Edible
3 community sightings
giant puffball
Calvatia gigantea
Also known as: giant puffball
Botanical Overview
Calvatia gigantea, commonly known as the giant puffball, is a puffball mushroom commonly found in meadows, fields, and deciduous forests usually in late summer and autumn. It is found in temperate areas throughout the world.
Foraging Safety · Hazard Watch
Similar & Confusing Lookalikes
Never harvest or eat wild mushrooms based on photos alone. Always cross-check against these similar lookalikes:
Lookalike
Calvatia booniana
Calvatia booniana
Edible
Bovistella utriformis
Bovistella utriformis
Classification
Scientific Taxonomy
Kingdom Fungi
Phylum Basidiomycota
Class Agaricomycetes
Order Agaricales
Family Agaricaceae
Genus Calvatia
Safety Notice: Never consume any wild mushroom based exclusively on photographs or app identification. Many deadly poisonous species (such as Amanita phalloides) closely mimic edible varieties. Always verify your specimen in person with a certified expert mycologist.
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