Psilocybe cubensis strains: what the name tells you, and what it can't

What a strain is

A "strain" of psilocybin mushroom is a cultivated line, more like an apple variety than a separate kind of plant. Names such as Golden Teacher, Penis Envy and B+ all belong to a single species, Psilocybe cubensis. Most cultivated psilocybin mushrooms are believed to be P. cubensis, and researchers note "substantial morphological variety between cultures," meaning lines can look quite different from one another.¹

Strain names aren't registered or tested by any scientific body. A 2025 review found that strain descriptions come "predominantly" from non-academic, community-based sources such as growers, forums and vendors.²

Do names match genetics?

Not consistently. The same 2025 review reports that commercially labeled cultivars "often lack genetic similarity across different suppliers," so two packets with the same name may hold genetically different mushrooms.² A 2026 study added that there's still no comprehensive genetic reference database for these strains, which makes names hard to check.³

Does the name predict potency?

This is the claim people care about most, and the evidence says the name alone isn't a reliable guide.

• Big differences between strains. Researchers grew 14 P. cubensis strains under identical conditions and found total tryptamine content differed more than 7.8-fold between strains.³
• Real differences within a strain. In the same study, individual mushrooms of one strain varied noticeably from each other. The authors concluded that species identification alone "cannot reliably predict" the psychoactive content, and that differences between strains aren't explained by genetics alone: growing conditions, harvest timing, handling after harvest and lab methods all play a part.³
• A second lab, a similar picture. A 2024 analysis of five commercial strains, including B+, found differences between strains and between mushrooms of the same strain, with comparable results from a second laboratory.⁴
• Storage and handling matter. Psilocybin and related compounds break down over time, and how fast depends on storage conditions.⁶ A 2022 study of museum specimens found some had no detectable psilocybin left, and that published chemistry on these mushrooms is often inconsistent.⁵

For context, P. cubensis as a species tends to sit lower in tryptamine content than some wild species such as the liberty cap, though every species varies widely.⁷

Commonly named strains

These notes cover only what's documented in published research. Descriptions you'll find elsewhere, such as "visual," "gentle" or "the strongest," come from community reports and haven't been tested in controlled studies.

Golden Teacher

One of the most widely sold names. Its reputation rests on community descriptions rather than published lab comparisons. A cross labeled Jack Frost × Golden Teacher was among the 14 strains grown side by side in the 2026 study above.³

Penis Envy and Albino Penis Envy

Both were among the 14 strains in the 2026 comparison.³ "Albino" in a strain name marks a variant of an existing named line. The study's central finding applies to them as much as any other strain: differences weren't explained by genetics alone.

B+

One of five commercial strains analyzed in the 2024 study, which found modest differences between strains alongside variation within each one.⁴

Newer names

New names appear constantly, often from a single grower or seller. Most have no published chemistry at all, so any potency claim attached to them is the seller's description, not a measurement.

How to read a strain claim

Retailers publish their own strain profiles, such as My Mushroom Dispensary's pages on Golden Teacher, Albino Penis Envy and Albino Bluey Vuitton. Treat potency claims on any strain page as unconfirmed unless they come with a lab report.

1. Ask for a certificate of analysis that matches the batch you're looking at, not the strain in general. Our guide to reading a lab report explains what it should show.
2. Check the date. Because psilocybin degrades in storage, an old test says less about a product that's been sitting on a shelf.⁶
3. Be wary of rankings. A list of strains from "mild" to "strongest" can't account for the variation researchers find between batches and between individual mushrooms.^3,4

Psilocybin remains illegal under federal law and in most states. See our legal status map for where your state stands.