It’s shroom-picking season: How to stay safe while foraging for psychedelics
Thursday, May 30, 2024.
Disclaimer: This article is peer advice and is not intended as legal or medical advice. It is only an entry point to the art and risks of mushroom foraging, one that will prod you in the direction of denser resources. While NUAA does not judge people who choose to use drugs illicitly, we also do not encourage anyone to do anything illegal.
If this article raises health concerns for you or for someone you know about consuming mushrooms, call the Poisons Information Centre from anywhere in Australia on 131 126. This evidence-base advice is available 24 hours a day. For life-threatening symptoms, call 000 immediately.
Psilocybe subaeuruginosa or “subs’, a common magic mushroom in NSW. Photo courtesy: Caine Barlow.
Psilocybe subaeuruginosa (“subs’) is a type of magic mushroom that flourishes in the wild in NSW, usually between March and July.
Psilocybe cubensis (“cubes”) is another psychedelic mushroom you may find when foraging, although it’s less common in NSW.
Subs are roughly twice the strength of cubes.
A strong dose of subs is 2.5 to 3 grams. A medium dose is 1 to 2 grams.
Don’t go foraging alone when you are first starting out.
Watch out for a loss of muscle strength in the aftermath of a mushroom trip. “Woodlover paralysis”, albeit very rare, can result from eating subs found growing on wood.
Recent downpours of rain in Sydney and the change in season mean conditions for shroom picking – yes, we’re talking about the psychedelic kind – are very favourable. As the picking season ramps up in NSW, we’ve chatted to two peer educators in the plant medicine space, Dr Liam Engel and mycologist Caine Barlow, who has over 30 years experience foraging, to find out what not to do when foraging. Hunting for mushrooms is a risky business. Trust us: this is not a situation where you want to fuck around and find out. In Australia, the misidentification and eating of mushrooms has resulted in a number of cases of hospitalisation in recent years and even death.
We know this won’t stop anyone from eating mushies. They make for fun trips after all and there is substantial proof that, in a clinical setting, they can help treat certain substance use disorders and mental health conditions – treatment-resistant depression is a high-profile example – when paired with therapy. Plus, local media reports suggest that the popularity of foraging for mushrooms has sky-rocketed following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions. For better or worse, psychedelic hype is everywhere we look.
So, if you insist on foraging for your own shrooms, here’s some advice.
Research, research and more research
Before foraging, it is important to know exactly what mushroom species you are looking for. If you’re living in NSW, the psychedelic mushroom you’re most likely to find foraging locally is Psilocybe subaeuruginosa, aka “p. subs”, “subs” or “golden tops”. These mushies are usually in season in NSW from March until July, sometime as late as August. So, yes, it’s peak season right now.
There are only really three magic mushroom species you’ll easily find in the wild in NSW – “subs” and, to a lesser extent, “cubes” (Psilocybe cubensis) and “blue meanies” (Panaelous cyanescens).
Dr Liam Engel, a drug science researcher and ethnobotanist who crosses the bridge between peer and professional, explains, “Cubes grow primarily in cow poo and subs grow on wood. Cubes are more often found in warmer, more humid weather. I have heard about people finding them in western Sydney, although it’s not common. The place where they’re really pumping is in Queensland.”
If you’re intent on foraging for subs – we know we can’t talk you out of it – research is vital. It’s a point both Liam and Caine emphasise. This may involve looking closely at photographs and in-depth reading about the habitats where you can find your chosen shroom. You should also know that subs are generally considered to be twice the strength of cubes, so make sure you are in the right place mentally before wolfing down any subs. Remember: psychedelics are intense. Not only do they alter our vision and create mystical experiences, they can amplify what is going on inside our mind. You’re also in for the long haul. A mushie trip is usually around 6 hours.
Dr Liam Engel. Photo courtesy: Liam Engel.
If you’re buying shrooms from a dealer, it’s worth asking whether you’re buying subs, cubes, or another species, due to the strength variation. A strong dose of subs is between 2.5 and 3 grams. A more manageable “medium” dose is between 1 and 2 grams.
The illegal status of shrooms has largely confined the sharing of knowledge to hidden corners of the internet. Sift between the rubble of the failed war on drugs, however, and you’ll discover an underground oasis of trip-sitting advice, foraging yarns and firsthand trip reports. There are Erowid vaults, drug-nerd blogs teeming with information and closed Facebook groups, such as PMANZ and PMANZ ID, where the social media hive mind helps individuals who post photos of foraging finds and ask questions. The group is designed for foragers in Australia and New Zealand. Another good starting point is the Shroomery, an online forum, and iNaturalist.
As psychedelics begin to enter the public imagination – we’re still a while away from scoffing down magic mushrooms at family dinner for dessert but consumption is becoming more socially accepted – researchers, psychonauts and harm reduction enthusiasts have begun to publicise guides. Dr Liam Engel recommends the Reference guide to Psilocybe subaeruginosa produced by Enthneogenesis Australis, a local ethnobotanical charity. He also recommends a YouTube video, An Introduction to Psilocybe subaeruginosa, which is a presentation by Caine Barlow. For those new to foraging, Caine’s introductory guide on how to forage for magic mushrooms in Australia is also worth a sus.
Caine Barlow. Photo courtesy: Caine Barlow.
It’s important to note that this Users News article is not a comprehensive guide on where or how to find psychedelic mushrooms in NSW. It is simply a harm reduction resource. So it’s important you dig deeper before foraging, hopefully into the aforementioned resources!
With the underground nature of foraging as an activity, it can seem difficult, even daunting, to link up with like-minded people in real life. But it’s crucial you don’t venture out alone when starting out. You should have an expert mushroom gatherer by your side in those early days. If you do go alone, at the very least, avoid eating the mushrooms you pick during your first excursions until a trusted and experienced person, or three, has confirmed their identity.
If you have friends who forage, Caine suggests you ask to join them. Alternatively, you can seek out groups that go on foraging excursions for mushrooms, even the non-psychedelic species.
“It’s important to go foraging on a regular basis through different types of habitats, allowing your eyes and other senses to become familiar with the fungi that you come across – what they look like and how they feel,” he says.
Liam advises that your local Australian Psychedelic Society chapter is “a good place to start” for shroom enthusiasts. But he warns that “the inner circles of these communities are often a bit wary of new people”. In short, you may need to demonstrate prior knowledge of another psychoactive plant interest – or at least more research than simply watching a Michael Pollan video – before seasoned trippers feel comfortable sharing their secrets with you.
Foraging in the city? Beware of weed sprays
You can forage in cities but it’s not ideal. ‘Subs’ love woodchip beds, which means you’ll find them in parks, playgrounds and bush regeneration areas – anywhere with mounds of woodchips essentially. The key issue here is that council workers sometimes spray woodchip beds with herbicides. According to recent research, glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, likely causes cancer in humans. Avoid picking and eating mushrooms from woodchips beds that have been recently sprayed, if possible.
“Some mushrooms sprayed with blue-dyed herbicide can potentially look like magic mushrooms,” Caine warns.
“I would not be eating mushrooms that are on the edges of beds. I’d be foraging for mushrooms that are further into woodchipped or regeneration areas,” he continues.
Foraging in urban settings also comes with increased surveillance and therefore the heightened possibility of legal repercussions. As Liam explains succinctly, “it’s kinda red hot”.
Pine forests: A safe place to forage
In the bush, you’ll find ‘subs’ in eucalypt scrub and pine forests. Both Liam and Caine suggest that commercial pine forest plantations, established for the express purpose of logging, are a good place to search for magic mushrooms, especially for beginners.
They also have environmental care in mind. Liam expresses concern about people aggressively bushwalking in native areas to find magic mushrooms.
“If everyone is looking for subs in eucalypt forests and turning over wood, you could potentially be damaging stuff but also walking stuff in on your shoes. By looking for ‘subs’, they could be moving the spores, seeds, bacteria and other stuff from place to place and changing the local ecosystem by introducing new competitors.”
“Pine forest is a good environment for ‘subs’ because it’s so consistent. It’s just trees, trees, trees, all the exact same. So the mushroom learns to grow in that area and spreads rapidly.”
Lookalike species that resemble ‘subs’ and grow in similar environments are a significant danger. Some can even kill you. There are deadly species of Galerina, for example. While lookalike species are still a threat in pine forests, you’re at least less likely to find them there than in eucalypt forest. According to Caine, it makes pine plantations a “safer environment” for foraging.
Psilocybe subaeuruginosa or “subs’, a common magic mushroom in NSW. Photo courtesy: Liam Engel.
“Woodlover paralysis”: A possible side effect of mushie ingestion
Woodlover paralysis (WLP) is a rare condition triggered by consuming magic mushrooms that grow on wood. We know little about the precise cause. But we do know the symptoms: a temporary loss of muscle strength in the arms and legs, usually beginning in the hands and feet, which resembles paralysis. This can occur even from ingesting a small dose with little psychedelic intensity. In severe cases, it can impact the ability to breathe. Thankfully, the symptoms only linger for 24 or 48 hours.
For the unprepared though the experience will be a certified wig out. So it’s important to know what to do when this condition strikes.
“It is important to remain calm,” Caine advises. “Relaxation of the muscles reverses the weakness. Keep in mind that using them again will bring on the weakness once more. Individuals may not experience WLP during the mushroom trip itself but may experience some weakness on the following day. This is important to note in the case of sporting activities or operating heavy machinery.”
To reduce harm from WLP, Liam suggests people consuming subs have a trip-sitter who is familiar with the condition because, if WLP strikes, you’re going to be incapacitated. “Don’t drive a car or deal with something on the stove. You need to be able to be useless,” Liam advises.
Avoid overconfidence, crowdsource knowledge online
While some magic mushroom foragers may be secretive about their favourite locations and wary of sharing knowledge, even territorial in urban settings where there is an over-supply of shroom pickers (if you believe Vice), they are a friendly bunch. Thanks to vigilant moderators, Facebook groups like PMANZ work like a well-oiled machine. It’s a great place to post photos of the mushrooms you’ve found and seek advice.
To aid identification, Caine says that people posting photos online need to include a wide shot of the whole mushroom and its surrounding habitat before it is picked, especially if there are other mushrooms nearby. You’ll also need to provide close-up photographs of the whole mushroom, the cap, the stem and the gills (the dark-coloured part underneath the cap).
In short, you need the following photos for identification:
Mushroom in its natural habitat
Whole mushroom
Cap
Stem
Gills
If you are still not 100% certain on the identity of the mushroom after this, do not eat it. If the mushroom looks old, rotten or full of grubs, do not eat it. Mushrooms can go off and you will get food poisoning.
At this point, you’re ready to either trip or toss any poisonous mushrooms into a bin or compost pile.
Stay safe out there!
Having trouble with some of the more technical words? Here’s a breakdown
Ethnobotanist: A fancy term for someone who studies the relationship between plants and people, primarily in cultural settings.
Herbicide: A chemical designed to manipulate, control or kill off weeds and other undesirable vegetation.
Mycologist: Someone who studies fungi including mould, yeast and mushrooms – both psychedelic and non-psychedelic mushrooms.
Psychonaut: A play on the word astronaut. Somebody who loves taking and exploring trippy psychedelic drugs, such as mushies, acid and DMT.