Puffballs are the most easily identifiable of all mushrooms because they are round to pear-shaped fungi. They do not have a stipe(stem)as do many gilled mushrooms. These mushrooms are the ones we usually see thriving in our front yards in the summer and fall months. They emit a smoky cloud when hit which is caused by the billions of spores leaving the puffball before it is time. If you see a completely uniform white, cream cheeselike consistency inside this mushroom, you know it is safe to eat. But beware, if you slice one open and it has the characteristics of an immature cap, stalk, or gills, do not eat it. It is most probably the deadly amanita species which is highly poisonous. Never collect a mushroom whose interior contains a developing cap or gills.
Giant Puffball
Calvatia gigantea, is edible, and quite large. It can weigh several pounds when full grown. It is also called devil’s snuffbox, and cream puff. The cap is nearly round, being anywhere from eight to twenty inches or more across with the outer skin being of a smooth consistency. This consistency feels like fine felt. The mushroom is white when young, turning to a light gray when aged. The inside is white and of a cream cheese quality, so you know it is safe to eat. The stem is thick and attached to the base. You can find these mushrooms at the edges of meadows and low, wet areas. They prefer wet soil so look at them along the banks of streams.
Western Giant Puffball
Calvatia booniana, can be identified by a large, somewhat flattened and egg-shaped puffball. This puffball can be up to a foot high and two feet in diameter. The inside is a white, like cream cheese, and has a thick root at the base. Although it is similiar to the Giant Puffball, the surface of this mushroom has a roughly cracked look to it. Locate this large mushroom under sagebrush and arid areas of the west.
Cup-shaped Puffball
Calvatia cyathiformis, is edible and has an egg-shaped top of three to six inches across. This mushroom rests upon a thick base. It can be easily identified because it looks like a nice, round loaf of bread with the cap being a tan to brown hue. Fine cracks which are lighter in color than the rest of the surface helps to identify this mushroom. Like most puffballs, the inside is a white, cream cheese like consistency. This mushroom fruits in late summer and fall after heavy rains, so look for them in your yard, meadows, and pastures.
Pear-shaped Puffball
Lycoperdon pyriforme, is, like its name, a pear-shaped, capped, edible mushroom. This mushroom, which forms crowded clusters, sits two inches high and 1/2 inch to one inch across its cap. It has a smooth skin and is a pale tan color, but can turn a rusty brown when exposed to sunlight. It has strong, white thread that attaches to the base, and has a white, cream cheese look. It is easy to recognize because when seen, it has clusters of upside-down pear like features. It fruits in the summer and fall.
Common Scleroderma
Scleroderma aurantium, is a “Poisonous” mushroom, which can be recognized by its almost kidney like shape and yellow-brown color. The conelike warts upon the surface also help you to recognize this hard as a potato type mushroom. The inside is a dull white with a purple black center. As soon as you split this one open, you can see the center already starting to change to a purple black. So beware of this mushroom. This one grows around old stumps and rotten logs in the woodlands. It fruits in late summer and fall.
A special note: Always be wary when approaching wild plants, especially fungi. Know which ones are edible and which ones to steer clear of when finding them in the wild. Study any wild plant before consuming them.