Magic mushrooms turning blue is intriguing because it is unique to its kind. The bluing effect contains a compound called Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogenic substance. The compound found in magic mushrooms classifies it under psychedelics because it can affect a person’s perception, thought, and overall mood. Most magic mushrooms look like ordinary mushrooms but with a bluing effect.
Caution must be practiced when scavenging for these because they also look like poisonous ones. It is important to learn the species of wild mushrooms before picking them up for consumption. The very reason they turn blue has been a subject of mystery and interest.
How to Identify a Psilocybin Mushroom by Looking at its Color
The colors of a mushroom are one of the most prominent telling signs of a magic mushroom. There are also possibly toxic ones like the mycean mushroom, which is prominently blue. The first step is to look at the gills of the mushroom under its cap. The gills usually have purplish brown or black pore prints. For the flesh, it should turn bluish when you bruise it because this means it’s very likely that the mushroom has psilocybin properties.
The two variations should be present, both the purplish-brown color and the bluish hue when bruised. The color blue is more intense in more potent species. To best identify the species, go online, and post a picture of the mushroom on a trusted online forum to know the specific name. It would be tempting to do your research and try to identify which kind your mushroom is, but without an expert acknowledgment, you would probably make a mistake.
To be safe, here is a simple method you can try to do.
1. Identify Your Location
Certain mushroom species only grow in specific areas in the world because of the climate, kinds of substrates, and the kind of environment. Some are only native to North America while others can be found in Japan. You probably wouldn’t come across them that easily—research and check which ones grow in your location.
If there is no available data, you can research what kinds of mushrooms grow in your area by checking the climate, temperature, and land type. To learn more about magic mushrooms, visit magicmushrooms101.com.
2. Identify Your Mushroom
Just by looking at your mushroom’s physical attributes, you can already tell which ones don’t fit your criteria. Aside from the shape and size, you should be checking the color they have. The intense blue tone indicates that the mushroom contains more psilocybin. A Blue meanie shroom has intense blue colors in the stem, and they are known to be stronger than the rest. Other shrooms have pale blue hues when bruised.
This is a well known sign that you found a magic mushroom, and not just any ordinary one since those for food don’t usually bruise blue when picked. Note the environment where they grew in and list down all the details. Check whether they grew in wood or dung and if reactions are present when plucked, size and color of the cap, length, and other notable details.
Gold cap mushrooms, for example, are some of the largest species out there.
3. Proper Documentation
It is still safer to validate your findings with the help of community experts. Take a clear picture of the mushroom while it’s planted to show where it grew from and take another shot once you have plucked it out. You may think you know one specific species, but there are instances when even psilocybe cyanescens look-alikes can confuse you.
Focus your lens on the small details like the gills and spore print. Some species are difficult to differentiate from each other unless the spore prints are scrutinized, like the Panaeolus calculus that has black spores and Panaeolus foenisecii that has a brown or purple-brown color
What Makes Magic Mushrooms Blue
One does not always need to look for wild mushrooms because there are those sold in shops, most commonly the b+ mushrooms. The most intriguing part of why mushrooms have that magic bluer is its unique compounds. Scientists have found an enzyme called PsiP that cuts off a portion of the mushrooms that contain phosphorus, releasing a psychoactive molecule called psilocin.
Another enzyme is the PsiL, which steals an electron from psilocin. The released molecules form into larger groupings and turn into blue compounds, which is evident when they get bruises in the mushroom stem. This reaction is what separates psilocybes from other kinds of mushrooms.
Remember, Blue is the Key
The unique properties of blue caps mushrooms are the very reason why it is distinct. It is easy to identify them if you know the right stuff, so there is no mistake if you want to consume a mushroom to experience a trip. This is also helpful for forages, who have little experience in knowing which ones to look for in the wild.