Cubensis vs Natalensis

What is the difference between P. Cubensis and P. Natalensis?

Psilocybe Cubensis and Psilocybe Natalensis are two different species of psilocybin-containing mushrooms. For decades, Cubes have been the traditional, popular choice for growers and consumers alike - they're easy to grow and can be quite potent. Nats, on the other hand, are a more recently popularized species. Discovered in South Africa in 1995, they've only gained popularity in recent years via discussion in online mycology communities and grower spaces. Both species are psychoactive and contain some of the same active compounds interesting to psychonauts, but they are different in a few key ways.

Appearance

There are so many morphologies of P. Cubensis that it's not possible to compare them all to P. Natalensis in a general way. However, we can compare Nats to a common Cube strain, Golden Teacher. Golden Teachers are known for their large, golden caps and thick stems. Natalensis, on the other hand, are known for their smaller, thin stems and smaller, white-brown caps. Nats tend to grow "long and skinny", compared to many "short and fat" Cube strains.

Golden Teacher mushrooms

Natalensis mushrooms

Potency

P. Natalensis is known to be more potent than P. Cubensis. Some estimates put them at 1.5-2x the potency of Cubes. This means that if you're used to taking 3g of Cubes, you might only need 1.5-2g of Nats to achieve the same effects.

Subjective Effects

There are many reports of Natalensis having a "cleaner" or "smoother" trip than Cubes, as well as less body load. Overall, people tend to enjoy the Natalensis headspace more, saying it can be more "euphoric". These differences would be more important at higher doses - for microdosing, such differences are scaled down. If you tend to feel physically uncomfortable on Cubes, it may be worth trying Nats for the reduced body load!