28 Oct 2026
Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa): Identification, Growing and Facts
In its first year, wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) looks like an overgrown head of lettuce. In its sec...
Blog – Avalon Magic Plants
Browse all our articles about truffles, grow kits, microdosing, kratom, cacti and everything else you want to know about smartshop products. Written by our team with over 15 years of hands-on experience.
Popular Topics
Our blog covers a wide range of subjects, from practical guides to in-depth background stories. Whether it's growing your own mushrooms, preparing ayahuasca or choosing the right kratom strain, we share what we've learned from years of daily experience. Every article is written and reviewed by team members who work with these products every day.
Magic Truffles and Mushrooms
Truffles and mushrooms are the products Avalon Magic Plants is known for. In our blog articles you'll learn how to use a grow kit, when to harvest and what the differences are between Psilocybe species. We also cover microdosing with truffles: what works, what doesn't, and what to keep in mind when you start.
Herbs, Cacti and Plant-Based Products
Alongside truffles, we regularly write about mescaline cacti like San Pedro and Peyote, Salvia divinorum, kanna and ayahuasca. Many of these plants have centuries of traditional use behind them. We cover the background, the active compounds and practical use so you're well-informed before trying anything.
Kratom and Natural Energizers
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a product that raises a lot of questions. In our articles we explain the difference between red vein, green vein and white vein strains, discuss water-soluble kratom (KRAID) and give honest information about effects and dosage. We also cover energizers and how they work.
Why Read Our Blog?
We don't write marketing copy. Every article is based on what we encounter in practice: customer questions, experiences from our production and logistics teams, and developments in legislation and science. Our team, including Derek (Food Safety & Customer Support) and production staff Thijmen and Luuk, contributes directly to our articles. We've been active since 2009 and are registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under number 81180705.
Quality and Safety
On sensitive topics like dosage, legality or potential interactions, we choose our words carefully. We don't make medical claims and always recommend consulting a doctor if you have doubts. All products we sell comply with Dutch law, and we're transparent about what you can and can't expect.
Stay Up to Date
We publish new articles regularly. Got a question you haven't found an answer to yet? Feel free to reach out via our customer support. Want to know more about us? Check out our About us page.
28 Oct 2026
How to Grow Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) from Seed
Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) is one of the most famous plants in history. Countless stories sur...
28 Oct 2026
How to Grow Peyote from Seed: Lophophora williamsii Care Guide
Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) may well be the slowest, most patience-testing cactus you can grow. A...
24 Oct 2026
What a trip stopper does (and what it doesn't)
Two capsules and two tablets The Mushroom Stopper that we sell at Avalon Magic Plants is not a compl...
20 Oct 2026
Syrian Rue (Peganum harmala): Effects, Risks and Interactions
Syrian rue (Peganum harmala), also known as harmal or esfand, is a tough steppe plant with small bro...
20 Oct 2026
Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) Side Effects and Interactions
Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) has a reputation as a gentle herb, and for many people that's accurate. B...
20 Oct 2026
How to Grow Lotus from Seed: Sacred Lotus and Blue Lotus
"Lotus" sounds like one plant, but when you grow it from seed you're dealing with two very different sp...
20 Oct 2026
How to Grow Salvia Divinorum from Cuttings: Complete Care Guide
Salvia divinorum is almost always grown from a cutting. The plant rarely sets seed, and when it does...
18 Oct 2026
Yopo peaks in five minutes, not four hours
Snuff trays from 1200 BC Along the coast of Peru, archaeologists have dug up stone trays and bone tu...
16 Oct 2026
Bobinsana or tsunu? What the second plant in your rapé does
Every rapé starts the same The base of rapé is always mapacho, or Nicotiana rustica . Not cigarett...
10 Oct 2026
Mandrake doesn't scream, but it did sedate surgical patients
Surgeons knew this root better than we do Search for “mandrake” and within thirty seconds you wi...
8 Oct 2026
Muira puama extract or loose bark? The resin makes all the difference
An Amazonian tree with more folklore than clinical proof Muira puama ( Ptychopetalum olacoides ) is ...
6 Oct 2026
How to grow Hawaiian baby woodrose from seed
Hawaiian baby woodrose, a slow but striking climber Hawaiian baby woodrose ( Argyreia nervosa ), lik...
2 Oct 2026
Kola nut has double the caffeine of arabica coffee
Most people only know the kola nut from the name Coca-Cola, and that is a shame. Gram for gram, this...
30 Sep 2026
Growing Morning Glory from Seed
Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor) grows quickly from a single seed into a climbing vine of two to thr...
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