Turkey Tail
Did you know that the colorful mushroom growing on that fallen tree trunk in your backyard may have immune-boosting properties? Now, you won’t want to go foraging for any random mushrooms you find in your backyard, but you may be curious to find that some of them have incredible health benefits and uses.

Medicinal mushrooms have been used in Eastern and folk medicine for thousands of years, but recent research has shown that out of the vast scope of medicinal mushrooms out there, turkey tail mushrooms are one of the most potent varieties.

Turkey tail mushrooms look like their namesake: they are flat, multicolored discs that grow on trees and logs throughout North America. Currently, the FDA is conducting clinical trials on this medicinal mushroom’s applications for patients undergoing cancer treatment such as chemotherapy. Interestingly, this is an application already approved in many Asian countries, such as Japan and China. While the findings of the FDA’s trial are to be determined, there’s ample evidence that turkey tail mushrooms provide a range of health benefits.

Lion’s Mane
With roots in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the lion’s mane mushroom is also known as Hericium erinaceus, yamabushitake, hedgehog mushroom, and houtou. Based on human and animal studies, this humble shroom is a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunostimulant. Translation: It’s mega good for you. Your brain naturally slows down over time. The symptoms you associate with aging — like memory loss and lack of focus — are caused by factors like shrinking neurons and damaged brain cells. Studies show that lion’s mane mushroom can support your brain health by stimulating the creation of two important compounds: nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A lion’s mane can boost your focus, too. Reduced inflammation improves blood flow, which provides your brain with more oxygen. More oxygen in your brain means better brain performance, period. The antioxidants in lion’s mane also promote learning and memory, possibly by strengthening your brain cells and stimulating the growth of new neurons.

Azurescens
Azurescens is a species of psychedelic mushroom whose main active compounds are psilocybin and psilocin. It is among the most potent of the tryptamine-bearing mushrooms, containing up to 1.8% psilocybin, 0.5% psilocin, and 0.4% baeocystin by dry weight, averaging to about 1.1% psilocybin and 0.15% psilocin. It belongs to the family Hymenogastraceae in the order Agaricales.

AA+ Albino
Although not a true albino genetically speaking, who cares, they are gorgeous white mushrooms and the albino name for this cubensis has stuck. Other than true albino's, which are rare in nature, this strain of cubensis produces white mushrooms time after time, no other cubensis does this! These are the HOT BLONDE of cubensis mushrooms.

B+
B+ is a very easy-to-cultivate and fast-growing strain. Ideal growing circumstances are best if you want to create really large mushrooms, especially a substrate that is rich of nutrients. A really big caramel colored cap will be formed then. But, these mushshrooms will also grow quite well under mediocre conditions.

PE (Penis Envy)
These mushrooms are characterized by their mutant penis-like appearance. They are typically thick, gnarly stemmed mushrooms with a bulbous cap that only sometimes separates from the stem, at least with the true genetics. We have seen tons of fables and stories of how this particular strain originated, but it is our opinion that no one really knows. If you look around you will see images of what people call penis envy.

PF
PF Classic Professor Fanaticus Spores mushrooms and their spores are also some of the most sought-after psilocybe cubensis ever found. This psilocybe cubensis magic mushroom was first discovered on a farm growing in a pile of dung and straw as its mushroom substrate in Florida.

Mexicana Jalisco
Mexicana (Jalisco Mexico strain) is one of the rare mushrooms that produce psilocybin enriched sclerotia also referred to as “magic truffles” or “philosopher stones”. The sclerotia are small nuggets that grow under the soil and is a survival mechanism for the fungi. If conditions get bad and the surrounding mycelia network gets damaged or dies, the sclerotia lies dormant for the conditions to be favorable again and then sends out new mycelium from the sclerotia to continue the organism’s life cycle. In 2008 the Netherlands banned psilocybin mushrooms in the famous coffee shops, but not the magic truffles. These magic truffles are still shipped throughout Europe legally and grow kits are sold openly. Please note, that the Jalisco strain is poor sclerotia producer but a good fruiter.

Mexicana Galindoi
Psilocybe Galindoi is another one of the rare Mexicana mushrooms strains that produce psilocybin-enriched sclerotia also referred to as “magic truffles” or “philosopher stones”. These magic truffles grow quite easily in nature, in fact they are easier to produce than the actual mushrooms. In 2008 the Netherlands banned psilocybin mushrooms in the famous coffee shops, but not the magic truffles. These magic truffles are still shipped throughout Europe legally and grow kits are sold openly.

Cyanescen
Psilocybe Cyanescens is the sister species to the psilocybe azurescens and is also native to the Pacific NW USA and is now spread through many countries in Europe. Its nickname is "wavy caps" as you can see by it's wavy-looking caps, very cool! It's a cold-weather wood-loving species and thrives in the Seattle area due to the alder mulch used in landscaping. The Psilocybe Cyanescens does not just thrive in Washington state though, as so many mushroom pickers have spread the spores along the western states and Canada. This species has really adapted to change and tends to be one of the most popular species of psilocybin mushrooms to find in Oregon and Washington. In Paul Stamet’s book "Psilocybe Mushrooms of the World", Paul points out how so many mushroom pickers were being arrested for trespassing in the '70s, and the people were carriers for spores to the police station and courthouses. Paul writes this area became one is his favorite areas for picking Psilocybe Cyanescens mushrooms! How ironic and funny.

Golden Teacher
This cubensis was first discovered on a farm growing in a pile of dung and straw in the US state of Georgia. Although there is no psilocybin or psilocin or anything else hallucinogenic in spores, Georgia still outlawed psilocybe mushroom spores from being imported into the state. Although not entirely bad news for Georgians as cubensis grow wild throughout their state. The Golden Teachers cubensis strain does not grow huge dinner plate-sized shrooms but throws off an abundance of small to medium-sized mushrooms.