Avalanche Spore Swab

Avalanche is a leucistic cubensis mutation — meaning it produces fruiting bodies with dramatically reduced pigmentation, appearing  ghostly cream rather than the standard brown or golden tones of typical cubensis. This is not true albinism (which affects spore color as well) but rather a pigmentation reduction limited to the fruiting body tissue. Like many leucistic and albino variants, Avalanche produces limited spores — making the swab format the most reliable way to obtain and study this strain’s genetics.

Swab Characteristics & Microscopy

The Avalanche spore swab contains spore material and gill tissue collected directly from the spore-producing surface. Despite the leucistic fruiting body, Avalanche spores retain their pigmentation — the key distinction between leucistic and true albino mutations. Under magnification, Avalanche spores are ellipsoid, dark purplish-brown (normal cubensis coloration), approximately 8.5–10 x 5.5–7 micrometres. Examining both the normally-pigmented spores and the leucistic tissue on the same slide creates a direct demonstration of how pigmentation is regulated independently in different structures of the same organism.

Strain Background

Avalanche is a leucistic Psilocybe cubensis mutation. The term leucistic means reduced pigmentation in the fruiting body (pale/white appearance) without affecting spore color — distinct from true albinism. The mutation affects melanin production in the somatic tissue while leaving the spore pigmentation pathway intact. Avalanche’s limited spore output restricts it to swab distribution, consistent with other pigmentation mutations in cubensis (APE, APER).

What’s Included

• 1x sterile cotton-tipped spore swab — Psilocybe cubensis Avalanche (Leucistic) spore material collected directly from gill surface
• Individually sealed in sterile packaging

Storage & Handling

Store the Avalanche spore swabs in a cool, dark, dry place. Viability is approximately 3–6 months. Refrigeration is ideal but not required. Keep sealed until ready to prepare slides.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between leucistic and albino mushrooms?
Leucistic means reduced pigmentation in the fruiting body tissue (pale/white appearance) while spores retain normal coloration (dark purplish-brown). Albino means complete loss of pigmentation in both tissue and spores. Avalanche is leucistic: its fruiting body is pale white, but its spores are normally pigmented.

What can I learn from studying Avalanche under the microscope?
Avalanche demonstrates independent pigmentation regulation within a single organism. The spores are normally pigmented (dark purplish-brown) while the gill tissue is leucistic (pale/reduced pigment). Examining both on the same slide shows how pigmentation is controlled differently in reproductive cells vs somatic tissue.

Prepared in our Canadian cleanroom under 99.99% HEPA-filtered laminar flow. The sterile swab is touched directly to healthy gill tissue and sealed immediately.