Cubensis Pink Buffalo

For several decades now, Pink Buffalo has taken pride of place in the top three most popular strains among various growers and myconauts due to its ease of cultivation and potent effects beyond the average cubensis.

Origin

The refined and domesticated Pink Buffalo is a descendant of wild specimens collected by ethnobotanist John Allen on the Thai island of Koh Samui in the late 1990s. The myth goes that the mushrooms' location was pointed out to John by a "sacred pink buffalo" that the mycologist encountered while hiking through the island's jungle. The legend may be extraordinary, but the real story is much more prosaic. In fact, as stated by Allen, he actually came across a lone pink buffalo wandering in a rice field along the road, and later he actually found the mushrooms on manure, probably left by the same animal. By the way, the pink buffalo is not a rare animal in Thailand and has no sacred status. Meanwhile, with such a backstory and evocative name, the Pink Buffalo strain immediately caught the attention of the mycological community and subsequently became a cult favorite.

Appearance

The fruiting bodies of this strain are massive, sometimes reaching a height of 20 cm, but the average size is 10-14 cm. As they mature, the shape of the cap changes from spherical or conical to a broad, flat surface 3-8 cm in diameter, sometimes with upwardly curled edges and a pronounced nipple-like thickening in the center. When young, the caps are a rich reddish-brown, later lightening to a warm amber or caramel. On the flipside, under a dense veil, thin spore plates hide, turning dark purple at the peak of maturity. The veil is quite thick and may need to be carefully removed to lift the print.

Growing Peculiarities and Yields

With its remarkable resistance to contamination and rapid colonization rate, Pink Buffalo can be an excellent choice for first-time growers. The strain is also unpretentious when it comes to substrate. Choose grains such as raw oats, wheat, rye, brown rice flour with vermiculite, and a hay and straw base supplemented with compost or, "native" to the strain, pasteurized manure of ruminants. Under constant temperatures of 27-30 °C, the mycelium completely colonizes the grain substrate within 10-18 days. Due to its tropical origin, Pink Buffalo reacts negatively to a significant drop in temperature. However, its slight upswing will not do any harm.

To transfer the spawn to the fruiting stage, the substrate blocks are placed in a fruiting chamber with a temperature of 22-24 °C and a relative humidity of at least 90%. It is worth mentioning that the strain is not so fast in the formation of fruiting bodies. Oftentimes, a "cold shocking" or "CO² shocking" is required to initiate the first flush, followed by immediate covering of the substrate surface with a dense carpet of caps. If you are inexperienced in such techniques, we recommend that you be patient and let Pink Buffalo unfold in all its glory on its own.

If all the basic recommendations are followed, the first flush will yield 250-300 g of raw mushrooms per 1 liter of substrate. The second and third flushes will be a bit more modest, up to 100-150 g each. However, they are exactly the ones that produce the largest fruiting bodies – the best specimens for making your own spore prints.

Effects and Dosages

Traditionally, 1-1.5 g of dried fruiting bodies is the recommended dosage of Pink Buffalo for beginners. More experienced travelers can increase their intake to 1.5-4 g, resulting in a pronounced psychedelic effect and heightened sensory perception. "Heroic" doses starting at 4 g are the prerogative of exceptionally advanced myconauts who have undergone extensive training and have developed an unwavering intention to venture into uncharted territory with a pure heart and open mind.

For 2-3 days before taking magic mushrooms, exclude meat, fatty foods, alcohol, psychoactive substances, and caffeine- and taurine-containing beverages from your daily diet. Cool your mind down with meditation, yoga, or any other techniques you may be practicing. Do not eat on the day of the trip, and limit yourself to herbal tea or flat mineral water.