SG30 is a strain of Psilocybe cubensis that was brought back from a 30-year-old spore sample.
The spores were painstakingly restored through gradual rehydration on agar plates. Unbelievably, the cultivator was successful and managed to reproduce mushrooms from the sample — this goes to show how resilient the Psilocybe cubensis species really is.
Now, SG30 spores are available from a variety of large online spore vendors across the globe. The mushrooms are relatively average in terms of looks and potency, but the strain’s history makes them appealing.
They look remarkably similar to Golden Teachers, but they are slightly thicker with tall, thick stems that are comparable to the Penis Envy strain in some instances. The caps of the shroom are domed, flattening out through maturity. The edges tend to crack as they mature and quickly grow in diameter.
The average SG30 shroom produces somewhere around 0.80% total tryptamines. This puts the strain in the “average potency” category. That said, these shrooms are still capable of producing intense psychedelic effects in high doses.
Overall, SG30 is a well-rounded strain suitable for cultivators and psychonauts of all experience levels.
SG30 Strain Specs:
| Potency | Average |
| Cultivation | Beginner |
| Species | Psilocybe cubensis |
| Substrate Recommendation | Rye Grain or BRF (Brown Rice Flour & Vermiculite) |
| Cost | $$ |
| Sold By | Ralphsters Spores, Spores 101, The Magic Mushrooms Shop |
History of the SG30 Strain
A cultivator known by the online handle “Shdwstr” reportedly found the spores in an envelope he’d kept in his files for almost three decades.
Shdwstr slowly rehydrated the spores and inoculated agar plates to isolate the healthy mycelium produced by the spores. Remarkably, the cultivator brought the spores “back to life,” producing several healthy flushes from the sample.
From here, Shdwstr distributed the spores among the magic mushroom community, and they’re now available to purchase from most of the established, reliable online spore vendors around the world.
The SG30 Strain Potency & Psilocybin Content
The SG30 strain has been rated “average potency” — producing somewhere in the region of 0.50% to 0.90% total tryptamines.
Unfortunately, we’re yet to see a sample of the SG30 strain entered into the Oakland Hyphae Psilocybin Cup, and there are no reliable data sets online that display the mushroom’s tryptamine profile. However, we estimate its psilocybin levels can go above 0.60% and its psilocin levels around 0.05%.
After consuming SG30 mushrooms, expect a moderately strong body high with intense waves of euphoria, light open-eye visuals, and moderate closed-eye visuals.
Where to Buy SG30 Mushroom Spores
Although SG30 was almost lost, this strain’s spores are now available from most large spore vendors across the globe — and don’t worry, they’re not 30 years old.
Viable spore samples are available as prints, swabs, and spore syringes. If you plan on cultivating SG30 shrooms, we recommend purchasing sterile spore-filled syringes because this will make the inoculation process much easier.
Here’s where you’ll find SG30 spore samples:
- United States: Ralphsters Spores is the best place to purchase SG30 spore samples; they’re available as sterile spore syringes.
- Canada: You’ll find SG30 spore syringes and prints available from Spores 101.
- Europe: SG30 spore samples can be purchased from The Magic Mushrooms Shop in syringes or on swabs.
How to Grow SG30 Mushrooms
The SG30 strain is impressively resilient. Its contamination resistance and ability to grow in unoptimized conditions make it a suitable strain for beginner growers. Even a rookie should be able to produce healthy flushes of these intriguing shrooms.
The easiest way to cultivate SG30 shrooms is to utilize a technique known as “PF Tek.” All you need is a few simple pieces of equipment, all of which are available from hardware stores and garden centers.
The mushrooms are grown in glass mason jars filled with a growing medium. SG30 grows best on rye grain or a mixture of brown rice flour, water, and vermiculite (BRF cakes). During the fruiting phase, SG30 likes a humid environment. It’s important to keep the humidity above 85% to reduce cap cracking as much as possible.
If you want to learn how to grow SG30 or other P. cubensis strains using PF Tek, check out our in-depth guide: How To Grow Magic Mushrooms: The Easy Way
Other Easy-to-Grow Strains
The SG30 strain is easy to work with. It can be grown in an unoptimized environment and is highly resistant to contamination. These traits make it the ideal beginner strain. However, it’s not the only “easy-to-grow” Psilocybe cubensis strain.
Here are five alternative easy-to-grow strains:
1. Golden Teacher
Golden Teacher is one of the most popular Psilocybe cubensis strains on the planet. This strain is one of the easiest to grow. It’s a favorite among beginner cultivators because it’s highly contamination-resistant and does well in an unoptimized environment.
Golden Teacher shrooms produce an average psilocybin level of 0.66%, an average psilocin level of 0.06%, and a total tryptamine level of 0.73%. This makes this a great strain for both beginner cultivators and those new to consuming psychedelic shrooms.
2. The Koh Samui Strain
The Koh Samui strain produces above-average potency mushrooms with “fat*ss” bodies — short, wide shrooms with thick stems. The legendary shroom hunter John “Mushroom” Allen discovered this strain growing on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand — hence the name.
Like most Thai strains, the Koh Samui strain is contamination- and temperature-resistant, making it easy to grow, even for beginners. The average Koh Samui mushroom produces around 0.63% psilocybin, 0.04% psilocin, and 0.69% total tryptamines.
3. The Lipa Yai Strain
The Lipa Yai strain is similar to Koh Samui in its potency and ease of cultivation. However, rather than producing fat*sses, Lipa Yai shrooms are tall and slender. John Allen discovered this strain growing on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand during his travels through Southeast Asia in the 1990s.
Lipa Yai mushrooms produce an average tryptamine level of 0.75% with around 0.66% psilocybin and 0.05% psilocin.
4. A+ Strain
The A+ Strain — also known as A-Strain or simply “A+” — is a popular beginner strain originally developed by the famed mushroom breeder and frequent Shroomery user “Mr G.”
These mushrooms are famed for their resilient nature and heavy spore production, making them the perfect strain for beginners, commercial cultivators, and people who want to collect spores for microscopy. They’re rated “above average potency” — producing between 0.90% and 1.20% total tryptamines.
5. Orissa India
The Orissa India strain is famed for its high potency and ability to produce impressively large fruiting bodies. This strain once held the record for the largest cultivated Psilocybe cubensis mushroom — the South American strain has since claimed that title.
Surprisingly, Orissa India mushrooms are easy to grow. Even complete beginners have a chance of producing massive mushrooms with impressively high potency. Orissa India mushrooms can produce more than 1.80% of total tryptamines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need to know more? Next, we’ll answer some popular questions.
1. How Many Strains of Psilocybe cubensis Exist?
There are more than 100 different strains of Psilocybe cubensis. These strains are all part of the same species but exhibit differences in growth characteristics.
Some strains are famed for their impressive potency, such as Penis Envy — producing average tryptamine levels of 1.15% and peak levels of 2.90%. Other strains are famed for their impressive-looking mushrooms, like Enigma, which produces “brain-like” growths rather than typical mushrooms.
The Psilocybe cubensis species is relatively easy to cultivate. However, some strains are easier to grow than others. Albino Penis Envy is prone to aborts, making them more difficult to cultivate, and other strains, such as Golden Teacher, are incredibly resilient and easy to grow.
2. Why Are There So Many Magic Mushroom Strains?
There are so many strains of Psilocybe cubensis because it’s the most popular species of magic mushroom to grow. P. cubensis has been cultivated since the late 1960s. Several strains were collected from the wild during the 80s and 90s, and keen mycologists continue to collect new specimens.
Spores from these specimens have spread throughout the mushroom community, and several new strains have been created. Genetics are cross-cultivated with each other, and mutations are isolated to create offshoots of different P. cubensis shrooms.
You only have to look at the Penis Envy strain to see how the number of strains grows through genetic manipulation. The “Penis Envy series” contains over 20 different variants that are either genetic offshoots, isolated mutations, or crossbreeds of two strains in the series.
3. What Magic Mushroom Species Are Easy to Grow?
There are more than 180 different species of psychedelic mushrooms. However, Psilocybe cubensis is so popular because it’s so easy to cultivate. The species’ resilient nature and ability to grow in an unoptimized, artificial environment make it the perfect choice for home mushroom growers.
Many other psychedelic mushroom species, such as Psilocybe semilanceata and Psilocybe bohemica, are almost impossible to cultivate in an artificial environment. However, a few other species are relatively easy to grow indoors or outside.
Here are a few species that are easily grown indoors:
- Panaeolus cyanescens
- Psilocybe mexicana
- Psilocybe aztecorum
Here are a few species that can be easily cultivated outdoors:
- Psilocybe cyanescens
- Psilocybe azurescens
- Psilocybe baeocystis
