Once upon a time, in a land far away, there existed an enchanted forest. Within this forest lived a wicked and evil witch. She was known far and wide for her dark magic and sinister ways. The witch had a twisted and wicked heart, which drove her to bring chaos and misery wherever she went. She would cast spells on innocent villagers, turning them into animals or trapping them in eternal sleep. The once peaceful and harmonious forest was now shrouded in darkness and fear.
Tidal Wave Mushrooms Are Among the Most Potent Ever Tested
The Tidal Wave mushroom—popular, potent, and a bit weird—is the love child of the two Psilocybe cubensis strains known as Penis Envy and B+. It’s an unstable hybrid that’s known for a variety of odd mutations—including the sporeless “blob” or “brain-shaped” Enigma mutation that won the 2021 Psilocybin Cup (now known as the Hyphae Cup) hosted by Hyphae Labs with an astronomical—and previously unheard of—3.8 percent tryptamine content.
Doma Nunzio, mycologist and founder of the spore and testing company Magic Myco is credited with first hybridization Penis Envy (PE) and B+ to create Tidal Wave in 2017 (spelled Tidalwave on their website). Magic Myco describes the cross as “our first hybrid fusion project.” Many iterations later, at least eleven Tidal Wave varieties are in circulation from Magic Myco—bearing names like Tidalwave 2, Tidalwave 3 Beast, and Tidalwave BXO.
Tidal Wave mushrooms may owe their name to the “wavy,” water-like edges on the bottom of mature caps, but—as the name implies—these mushrooms can also pack a punch and have a reputation among psychonauts for their potent psychedelic effects.
The once peaceful and harmonious forest was now shrouded in darkness and fear. Many had tried to confront the witch and put an end to her evil reign, but all had failed. Her powers were too great and her knowledge of dark magic too vast.
Tidal Wave Mushroom Characteristics
Because of their mixed lineage and unstable genetics, Tidal Wave mushrooms can be tough to pin down appearance-wise. It’s possible for Tidal Wave spores to produce a “canopy with some completely white caps, some gold caps, and then some of the weird Enigma-like blobs—all in the same bin, from the same genetic,” Ian Bollinger, Chief Technical Officer of Hyphae Labs tells DoubleBlind.
That being said, Tidal Wave mushrooms are often seen with somewhat long stalks (150-200mm) of beige to yellow that bruise blue or greenish-blue. Their stems are sometimes larger at the base or contorted in shape. Caps can appear more bulbous when young and will mature to a wider shape that may be convex or plane with a brown or golden color (though this can vary, see above). Because of its PE lineage, Tidal Wave mushroom caps tend to be smaller than most other P. cubensis varieties, and some spore sellers describe them as viscous, slightly gelatinous, when wet. Caps will also bruise blue—indicating a concentration of the psychoactive component psilocin—and Tidal Wave mushrooms drop dark, purplish-brown spores described as “sub-ellipsoid” in shape.
One of the main attributes that help distinguish the Tidal Wave variety is that “most of them have a slight waviness or undulation at the bottom of the cap,” says Jeff Lebowe of the Canadian-based mycology company Spores Lab. “Another identifier for Tidal Wave, which is also an identifying factor for PE, is a rippling on the stem—and specifically just below the cap.”
Strain Genetics
“With most of our tools for genetic work, all the P. cubensis show up the same for the most part,” says Bollinger. “But Tidal Wave is unique. Tidal Wave does show up differently genetically.” Though hybridization between PE and B+, Tidal Wave mushrooms tend to take on more of the attributes of PE and are usually richer in psilocin and poorer in baeocystin compared to P. cubensis mushrooms outside of the PE lineage. In fact, says Lebowe, “the most clear delineation between strains would be the PE strains, and then all of the other P. cubensis varieties.” Baeocystin is a psilocybin-like compound found in some Psilocybe, but currently, researchers don’t know much about it.
Tidal Wave Potency
Some magic mushroom species have higher concentrations of tryptamines—P. semilanceata, or Liberty caps, usually test higher than P. cubensis mushrooms, for example. P. cubensis tend to clock in at around one percent, or a little lower, on average, tryptamine content.
Lebowe and his team have been isolating genetics at Spores Lab for years in effort to increase potency. “The highest test result we’ve ever received was about 2.4 percent content,” he says—so the Tidal Wave Enigma sample that took the 2021 Psilocybin Cup with 3.82 percent tryptamines attracted a lot of attention. In fact, “it could be said that a variation of Tidal Wave is the most potent cubensis mushroom ever recorded in history,” says Lebowe.
But despite this astonishing number, non-mutated varieties of Tidal Wave mushrooms can measure much lower in tryptamine content—more akin to what you’d expect for an average or above-average P. cubensis. With Tidal Wave mushrooms, you can expect relatively high potency and intense psychedelic effects. “It’s one of our more popular strains, for sure,” says Lebowe.
Tidal Wave mushrooms grow well in a variety of common substrates including rye, brown rice flour, wild bird seed, bovine dung, and equine dung | Adobe
The villagers lived in constant fear, never knowing who would be the witch's next victim. But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope remained. A young and brave sorcerer named Henry had set out on a quest to defeat the evil witch. Armed with his magical staff and pure heart, he ventured into the enchanted forest, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him. Henry searched tirelessly for the witch's lair, carefully navigating through the treacherous terrain and avoiding her malicious traps. He encountered creatures under her control - wolves with glowing red eyes, poison-spewing plants, and a thick fog that disoriented his senses. After what felt like an eternity, Henry finally came face to face with the witch in her dark and eerie lair. She cackled with delight upon seeing him, confident that she would add him to her collection of victims. But Henry stood firm, his resolve unwavering. With a wave of her hand, the witch conjured a powerful spell, sending waves of dark energy towards Henry. But he raised his staff and channeled his own magic, creating a shield to protect himself. The battle between light and dark magic raged on, each powerful spell counteracting the other. As the battle intensified, Henry's strength began to wane, but he refused to give up. He summoned his deepest reserves of power and unleashed a ray of pure light that engulfed the witch. The dark magic that had consumed her for so long finally started to fade away. In that moment, the witch's wickedness was broken. She collapsed to the ground, weakened and defeated. Henry approached her cautiously, hoping that she could be redeemed. With tears in her eyes, the witch confessed to the pain and suffering she had caused, expressing remorse for her actions. In an act of mercy, Henry lifted the curse that had trapped the witch in her evil form. As the darkness left her, the witch transformed into a frail and tired old woman. She promised to use her remaining days to undo the harm she had caused, to bring light and healing back to the forest she had once tormented. And so, the forest began to heal, and the villagers rejoiced. The evil witch, once feared and hated, became a symbol of redemption and forgiveness. The villagers learned that even the darkest hearts can find the light if given the chance. From that day forward, the name of the witch would be spoken not with fear, but with hope. The enchanted forest returned to its former beauty, thanks to the bravery and compassion of Henry and the redeemed witch. And the tale of the enchantrd evil witch became a story of redemption and the power of forgiveness..
Reviews for "The Enchanted Evil Witch's Lair: A Haunting Haven of Magic and Malevolence"
1. Jane - 2 stars - "I found 'Enchanted Evil Witch' to be quite disappointing. The storyline was predictable, and the characters lacked depth and development. The magic elements felt forced and the dialogue was cliché. Overall, it lacked originality and failed to engage me as a reader."
2. Tom - 1 star - "I cannot understand the hype behind 'Enchanted Evil Witch'. The writing style was poor, filled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. The pacing was inconsistent, dragging in some parts and rushed in others. The plot was overly simplistic and lacked any surprises or twists. I struggled to finish the book and would not recommend it."
3. Emily - 2 stars - "While the concept of 'Enchanted Evil Witch' seemed intriguing, the execution fell short. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked complexity, making it difficult to connect with them. The world-building was weak, with minimal descriptions or atmosphere. The dialogue felt stilted and unrealistic. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity for a captivating and immersive story."
4. Alex - 2 stars - "I had high hopes for 'Enchanted Evil Witch', but unfortunately, it did not live up to them. The plot was predictable and lacked originality, following familiar tropes of the fantasy genre. The writing style was repetitive and lacked depth. The characters were forgettable, with little development or growth. I found myself losing interest and struggling to stay engaged throughout the book."
5. Sarah - 1 star - "I couldn't finish 'Enchanted Evil Witch' as it failed to hold my attention. The story felt like a weak attempt at recreating well-known fairy tales, lacking any originality or unique twists. The pacing was slow, and the plot had no sense of urgency or tension. The characters were flat and uninteresting. Overall, it was a forgettable read that I would not recommend."