Laura Smith
Puffball mushrooms are a type of fungus featuring a ball-shaped fruit body that, when mature, bursts on contact or impact, releasing a cloud of dust-like spores. They are well-known to all the Native American tribes of North America, though uses varied across them. Some wanted nothing to do with them, while some used them for medicinal purposes, and many collected them for food. Puffballs are easy to spot, generally very large, and versatile in the kitchen. They have a mild mushroomy taste, described as earthy, and can be used in endless recipes in place of shop-bought mushrooms. They are also edible when young, but it is important to identify them correctly as there are some extremely poisonous look-alikes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lycoperdon |
| Other Names | Wolf Fart Mushroom, Devil's Snuff-Box, Giant Puffball, Calvatia gigantea, Lycoperdon giganteum |
| Appearance | Large, white, ball-shaped |
| Size | 3" and below, can grow up to 1 foot in diameter |
| Taste | Mild, earthy, nutty |
| Texture | Like tofu |
| Uses | Food, medicine, ink, anaesthetic |
| Edibility | Edible when young and white inside, poisonous when mature |
| Toxicity | Not responsible for any human deaths |
| Lookalikes | Young destroying angel, death cap mushrooms, Amanita genus |
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Identification
Puffball mushrooms are a type of fungus featuring a ball-shaped fruit body that, when mature, bursts on contact or impact, releasing a cloud of dust-like spores. They are usually found in meadows, grasslands, and other grassy areas, and grow anywhere that their spores have landed.
Puffballs are easy to identify and have some easily recognisable characteristics. They are generally very large, white, and spherical, resembling volleyballs or golf balls. They do not have gills, caps, or stems in the traditional sense.
To distinguish puffballs from other fungi, they must be cut open. The inside of edible puffball mushrooms should be solid and pure white, with no gills or other imperfections. If the flesh is yellowish or greenish-brown, the puffball is overripe and should be discarded.
It is important to be able to distinguish puffballs from their poisonous look-alikes, such as young destroying angel and death cap mushrooms. By ensuring the mushroom is pure white inside when cut in half, you should avoid these toxic varieties.
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Edibility
Puffball mushrooms are edible and have a long history as a food source for indigenous peoples worldwide. They are usually seared, sautéed, or dried and powdered to be added to soups. Puffballs can also be used in endless recipes in place of shop-bought mushrooms, and they can even replace aubergine.
Puffballs have a mild, earthy, mushroomy taste and a tofu-like texture. They can be roasted, baked, boiled, or fried in butter, and they are best eaten shortly after picking. However, they can also be frozen or dried. It is important to note that puffballs should be cooked before consumption. Washing the interior of the mushroom is not recommended, as it will become soggy. Instead, the skin can be removed to get rid of dirt or germs.
When identifying puffball mushrooms, it is crucial to distinguish them from their poisonous look-alikes, such as the young destroying angel and death cap mushrooms. The inside of edible puffballs should be pure white, with no gills, marks, or discolouration. If the flesh is yellowish or greenish-brown, it indicates the presence of spores, which can cause digestive issues.
To ensure the edibility of puffball mushrooms, it is recommended to inspect the root base for larvae and cut away any infested portions. Additionally, bug tunneling can be addressed by cutting away the mushroom flesh and examining the remaining tissue for holes. It is also important to store the mushrooms properly by chilling them as soon as possible to extend their shelf life.
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Toxic look-alikes
While puffballs are edible when young, there are several toxic look-alikes that you should be aware of. Here are some of them:
Amanita Species
The genus Amanita contains some of the most toxic and deadly mushrooms, including the Destroying Angel (Amanita verna) and the Death Cap (Amanita phalloides). These mushrooms can closely resemble puffballs, especially when they are immature and in the small button stage. Destroying angels have white, cylindrical stems with smooth, vividly white caps that are slightly pinkish or tan in the centre. They also have long and short gills on the underside, along with a sac-like volva encasing a swollen stem base. On the other hand, Death Caps can look like Asian paddy straw mushrooms or young puffballs when they are in their early stages of growth.
False Chanterelles
False chanterelles (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) are toxic mushrooms found in North America and Europe. They closely resemble the edible chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) but often have a more irregular shape, a paler colour, and a slightly different texture. False chanterelles can cause severe gastrointestinal distress if consumed.
False Parasol
The False Parasol (C. molybdites) looks similar to the edible True Parasol (Macrolepiota procera) but has a shorter stem and a wider cap.
F. pinicola
F. pinicola, also known as the Red-Belted Conk, resembles the medicinal Reishi mushroom in its earliest stage of growth before the golden red belt coloration develops. However, F. pinicola typically grows on dying trees, whereas puffballs grow in the ground.
Other Toxic Look-alikes
Other toxic mushrooms that can be mistaken for puffballs include the poisonous earthball (Scleroderma citrinum), which has a much firmer and elastic fruiting body, and the Amanita virosa and Amanita bisporigera species. Additionally, immature gilled mushrooms still contained within their universal veil can be look-alikes for puffballs, and many of these species are poisonous or even deadly.
To stay safe, it is crucial to properly identify mushrooms before consuming them. Cutting them open to examine their interior colour and texture is one way to distinguish edible puffballs from their toxic look-alikes.
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Medicinal uses
Puffball mushrooms have been used for medicinal purposes by various cultures throughout history. The spores of puffball mushrooms have been found to possess antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. They can effectively combat various infections, including those caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and E. coli.
Native Americans have a long history of utilising puffball mushrooms for medicinal purposes. For instance, the Cherokee Indians employed puffballs to facilitate the healing of sores and burns. Additionally, some tribes utilised a mixture of puffball spores, spiderwebs, and bark to staunch bleeding from wounds.
Puffball mushrooms were also used in Tibet for ink creation. By burning the mushrooms, grinding the resulting ash, and mixing it with water, glue liquid, and a "nye shing ma decoction," a dark black substance suitable for writing was produced.
In rural America, the smoke from burning puffball mushrooms was used to anesthetise honey bees during honey collection. This practice inspired the experimental use of puffball smoke as a surgical general anaesthetic in 1853.
It is important to note that while puffball mushrooms have been used medicinally, consuming wild mushrooms without proper identification and knowledge can be dangerous. Some mushrooms, like those in the Amanita genus, can be extremely toxic and lead to fatal illnesses. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately identify mushrooms and follow safe foraging guidelines when considering their medicinal or culinary use.
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Historical uses
Puffball mushrooms are a type of fungus featuring a ball-shaped fruit body that, when mature, bursts on contact or impact, releasing a cloud of dust-like spores. They are well-known by all the Native American tribes of North America, though their uses varied.
Puffballs have been used throughout history for a variety of purposes, including food, medicine, and spiritual protection.
Native American tribes such as the Cherokee Indians used puffball spores as a styptic to stop bleeding from wounds and to help heal sores and burns. Other tribes collected them for food and wore dried puffballs around their necks to ward off ghosts and evil spirits.
In Tibet, puffballs were traditionally used for making ink. They were burned, the ash was ground and mixed with water, glue liquid, and a "nye shing ma decoction". This created a black substance that was used as ink.
Rural Americans also burned puffballs to anesthetize honey bees as a means to safely collect honey. This practice later inspired the experimental medicinal application of puffball smoke as a surgical general anesthetic in 1853.
Puffballs were also likely used by early settlers in the blacksmith trade, who may have learned about their medicinal properties from the Native Americans.
Additionally, the Blackfoot Native American Indian tribe, which historically stretched across the mid-western prairies of the U.S., believed that puffballs growing in rings were a sign of fairy circles, connecting them to supernatural phenomena.
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Frequently asked questions
Puffball mushrooms are a type of fungus featuring a ball-shaped fruit body that, when mature, bursts on contact or impact, releasing a cloud of dust-like spores into the surrounding area. They are usually seared, sautéed, or dried and powdered to be added to soups.
Yes, puffball mushrooms are safe to eat. However, they do have some extremely poisonous look-alikes, including young destroying angel and death cap mushrooms. To ensure you have a puffball mushroom, check that the inside is pure white and solid, with no gills or other imperfections.
Puffball mushrooms are common in meadows, grasslands, and forests. They grow on the ground and can often be found in large circles called "fairy rings".
