# Puffballs?



## Qball35 (Dec 31, 2010)

Is it the time of year for puffballs? What do they look like? Pretty sure that I have some in our backyard but not 100%. Only baseball sized and in the area where an old puffball was that spit out the green spores from the middle. Any thoughts and help would be awesome.

They are kind of furry on the outside and i ripped one open and it was kind of creamy on the inside.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

I don't find the giant puffballs, which are pure white and as big as soccer balls, until late August and early September.


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## Mushroom Jack (May 28, 2009)

Lycoperdon perlatum and Lycoperdon pyriforme fruit in the summer & fall after rains . The only problem is it takes a lot for a meal. After good rains it shouldn't be hard to find enough though !!


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## Qball35 (Dec 31, 2010)

thanks a lot...I think they are the gem studded variety.


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## Haldor (Nov 30, 2006)

LG & MJ imo has it. Fun to get a for fun competition on the biggest Puffball, If I can find them I have a pic from last year of 4 in a line bigger than a basketball with my lab bear for size comparison. I'll try to remember to start a challenge this Sept. Just my paranoid warning on ground not wood fruiting "puffs" with the overlap of the Amanita's cut them in half to check, It might be a "death egg" (Scary JAWS theme song inserted here). |Arora's Mushroom Demystified got me in the healthy habit of checking...I have found a few in the same locations. Cut perpendicular to the ground if solid within puff if outline of embryonic shroom bad stuff...toss it. This Aug/Sept when you find the Calvatia gigantea group appears still cut them to check if flesh is firm and white inside. A friend of mine can testify to the laxative effect some have to Calvatia's :yikes: eat in moderation like all mushrooms.


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

Ive heard it said that puffballs are like eating tofu, well id have to say the best damn tofu ive had to date but they still pale in comparison to other varietys of Michigan wild mushrooms, my dad found 3 last year of the GIGANTIOUS breed, ya the largest was 16" cut in half! Makes for quite a job to prep and store but come jan of Feb they be verry tasty indeed!

BD


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