Exploring the Different Types of Banisteriopsis Caapi: A Journey into the Vine of the Amazon
There are thousands of articles online about Banisteriopsis Caapi. Most say the same things, recycled from the same sources, written by people who have never held the vine in their hands. This guide is different. At Aho Great Spirit we source our Caapi directly from the Shipibo people of the Peruvian Amazon. We know these plants. We know where they come from.
What is Banisteriopsis Caapi?
Banisteriopsis Caapi is a large woody vine native to the Amazon rainforest, growing wild across Peru, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador. Known by many names — Caapi, Yagé, Ayahuasca vine, the vine of the soul — it has been used by indigenous Amazonian peoples for thousands of years as a foundational plant in healing and spiritual practice.
The vine contains a group of naturally occurring alkaloids — harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine — which give it its unique properties. In traditional Amazonian medicine, Caapi is revered not just as an ingredient but as a master plant teacher in its own right, capable of facilitating deep healing, emotional release and spiritual insight when worked with respectfully and intentionally.
What many people don't realise is that Banisteriopsis Caapi is not a single uniform plant. There are numerous distinct varieties, each with its own character, energy and traditional applications. Understanding these differences is essential for anyone working seriously with this plant.
The Shipibo People & Our Source
The Shipibo are one of the most respected and well known indigenous nations of the Peruvian Amazon, living primarily along the Ucayali River and its tributaries. They carry one of the most sophisticated and unbroken traditions of plant medicine knowledge in the world — a living system of healing passed down through generations for thousands of years.
Our Caapi comes directly from the Shipibo people of the Peruvian Amazon, harvested under official export licence from ARA (GERFOR) — the Regional Environmental Authority established by the local government of Loreto to oversee the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources across the region.
When you buy Caapi from Aho Great Spirit, you are buying directly from the source — from people who have worked with these plants their entire lives, in the forests where the vine grows wild.
Sustainability & Replanting
The growing global interest in Amazonian plant medicine puts real pressure on wild plant populations. Our source operates under licence from the Regional Environmental Authority of Loreto and is legally committed to replanting the most popular medicinal plants harvested each year. This is not a marketing claim — it is a legal obligation built into the export licence itself, overseen by the local government of the Amazon region. When you purchase from Aho Great Spirit you are supporting a supply chain that takes this responsibility seriously.
Caapi as a Master Plant Teacher
In the West, Banisteriopsis Caapi is most commonly associated with its role as one half of a traditional Amazonian brew. But this framing does the vine a disservice. Long before it was understood in combination with anything else, Caapi was — and continues to be — worked with as a profound master plant teacher in its own right.
In Amazonian tradition, master plants are understood to carry their own intelligence, their own spirit, their own capacity to teach, heal and guide. Caapi is considered one of the great master plants of the Amazon — a vine with a presence and wisdom that experienced practitioners describe as deeply feminine, nurturing and ancient.
The dieta — a period of dietary restriction, solitude and focused intention — is the traditional way of deepening a relationship with any master plant. Caapi dietas are undertaken by both indigenous practitioners and Westerners seeking a sustained connection with the vine's teaching. Many report that working with Caapi alone over an extended period brings profound clarity, emotional healing and a growing sensitivity to the natural world.
A Note on Microdosing
One of the most important things to understand about the different Caapi varieties is that the intensity associated with each one is most relevant at higher doses in traditional contexts. For those working with tinctures and extracts, microdosing allows you to explore any variety gently and build a relationship with the plant at your own pace.
This means that even the more intense varieties such as black Caapi are accessible to those new to the plant when approached carefully through tinctures or extracts at low doses. Our tinctures and glycerine extracts are ideal for this approach — precise, easy to dose, and gentle enough to work with any variety safely and respectfully.
The Different Types of Banisteriopsis Caapi
Yellow Caapi — Cielo
Yellow Caapi, often called Cielo meaning "sky" in Spanish, is the most widely used and well known variety of Banisteriopsis Caapi. It is the traditional starting point — the vine most commonly used by mestizo curanderos and the variety most often recommended for those new to working with Caapi.
Traditionally associated with its calming, introspective qualities, yellow Caapi is considered the gentle vine. It facilitates a more accessible experience than the more intense varieties, making it ideal for personal growth, emotional exploration and spiritual development. When cut in cross section, yellow Caapi typically shows seven sections — a number associated in many Amazonian traditions with spiritual wholeness and completion.
Yellow Caapi is the foundation. If you are beginning your journey with this plant, this is traditionally where experienced curanderos recommend you start.
Black Caapi
Black Caapi is the vine of depth and transformation. Associated in Amazonian tradition with the more esoteric dimensions of plant medicine work, black Caapi is traditionally considered a vine for experienced practitioners — those who have already developed a relationship with the plant and are ready to go deeper.
Traditionally associated with purification at a profound level, black Caapi is used by curanderos for releasing deep stored trauma, clearing energetic blockages and facilitating transformation that requires courage and experience to navigate. When cut in cross section it typically shows five sections.
Despite its reputation for intensity at higher doses, black Caapi is entirely accessible through careful microdosing via tinctures and extracts — allowing anyone to begin exploring its qualities gently.
Red Banisteriopsis Muricata
Red Muricata is the purging vine — and it is revered for exactly that quality. Favoured by shamans working specifically with emotional and physical cleansing, Red Banisteriopsis Muricata is traditionally used to help release negative energies, clear the body and spirit, and restore inner alignment.
The purge that Red Muricata facilitates is understood in Amazonian tradition not as an unpleasant side effect but as the healing itself — the body and spirit releasing what no longer serves. Shamans working with red caapi often describe it as creating a powerful gateway for deep emotional and energetic restoration.
As with all varieties, tinctures and extracts allow for a gentle microdosing approach — making Red Muricata accessible even to those earlier in their journey who are drawn to its cleansing qualities.
Trueno Caapi — Thunder Caapi
Trueno means thunder in Spanish — and the name is fitting. Trueno Caapi is known for bringing on an intense experience at higher doses, often described as overwhelming in its physical and emotional force. Traditionally used for profound purging and emotional breakthrough, it is the vine for confronting deep seated trauma and material that requires real force to shift. We do not currently stock this variety but hope to offer it in the future.
Rattle Caapi — Ayahuasca Cascabel
Rattle Caapi is the rarest and most potent variety of Banisteriopsis Caapi. Considered by many to be the king of the Caapi family, it is rarely encountered outside of the deepest Amazonian traditions. The name cascabel refers to the rattle-like sound the vine is said to produce when shaken — understood as the plant announcing its presence and power. We do not currently stock this variety.
Available Forms
All three varieties — yellow, black and red muricata — are available in every form below.
Alcohol Tincture
1:2 ratio extraction in organic grain alcohol. Potent, precise and easy to dose. Ideal for microdosing and daily practice.
Glycerine Extract
Alcohol-free option. Sweet, gentle and easy to work with. A popular choice for those who prefer to avoid alcohol.
30:1 Resin Paste
A highly concentrated traditional preparation. Thirty parts vine reduced to one. Deeply potent and richly aromatic.
Shredded Bark
Raw wild harvested vine, shredded for easy preparation. For those who wish to work with the plant in its most traditional form.
How to Choose the Right Variety
If you are new to working with Caapi, yellow Caapi (Cielo) is the traditional starting point. Its gentler nature allows you to begin building a relationship with the plant comfortably. Our tinctures and extracts make it easy to start with small doses and increase gradually.
For those drawn specifically to cleansing and emotional release, Red Muricata is the traditional choice — approached with clear intention and respect for its purgative qualities.
Black Caapi suits those ready to go deeper — whether through microdosing via tinctures or more intensive work with the plant over time.
Whatever variety you work with, the approach matters as much as the variety itself. These are master plant teachers with thousands of years of traditional use behind them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Banisteriopsis Caapi?
Banisteriopsis Caapi is a large woody vine native to the Amazon rainforest, traditionally used by indigenous Amazonian peoples for thousands of years. It contains naturally occurring alkaloids including harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine and is considered one of the most important master plants in Amazonian tradition.
What are the different types of Banisteriopsis Caapi?
The main traditionally recognised varieties include yellow Caapi (Cielo), black Caapi, Red Banisteriopsis Muricata, Trueno (Thunder) Caapi and Rattle Caapi (Cascabel). Each has its own distinct character and traditional applications. We currently stock yellow, black and red muricata in all four forms.
What is the difference between yellow and black Caapi?
Yellow Caapi is considered the gentler, more accessible variety — traditionally used for initiatory work and personal growth. Black Caapi is more intense and associated with deeper transformation and purification, traditionally reserved for more experienced practitioners at higher doses. Both are accessible to beginners through careful microdosing via tinctures or extracts.
Where can I buy Banisteriopsis Caapi in the UK?
Aho Great Spirit is a UK based supplier of Banisteriopsis Caapi, sourced directly from the Shipibo people of the Peruvian Amazon. We offer yellow, black and red muricata varieties as alcohol tinctures, glycerine extracts, 30:1 resin pastes and shredded bark.
What is Caapi Trueno?
Caapi Trueno — or Thunder Caapi — is a particularly potent variety of Banisteriopsis Caapi known for its intense and cathartic effects at higher doses. It is traditionally associated with profound emotional breakthrough and deep healing. We do not currently stock this variety.
Is Banisteriopsis Caapi legal in the UK?
Banisteriopsis Caapi is legal in the UK and is not a controlled substance under UK law.
Explore Our Caapi Collection
Yellow, black and red muricata — sourced directly from the Shipibo people of the Peruvian Amazon. Available as tinctures, extracts, resin paste and shredded bark.
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