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You might think mushrooms grow just like plants, soaking up the sun to fuel their growth. But magic mushrooms, and all mushrooms, really, are different. They don’t use light as food. Instead, they use it as a signal. That small difference makes a big impact on how they grow.
Let’s break it down so it’s easy to understand.
Unlike plants, mushrooms don’t have chlorophyll. That’s the green pigment plants use to turn sunlight into energy through a process called photosynthesis.
Mushrooms grow using a different system. They don’t use light to make energy. Instead, they use light as a signal. In mushroom science, this is called photomorphogenesis. It’s a big word, but the idea is simple: light tells the mushroom when it’s time to change and start fruiting (growing mushrooms).
Without light, the mushrooms might not know when to form. Or they might form in strange ways, tall, thin, twisted shapes that aren’t healthy or natural.
Magic mushrooms go through two main stages during growth: colonization, and fruiting. And these two stages need very different lighting conditions.
This is when the mushroom’s root-like structure, called mycelium, spreads through its growing material (like a grain or soil mix). During this stage, light is not helpful. In fact, it can cause problems.
Mycelium grows best in complete darkness. Why? Because in nature, where you find magic mushrooms, this part happens underground or inside wood, places where it’s totally dark. If light hits the mycelium too early, it might try to fruit too soon, before it’s ready. That can stop growth or lead to poor results.
Once the mycelium has fully colonized its environment, it’s time to grow mushrooms. This is when light becomes important.
When light touches the surface, it tells the mycelium, “You’ve reached the outside world, it’s time to fruit.” In nature, this would be the signal that it’s safe to push mushrooms up into the open air and spread their spores.
But not just any light will do. And too much light can cause stress or dry things out. We’ll explain more in a bit.
If you try to grow mushrooms in total darkness during the fruiting stage, you’ll notice some problems. This is due to something called phototropism, which means the mushrooms grow in the direction of light. Without any light to guide them, their growth gets strange.
Here’s what can happen:
Basically, light is like a compass. Without it, mushrooms get lost.
Now that we know mushrooms need light, but not for energy, what kind is best?
The goal is to mimic nature without overdoing it. Here’s what works best:
This setup tells the mushrooms: “It’s morning, time to grow,” and then later, “It’s night, time to rest.”
You can use either, but each has pros and cons.
A bright window that gets indirect sunlight can work well. The keyword here is indirect. Too much direct sun can overheat the mushrooms or dry out their growing area. If sunlight hits the container directly, it may kill the mycelium.
If you’re using natural light, choose a north-facing window or use a curtain to soften the light. Just make sure it’s bright enough during the day to signal “go time” to the mushrooms.
If you’re growing indoors without natural light, LEDs are your best friend. Here’s why:
Just remember: mushrooms don’t need strong light. They need the right light.
To answer the big question: Yes, magic mushrooms do need light, but only during the right stage.
The light sends signals as you grow magic mushrooms on when and how to grow. Without it, they get confused, stretch too far, and end up weak or misshapen.
Whether you’re just curious about how they grow or learning more about mushroom biology in general, understanding how light plays a role can help you appreciate just how smart and sensitive these organisms really are.
