Magic mushroom spores, UK

“Magic mushroom spores” is the everyday name for the spores of fungi in the genera Psilocybe and Panaeolus, the species whose fruit bodies contain psilocybin. It is not a scientific term, and it hides a distinction that matters a great deal in UK law: the spores themselves contain no psilocybin and no psilocin at all.

That is why a spore syringe can be sold openly in Britain while the mushroom cannot. Every syringe on this page is a sterile suspension of spores, drawn from a documented parent, LOT-logged, and supplied strictly for microscopy, taxonomy and research.

What is legal in the UK, and what is not

Psilocybin and psilocin are Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and since the Drugs Act 2005 that covers fresh mushrooms as well as dried or prepared ones. Spores sit outside it, because they contain neither compound. Buying, selling and owning spores for study is lawful.

Germinating them is not. Once a spore becomes mycelium the fungus can contain psilocin, and growing it is production of a controlled drug. We do not supply cultivation equipment, we do not give cultivation advice, and we will not knowingly sell to anyone who intends to grow. Our spore law guide covers the UK and the US state by state.

The species in the library

Psilocybe cubensis makes up most of the collection: classic lines such as Golden Teacher and B+, documented isolates, and modern crosses credited to named breeders. Psilocybe ochraceocentrata, long sold as natalensis, is the Ochra group. Panaeolus cyanescens, the Pan Cyan or Blue Meanie of the trade, has a jet-black print and a quite different spore. A small exotic shelf holds wild Psilocybe species such as mexicana and zapotecorum.

Each species looks different on the slide, which is the honest reason to keep more than one. The species pages give the spore size, shape and print colour of each.

Why a catalogued library rather than a list

Most spore names in circulation are trade names, reused and re-crossed for decades, so a name on its own tells you very little. Every syringe here is listed with its documented cross where one exists, credited to the breeder who released it, and logged by batch, so the label on the barrel and the record on the bench say the same thing. The strain list groups the whole library by family.