic Mushrooms ‘Liberty Cap’
‘Liberty Cap’ or ‘Blue legs’ are a common name for the therapeutic psilocybin strain semilanceata. This slimy, cone-capped fungus presents itself as the fourth most potent source of psilocybin and baeocystin—an alkaloid analog of psilocybin (14 mg potency/ 1 dried gram).
Being at high demand in the therapeutic psychedelic mushroom market, the Liberty Cap features a signature array of thin strips that run vertically across its cap, with cream-colored gills that turn a purplish-black after maturation and having a particular fondness for moist, grassland habitats.
Prominent throughout the UK and parts of North America, these glossy capsules of human transcendence are credited for their rich and long standing history.
In fact, Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who famously synthesized LSD, was also the first to identify this medicinal mushroom’s psychoactive properties in the early 60s.
Even before that, our psychedelic healing timeline traces the use of Psilocybe semilanceata all the way back to 1799, when its hallucinogenic properties hosted the first known psychedelic mushroom trip, following our primitive ancestors, of course. These small, but resilient organisms accumulate 1.7% psilocybin in their gelatinous caps and contain 0.36% of baeocystin.
These high levels of psychoactivity surpass those of P. cubensis by a landslide, with the psilocybin content in P. cubensis coming in at a much lower 0.37-1.30% and only 0.14-0.42% psilocin content. So if you’re looking to embark on a potent psychedelic experience, Liberty Caps are surely the way to go.
Magic Mushrooms: Wavy Caps
Though we briefly mentioned these mighty therapeutic mushrooms under the category of fungi that thrive on the surface of decaying wood, Psilocybe cyanescens or ‘Wavy Caps’ nonetheless, deserve a spotlight of their own. As its name suggests, these mushrooms boast a large and flared, umbrella-like cap with rippled ridges, typically measuring 1.5-5 cm across.
Another primary definer is their copper-brown color that tends to fade into a paler yellow when they’re put to dry. Their gills produce a similar blue-ish tint when disturbed and contain up to 1.96% psilocybin, certainly putting these medicinal mushrooms at the top of our lists in terms of potency.
If you’re still concerned with the potential of experiencing wood-lover’s paralysis, you’d be happy to hear that Wavy Caps are often distributed by indoor cultivators who use wood chips as substrate, eliminating the potential for experiencing any somatic motor complications.
That’s to say, if you have a reliable source of mushrooms who can confirm its cultivation origins, picking up a batch of Psilocybe cyanescens could be a viable option.
Magic Mushrooms: ‘Blue Meanies’
Panaeolus Copelandia Cyanescens or ‘Blue Meanies’, cannot be disregarded. The dramatic potency of this medicinal mushroom strain produces powerful visual and auditory stimulations that melody throughout your entire journey.
These bare-striped mushrooms nourish their human counterparts with an energetic vigor of wide-reaching awareness and are no stranger to the psychedelic antics of our modern society.
Native to neotropical areas like Africa and the Caribbean, these blue-staining fungi offer an average of 2.5% psilocybin and 1.2% psilocin, making them upwards of 3 times more potent than psilocybe cubensis.
Best Mushroom Strains for Microdosing
Microdosing involves taking very small, sub-perceptual doses of psilocybin to improve mood, cognition, and emotional resilience. While nearly any cubensis strain can be used, these tend to be preferred:
- Golden Teachers: Their balanced profile makes them ideal for long-term microdosing routines.
- B+ Mushrooms: Their smooth onset and low anxiety make them beginner-friendly.
- Albino A+: less common, but prized for enhancing clarity and focus.
Remember that when microdosing for mental health, consistency is key, along with intentional integration practices. Read all about it here: Mushrooms Microdose Program – What Is Mushroom Microdosing?
So, What’s the Best Mushroom for Psychedelic Therapy?
Truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The “best” mushroom strain to take will depend on your goals, experience level, and overall therapeutic container.
For example, if you’re new to psychedelics or psilocybin mushrooms, Golden Teachers are a good starting point. But for long-term microdose protocols, something milder like B+ cubensis or Albino A+ are generally favored. Conversely, strains like Penis Envy offer significantly more potency and should be reserved for experienced journeyers.
The bottom line is that while the strain matters, it’s not the only piece of the puzzle. Instead of hyperfocusing on something relatively minor, incorporate a holistic approach involving factors like proper set, setting, support, and integration. After all, psychedelic healing is about addressing deep-rooted issues, not picking a mushroom strain that you feel you might “like” for whatever reason.
Conclusion
The best mushroom strain for psychedelic-assisted therapy doesn’t really exist. You have plenty of options to pick from, and they will all help you reach your established goals, provided that you’re approaching your healing mindfully and holistically.
This article forms part of our Psilocybin Mushroom Strain Series, where we explore the nuances of different strains and their uses. Want to dig deeper into the world of psychedelic therapy? Check out our related reads:
- Can Psilocybin Mushroom Strain Predict Effect Differences?
- A Beginner’s Guide to Identifying Psychedelic Mushroom Species For Therapy
- How to Choose a Mushroom Strain for Psychedelic Therapy
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