AA+ (Albino A+) Spore Print

Meet the show-off of the collection — pale, ghostly, and impossible to mistake for anything else. AA+ is the strain people fall for with their eyes first: bone-white to soft ivory caps, stems that flush a vivid blue at the slightest nudge, and a look under the scope that makes even seasoned enthusiasts lean in a little closer. It's robust, quick off the mark, and forgiving enough that it's become a firm favourite for anyone who wants something striking without the fuss.

Here's a lovely bit of pedantry for you: despite the name, AA+ isn't truly albino at all — it's leucistic. A genuine albino would lack pigment throughout, but AA+ still drops a rich, dark purple-black spore print, which is exactly what you want when there's a slide waiting. All the drama of the pale cap, none of the compromise where it counts.

Something to keep in mind: it's a fast, confident coloniser with a real appetite for getting on with things, and it tends to come up in dense, generous clusters. The caps often stay tucked and closed rather than opening flat, which is part of that distinctive look — and it means the moment for a print can arrive sooner than you'd expect. This is the strain that rewards paying attention, especially to the temperature, as it’s temperature-sensitive.

A little history: AA+ descends from the A+ strain, and like so many of the good ones, its paper trail is more folklore than fact. The isolation is generally credited to a cultivator known simply as Mr G, working sometime around the turn of the millennium, and the parent A+ carries its own tall tale about exotic cross-breeding that mycologists have politely filed under "charming but unlikely." Definitive records? Elusive as ever. What's certain is that once those white caps started circulating through hobbyist circles, the strain sold itself.

Storage: Keep your spores refrigerated, not frozen, from the moment you receive them. Pop them in the fridge straight away, and they’ll happily keep for a couple of months and in perfect conditions, even for years.

Remember: All our products are sold for microscopy purposes ONLY; do not try to grow mushrooms with any of our products; that would be illegal and very naughty. While I have your attention on this matter, it is very surprising to learn how many naughty people there are out there. No judging, but I cannot answer any questions about growing mushrooms. It doesn’t matter if you live somewhere where growing is legal; I still won’t answer any questions – please don’t ask. However, if you do ask me naughty questions, I will unfortunately have to add you to my banned list, and you will be unable to enjoy any of my lovely products. I will also inform Santa about your naughty behaviour and ask him to put you on his naughty list – that’s now Christmas stuffed. So please, no naughty questions.

Don’t Forget:

• Keep them in a cool, dark place; about 5’c is nice

• Keep the product in a clean and tidy place

• Don’t let the product get hot

• Don’t let them freeze

• Don’t let them become dusty or dirty