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A medium to large puffball that transitions from a white, firm interior to a powdery, purple-brown spore mass at maturity. It features a persistent sterile base and often a cracked, mottled outer surface.
How to Identify
- Cap
- Outer skin (exoperidium) is smooth to scurfy, brownish-tan, often cracking into patches.
- Gills
- Not present.
- Stem
- Well-developed, thick sterile base that remains after the upper part has disintegrated.
- Flesh
- Initially white and firm (gleba), turning yellow, then olive-brown to purple-brown powdery mass.
- Fruiting body
- Globose to top-shaped, 7-20 cm broad.
- Habitat
- Found on the ground in meadows, pastures, parks, and lawns.
Key Facts
- Cap surfaces: Smooth to cracked into large, pale, polygonal areas
- Growth Form: Solitary to gregarious
- Spore Print: Purple-brown
- Body color: Tan, brownish-gray, or grayish-purple
- Odor: Mild
- Flesh bruises: Does not bruise, but interior discolors as it matures
- Height: Up to 20 cm
- Cap Diameter: 7-20 cm
- Nutrient gathering: Saprobic
Safe
SafeEdible only when the gleba is entirely white and firm. Toxic look-alikes like Scleroderma species have dark, firm interiors from the start. Never eat if the interior is discolored or powdery.
Quick Check
- Odor: Mild, pleasant, sometimes faint mushroom odor
- Fruiting: Solitary or in groups/fairy rings
- Substrate: Soil in grasslands or urban turf
Where to Find
North America
Widely distributed, common in open grassy areas across the continent.
Finding Tips
Seasonality
Occurs from summer through autumn.
State of Maturity
Only harvest when the internal flesh is pure, uniform white; if it shows any yellow or purple tint, it is past prime.
Similar Species
Giant puffball
Calvatia gigantea
Also known as: Langermannia gigantea
Common Earthball
Scleroderma citrinum
Also known as: Pigskin poison puffball
Scientific Classification
- Phylum
- Basidiomycota
- Class
- Agaricomycetes
- Order
- Agaricales
- Family
- Agaricaceae
- Genus
- Calvatia
Storage Information
- Max Temperature: 4°C
- Freezing duration: Not recommended (texture degrades upon thawing)
- Min Temperature: 0°C
- Refrigeration: 2-3 days
How to Clean
Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth or brush gently. Avoid soaking as puffballs absorb water easily. If the outer skin is dirty, peel it off before preparing.
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