Best time to hunt for Psilocybe cubensis
Psilocybe cubensis is a type of magic mushroom found throughout the world. Its active compounds are psilocybin and psilocin. Cubes are a reddish to golden brown colour with a light-coloured ring and turn purple when bruised. When mature the tops are planar with gills that attach horizontally to the stem. The gills form close together and hold purple coloured spores that germinate in a suitable substrate.
Other names it is known as include:
- Cubes
- Golden caps
- Cubensis
- Golden teacher.
Natural habitat
Psilocybe cubensis is one of the most common of the magic mushroom family. It is a dung loving species that grows in the dung of herbivores such as cows, horses and goats. It grows in humid grasslands as well as in subtropical and tropical areas. These magic mushies love areas where the humidity is above 85% most of the time where there are animals that eat grass.
You can find them all year in countries with the right conditions. In America cubes grow in river valleys and the highlands of Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela and Ecuador. They also grow across areas of Australia, Cambodia, India and Thailand.
Cubes love dung because of the lack of stomach acid produced by grass eating animals. When cows eat grass containing the mushroom spores they germinate in the cow’s warm stomach. They then grow in animal dung in humid conditions.
You can find cubes within a few hundred miles of the Gulf Coast in spring and autumn. From Galveston to Miami and as far north as Tennessee you can find them in cow pastures. But you need to know your wild mushrooms as making a mistake can make you very sick and even cause death.
They can grow in groups and clusters, and even scattered among the dung. Cubes usually show their golden heads within two or three days of heavy rain in cow paddocks.
Recognising Psilocybe cubensis
The following characteristics will help you recognise cubes in the wild:
- The mushroom cap is between 1.5 to 10 cm across and is conical, bell-shaped or oval when mature. As it matures, the cap gradually expands into a convex with a smooth surface. The young mushrooms have small white coloured veil remnants that become viscous when damp. The colour varies from brown to a yellowish colour. They can be a cinnamon colour when immature and a dark olive colour when old.
- The firm white flesh bruises to a blue or blue-green colour.
- Spore print. The spore print is a dark purple-brown to black colour. The spores are 11-17 x 7-12 microns and oval shaped. They have thick walls and are smooth.
- The gills are adnate to adnexed and sometimes pull away from their attachment. They are close and narrow where they attach and become wider at the edges. Immature cubes have light-coloured to grey gills that darken to a dark purple black as they age wile the edges stay a white or light colour.
- The stalk grows from 4 to 15 cm long and up to 1.5 cm thick. It is often thicker at the bottom of the stem. It is smooth and is usually white or a yellowy brown colour
- The veil is membranous that is white or blue stained in colour. It forms a thin, fragile ring around the stalk that becomes black when the spores are falling.
How much to take
How much of this magic mushroom you take depends on whether it is your first time or not. Magic mushies effect people in different ways so it is best to start with a low dose of just 1 gram in its dried state to see how it affects you. Where 3 to 5 grams of dried material is a low dose for experienced people that will produce a moderate to intense hallucinations.
You will start to feel the effects 20 to 40 minutes after ingesting them and these can last for up to 8 hours. When trying cubes for the first time it is best to start with a small dose to find out how they affect you.
Happy cube hunting. Let us know where you are finding yours in what part of the world.
Looking for magic mushrooms around Geelong Victoria
Hey I live in Sydney and wanted to go mushie picking but couldn’t make it down to Wollongong because of the restrictions. Does anyone know how I can get some? Just need to find a friend to help me out with this.
Hi everyone has anyone found any around Cairns keeping fingers crossed
Let me Know Karen, I’m looking too.
Yes, in cow pastures on the Tablelands., Find and befriend a cow farmer, BE HONEST and let them know your true intentions. Best time to harvest is Summer months. GooD LucK
Hey newbie here in Newcastle, can anyone point me in the right direction in the Newcastle area?
Cheers
Hi Mark, did you have any luck getting some information. I’m a Newcastle Newbie too.
Hey man!
You still in newie
Cairns is likely too far north to find subs, though you may have luck with cubes if you look in cow dung, from around April to July especially after rain. That’s your best bet ✌️
I live in The Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Where and when should I search?
Eagleby there are plentiful cubes
Eagleby in Logan area?
I’m in Milton holiday park looking around for mushrooms and it’s the start of October any help on where I can find some around this area
Did you find any around Milton? I live there too
Tamworth area? I’m looking for gold
First timer, Brisbane, sunshine, gold coast, or even northern NSW. Would love some information. Spots, hints, tips? Going in completely blind.
Any cow paddock after rain and a day or two of humidity and sun…there everywhere…
Hey guys, I’m in Oak Flats, not far from u Nowra guys. If u got any ideas where to go, or even want to go out hunting one weekend hit me up!!! Be good to make some mushroom buddies!!!!
Where could I find some mushrooms on the Gold Coast? Around MT warning area? Anyone know of a spot?
Every cow paddock after rain and a day or two for sun
Hey just wondering if anyone has any spots around Brisbane area around glass house mountains and sunny coast.
Did you come across any yet?
Tips for a new hunter, near Brisbane please help!
Did you find any in this area?
looking for spots near wollongong, cheers lads
Bey dude hit me up if you know anywhere
Mt kera, from April up to 3-4-months onwards (blue tops & gold tops) are both found just the blue tops are in nerly any cow horse shit in any paddock straight after a good rain poor .from the gong all the way down the coast (I’m from Oakflats) and allwase go hunting out Albion park cow paddocks (Just watch out for the farmers thay hate us) good luck
Let me know if you find anything or anyone I’m in Wollongong too looking I’ll do the same if I find anything big.
any decent southside brisbane spots that anyone would recommend?! new to this but would love to get real into it!
i was looking around those areas as well if anyone has any tips or area please contact me
Hey bro, wondering when and where I can get pick some from in Sydney, and maybe some tips cheers.
looking to hunt in Nowra if anyone has any tips?
I am close to Nowra, looking forward to make friends
Hey bro we are in woonona
If anyone could give me any tips or contacts for the Wollongong area it would be much appreciate. Any information would be great
Looking for recommendations around Brisbane, Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast – anyone have any tips for a new hunter?