Wild Mushrooms – Part 5

The last type of wild mushrooms that you’ll learn about here is the Puffball. So named because of the ball of spores it releases when it matures. It’s a closed mushroom that bursts open at maturity letting out its spores all at once. You can find puffballs in woods, lawns, or meadows. When you find a puffball and they have a white and fleshy appearance they’re ripe for eating. The giant puffball can grow to a foot and if you find it before it breaks, it’s good for eating.

The remaining part of the mushroom after the spores break out can be used as tinder or a styptic for minor wounds. If you have to use it for that, make sure you have some aloe to sooth as it may cause pain that can be worse than the wound itself. To make sure you’ve got a non-poisonous puffball cut it in half. It has an inner cup shape instead of a T shape.

For more information on wild edible mushrooms and plants, click here.