Where to Find Magic Mushrooms in the UK

Magic mushrooms are a rising curiosity among the UK public, but what are the rules surrounding this particular fungus? And where can you find magic mushrooms in the UK?

Well, it’s complicated.

Most people don’t know the first thing about magic mushrooms, having only heard about them through TV shows or movies. This guide will explain all you need to know, including key information about their status in the UK, where they can be found for observation or study, and more.

What Are Magic Mushrooms?

Magic mushrooms aren’t actually called magic mushrooms; that’s a name we’ve grown to use as a society, relating to their psychoactive effects. The technical term for this fungus is psilocybin mushrooms. Many mushrooms belong to this group, but they’re classified as being hallucinogenic and containing the prodrug psilocybin – which turns into the psychedelic psilocin when ingested. 

Magic mushrooms grow the same as any other mushroom, though all the species within this category have a specific gene cluster that lets them produce psilocybin. Nobody knows for sure why these mushrooms evolved to produce psilocybin, though some researchers theorise that it’s a defence mechanism to stop animals and insects from eating the mushroom. You’re also most likely to find magic mushrooms in dung or decaying wood, which could be another factor in determining how they grow. 

What Are The Most Common Magic Mushroom Species?

You may think that magic mushrooms are niche, but you’ll find over 180 species across the world. Despite this diversity, most researchers will only ever look at a handful of magic mushroom species – which we’ve listed for you below: 

Psilocybe Cubensis

Arguably the most common species on planet earth, psilocybe cubensis mushrooms are commonly referred to as magic mushrooms, shrooms, golden halo, cube, or gold cap.

They’re found in tropical and subtropical regions, though you mainly find them near cattle dung. Researchers choose this species over the rest because they’re the easiest to identify (thanks to a golden-brown cap and thick stem) and there are already lots of genetic studies out there to call upon. 

To be honest, you’re unlikely to find these in the UK as they are more native to other parts of the world. They’re particularly prominent in North America, South America, Asia and Oceania. 

In the world of legal spore study, there are a many different strains, or cultivar, of this mushroom to study under the microscope, including Golden Teacher, B+ and Penis Envy.

Psilocybe Semilanceata

Known by most as Liberty Cap mushrooms, these are the most prevalent magic mushrooms you will find in the UK. They’re remarkably potent and come with a cone-shaped cap with an appendage at the end. You will also notice a long stem that’s pale cream in colour and has a slight curve to it. One way to identify this magic mushroom is by looking at the base of the stem for blue-green bruising. 

You’ll mainly find these in grassy meadows or pastures and they’re common near farms or wildlife parks. They love growing near where livestock grows, though unlike psilocybe cubensis, they don’t grow directly on or around dung. 

In the UK, you will typically see these magic mushrooms during the autumn season. They love rain and colder weather, meaning they’re perhaps more prevalent in the north than the south. 

Psilocybe Cyanescens

Another magic mushroom species you might find in the UK, experts as the wavy cap mushroom refer to this one. Why? Because the cap at the top of this mushroom is noticeably wavy, which sets it apart from the rest. This mushroom has an exceptionally high psilocybin content and is extremely potent. 

As well as the wavy cap, psilocybe cyanescens is noted for its chestnut brown colour when moist, and a white/pale brown stem. Of the magic mushrooms we’ve spoken about so far, these are the hardest for you to identify from a distance. You really need to get up close to check for the wavy cap and the curved stem. 

You may find these on forest floors as they like growing in mulch or wood chippings – but some people have reported them in their gardens! Wavy cap mushrooms are big fans of cold weather and start growing in late October, usually when Autumn is drawing to a close. They’ll hang around until January in the UK.  

Can You Pick & Eat Wild Magic Mushrooms In The UK?

As you’ve seen, some magic mushroom species grow right here in the UK, but what happens if you find one while foraging? It’s perfectly legal to pick up and clean regular mushrooms, then eat them. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for any magic mushrooms. 

You see, magic mushrooms are classified as a Class A drug due to their psilocybin content. This means they fall under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and it is illegal for you to possess or ingest them. It doesn’t matter if you found them on the forest floor or anywhere else in the wild – if you pick magic mushrooms and eat them, it’s deemed a criminal offence, so don’t do it. 

What Else Can’t You Do With Magic Mushrooms In The UK?

Picking and eating magic mushrooms is illegal, but what else can’t you do with this fungus? Again, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, it is illegal for anyone to knowingly grow or sell magic mushrooms – even for medical purposes. 

“Knowingly” is an important word because you are technically allowed to let magic mushrooms grow naturally in your garden. As mentioned previously, species like psilocybe cyanescens love growing around wood chippings and mulch, both of which are commonly found in UK gardens. If the conditions are right, then you may see magic mushrooms grow around your garden area – but that’s perfectly legal and you won’t be penalised because you aren’t the one growing them. It’s simply deemed a feat of nature, and as long as you don’t pick, eat or sell the naturally-growing magic mushrooms, you won’t get in trouble. 

What Can You Do With Magic Mushrooms In The UK?

To reiterate: magic mushrooms are illegal in the United Kingdom. You should not buy magic mushrooms or attempt to grow them at home. If the authorities catch wind of you doing so, you could be imprisoned for up to 7 years. 

Having said that, there are a couple of things you can do with these mushrooms: 

• Use them for research purposes: It is technically possible for someone to purchase or grow magic mushrooms in the UK for research purposes. However, this is a highly regulated industry and you must obtain a special licence to do so. It’s incredibly rare that an individual will be given this licence as they’re normally handed out to proper research companies. To give you some idea as to how hard this licence is to obtain, you won’t find any information about it on Google. 

• Purchase magic mushroom spores: Think back to our explanation about why magic mushrooms are illegal. They’ve given the Class A drug status because of psilocybin, but did you know that magic mushroom spores do not contain this substance? It’s true; the spores contain zero amounts of psilocybin until germinated, which means it is legal for you to purchase magic mushroom spores if you’re using them for research purposes. 

While it’s unlikely you’ll be able to obtain a proper research licence to study the mushrooms themselves, you will be able to buy magic mushroom spores. The key caveat is that you cannot use the spore syringes to grow magic mushrooms. They can be used for mycology and microscopy studies to help you learn more about fungal biology, but you are categorically NOT allowed to grow mushrooms from the spores. 

Furthermore, there is one other thing a UK resident can do with regard to magic mushrooms:

• Go on a psilocybin retreat: It may be illegal for you to try magic mushrooms on our shores, but it’s perfectly legal for someone from the UK to go abroad and enjoy a psilocybin retreat. They’re gaining popularity and are most prominent in countries like Jamaica and the Netherlands. Jamaica makes it fully legal for anyone to go on psilocybin retreats and try magic mushrooms for the first time. It’s slightly different in the Netherlands, where it’s legal for you to try psilocybin truffles. They’re not quite the same as magic mushrooms, but still contain the psychedelic compound.
  
  A quick Google search will show you all the places in the world where it’s legal to book retreats like these. If you’re an enthusiast who’s interested in seeing what these mushrooms feel like to ingest, then perhaps this is the route for you to go down. 

The Future Of Magic Mushrooms In The UK

As things stand, regulations surrounding magic mushrooms are pretty extreme. Will this always be the case? Nobody can predict the future, but global trends suggest we might be heading towards the decriminalisation of psychedelics like psilocybin. A BBC report from 2024 showed that dozens of countries around the world either made psychedelics legal or decriminalised them somewhat. 

More to the point, certain political parties in the UK are also pushing the narrative of decriminalising drugs. So, who knows, perhaps we will see a future where it’s entirely legal for someone in the UK to grow their own magic mushrooms or buy them online. 

For now, we’ll end with an important summary that goes over some key points. It is illegal for anyone to pick, eat, buy, or supply magic mushrooms in the UK. However, it is legal for you to purchase magic mushroom spores because the spores themselves aren’t classified as a Class A drug.