Every winter and spring when conditions are just right, something magical begins to happen in California, Oregon, and Washington. After a few good rains, some cool nights, and a bit of sun, webs of white mycelium in countless beds of wood chips begin to produce mushrooms.

Strolling around any San Francisco neighborhood it’s not uncommon to see a dozen species of urban mushrooms growing in gardens and the landscaped areas of office buildings or apartment complexes. But for those in the know, three are of particular interest: the potently psychedelic Psilocybe cyanescens, Psilocybe allenii, and Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata. 

For starters, where they grow in the wild is actually a bit of a mystery. “You can walk around the woods forever in California and