Buying Spore Prints: What You Need To Know
Prints are made by laying a mushroom's cap down on a piece of paper or foil. Spores, the reproductive unit of fungi (like the seeds of a plant) are ejected from the gills of a mushroom in very large quantities, forming a beautiful "print” that you can study under a microscope.
While these spores have viable genetics and prints made with non-psilocybe spores are frequently used to start mushroom flushes, magic mushroom spores are exclusively for microscopy. Enjoy the print’s beautiful design or study the individual spores underneath your microscope.
Your Source For High-Quality Spores
Since 2008, Eden Shrooms has been helping our fellow mycologists buy mushroom spores and supplies that are high-quality and contaminant-free. These spores have been ethically and sustainably sourced from our skilled partners around the world. In addition to our spore prints, we also offer spore syringes and spore swabs, all of which are prepared and packaged in a state-of-the-art ISO 7 Clean Room. Explore our growing collection of mushroom prints and find your next mycology project today at Eden Shrooms!
FAQs
What are prints used for?
There are two uses for spore prints: growing mushrooms and studying spores. For the first option, let's say you have a print of an edible oyster mushroom. You can use those spores to grow a new flush of oyster mushrooms by applying the spores to agar, substrate, or an all-in-one grow bag. Prints are especially great for agar work. For the second, prints capture the natural beauty of a mushroom cap, and the released spores can be studied under a microscope.
Can you grow magic mushrooms with a spore print?
Since the spores have viable genetics, it is hypothetically possible to grow a flush of magic mushrooms with a print. However, these mushrooms would contain psilocybin, a federally regulated substance that is illegal to own. We do not advise or condone growing magic mushrooms with our spores, and any requests for help growing them will be ignored
Why should I use a mushroom print over a syringe?
Due to their direct contact with the mushroom cap when spores are extracted, prints contain an incredibly high volume of spores versus a syringe or swab. With proper storage, a print can be saved and used for a significantly longer period of time than the other two mediums. A print is also beautiful on its own, not just as a method to study spores.
What species of mushrooms do spore prints come from?
All of our offerings come from magic mushroom related species, such as Psilocybe cubensis, P. tampanensis, P. mexicana, and P. natalensis. It is important to note that not all mushrooms are capable of creating prints, since prints require the "cap and stem" morphology most people associate with mushrooms. These kinds of mushrooms are known as basidiomycetes, with spores releasing from the “basidia” of the mushroom.
However, mushrooms like the gem-studded puffball mushroom, release spores from the sides or top of the mushroom rather than from underneath the cap. This makes it impossible to make a spore print using it.
Why should I buy mushroom prints when I can make my own?
While we are always excited to hear about our fellow mycologists successfully preparing a print, Psilocybe mushrooms are different. Due to the nature of Psilocybe mushrooms and their federal designation as an illegal substance, you are not allowed to grow magic mushrooms—a necessary step in eventually creating a spore print. Thanks to our international team and careful adherence to legal guidelines and regulations, we are able to 100% legally sell you prints from a variety of magic mushrooms.
Are magic mushroom spore prints legal?
Culinary spore prints are legal in all 50 states without restrictions. However, magic mushroom prints like the products listed on our site are currently legal to buy in 47 states. At this time, only California, Idaho, and Georgia have restricted the distribution of Psilocybe mushroom spores. The magic mushroom spores on prints do not contain psilocybin, so they are legal to own as artwork or research material.
