magic truffles

At first glance, truffles and magic mushrooms seem completely different. That is, if you simply look at it. People who know little about these two products probably think that they are completely unrelated.

But did you know that both the mushroom and the ‘truffle’ really just belong to the same organism? Yes, for real!

First of all, you have to understand that what we call a magic truffle is not a real truffle. They are actually so-called sclerotia, pieces of compact mycelium. These sclerotia grow underground, beneath the mushroom.

They actually serve as some kind of food reserve for mushrooms here. It is good to know that not all mushrooms can have sclerotia. Initially this was found naturally in the species Tampanensis, but now there are many different types of varieties.

magic truffles usa legal

Magic mushrooms have garnered plenty of attention for their psychedelic properties in the past 50 years both in research and recreation. In more recent years, attention has begun to focus on their lesser-known cousins, “magic” psilocybin truffles.

Magic truffles are precious underground-growing fungi that contain the same hallucinogenic chemicals as their above-ground counterpart—psilocybin and psilocin. But they have a personality of their own.

magic truffles vs mushrooms

The differences between magic mushrooms and magic truffles

Now that we know that both magic mushrooms and magic truffles actually belong to the same organism, it may be clearer why the two are so often compared. Yet there are also a lot of differences to be noticed.

The main differences are actually obvious, given that they are completely different in appearance. Mushrooms are often white mushrooms with a soft and fine structure. In addition, like most mushrooms, they contain a white or coloured ‘hat’. Magic truffles are nothing like that. They are dark in colour, rough and hard – both fresh and dry.

Another clear difference between these magic mushrooms and truffles is the way they live. Mushrooms rise to the surface of the earth, grow, release spores that fall to the ground, and eventually die.

However, the magic truffles remain underground throughout their lives, where they grow and well, eventually die as well.

The sclerotia can actually be seen as a kind of survival tool for the fungus: Normally they develop in the form of a mushroom, but when the conditions are not right, for example due to lack of oxygen or nutrients, the fungus creates a fruiting body instead, which is our beloved scelotria – the actual products you buy here on Magic Truffle Express.

The similarities between magic mushrooms and magic truffles

So when it comes to the differences between magic mushrooms and magic truffles, we have plenty to tell you. But what about the similarities between the two? Well, there are some as well! In addition to bascially being the same organism, the main similarity between magic truffles and magic mushrooms is that both contain the magical substance psilocybin.

This substance – which is converted in the body into psilocin – is responsible for the hallucinogenic trip you get from these products.

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound present in more than 200 types of mushrooms.

All these mushrooms are in turn called magic mushrooms, and sclerotia in which this psilocybin can be found are called magic truffles. Still follow? In short: it is the psilocybin that makes both the mushrooms and the truffles ‘magical’. And that’s not surprising: anyone who has ever experienced a mushroom or truffle trip knows that it can be very magical.

growing magic truffles

Fungi truly are a magnificent and fascinating branch of life on Earth. They play a vital role in the environment and their DNA is surprisingly closer to that of animals than it is to plants.

Adding to the extensive list of impressive attributes that mushrooms possess, the largest organism ever detected was a network of mycelium covering 2,200 acres underneath the Malheur National Forest in Oregon.

The fungi humans interact with the most vary from delicious gourmet delights all the way to the other end of the spectrum, that is inhabited by those of a psychotropic variety. Most notably among these are psilocybin containing mushrooms, or “magic” mushrooms.

This type of fungi has been used on Earth for many different generations to stimulate psychedelic experiences and the seemingly many benefits that occur from doing so.

However, the mushroom itself is not the only form that psilocybin mushrooms emerge in. Sclerotium, or plural sclerotia, is a dense manifestation of fungal mycelium, that stores excess food for the mushroom, enabling it to survive extremes that occur within its environment.

These tougher pieces of the mycelium network of a mushroom enable its adaptation of a resistance against extreme temperatures, undesirable humidity and shortages of water. The sclerotium form is also part of the life cycle in some types of fungi and resembles nuts or small stones in appearance.

There are many different species of psilocybin mushroom on earth, but only a small quantity of this catalogue possess the ability to grow sclerotia. Of these varieties are Psilocybe tampanensis, Psilocybe pajaritos, Psilocybe mexicana sclerotia, Psilocybe atlantis and Psilocybe hollandia. The

The scleorita of these species, often referred to as “magic truffles”, contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin, making them popular among psychonauts.

HOW TO GROW TRUFFLES

One method of growing truffles is to start from scratch. This will require you to obtain all of the raw materials needed to complete the process. Truffles grow in a type of medium known as substrate. A substrate is a layer of material that truffles need in order to obtain nutrients and grow, much like a plant growing within

A substrate is a layer of material that truffles need in order to obtain nutrients and grow, much like a plant growing within soil. A popular choice of substrate for growing truffles is the simple and humble grass seed.

- You will need to select a container; glass mason jars are a great choice. Wash this out as thoroughly as possible.
- Fill your glass container roughly half way full with substrate in order to allow room for expansion, fill the glass with water and let it sit for a period of 12 hours.
- Drain your substrate after this time has passed. Now it is time to sterilize the substrate and by doing so making it ready for inoculation.
- This can be done by making holes in the lid of your container to allow pressure to be released, and putting the container into a pressure cooker for about an hour on 15 psi.
- The following point is very important for your safety. Be sure, that you use a mason jar and not a regular glass jar when sterilising, so the glass does not explode. Also allow pressure to leave the jar by putting the lid of loosely and by piercing holes within the lid.
- After the substrate has been sterilized and has cooled down, shake the material in order to prevent any clumps forming.
- Now is the time to inoculate the substrate. This can be done simply using a spore syringe. Once injected, put on a lid without a hole and shake the material again to distribute the spores as evenly as possible.

From this point on your material will need to be put into an environment of between 21 and 25 degrees celsius for around 2 to 4 weeks. This can be achieved by housing it within an incubator.

Once this period has finished, the mycelium will have successfully colonized the substrate. From this point on it is purely a waiting game. Regularly check to make sure your mycelium is growing at the desired temperature. In around 3 to 4 months you should be rewarded with fully grown truffles.