No, that’s not a soccer ball in the woods. It’s a giant puffball mushroom.
Giant puffballs (Calvatia gigantea) grow within a few weeks to become 4″ to 28″ in diameter. Really giant ones can be 59 inches across and weigh 44 pounds.
They’re edible while young (white inside), not edible when mature (anything but white inside; turns yellow then greenish-brown), and then they decompose.
Don’t rush out there and eat one unless you know what you’re doing. Here’s a video that describes how to identify and cook them.
Notice this mushroom’s size compared to the oak leaves. I wonder how much larger it will grow.
Close by was an open one, perhaps broken by an animal. It was still white inside.
I’d never seen giant puffballs in the city before but spied these during a long walk in my neighborhood last Sunday.
I left them where I found them. I’m not so fond of mushrooms that I’d pick and eat wild ones on my own.
(photos by Kate St. John)
We had 2 nice size ones ~10″ diameter in the Tarentum marina a couple weeks ago. I took one and still have part in fridge. Delicioso!
I’ve seen these in Boyce Mayview Park. The first one I thought was a soccer ball before I figured out what it was. The second one looked more like a skull, but after seeing the one previously, I figured out what it was pretty quickly. Very odd the first time you see one!
I think this is a big year for them. I have friends in Ohio, WV, and MN report many this fall. I had six in my yard in Sq. Hiil this year. One giant last year. I’ve eaten some and de-hydrated some and I’m leaving two to “go to spore” if that’s what it’s called.
Family lore has my great great uncle selling his mushroom gathering business before heading off to WWI. His only advice? Pick only the ones that have insect bites. They know what’s safe! Nah! I wouldn’t rely on that either.
Anne Curtis