Identifying Meadow Puffballs (Lycoperdon pratense)

Take great care when identifying wild plants and fungi, this blog is not a resource to be taken by itself and further resources will be linked. Consult other sources and double check. While foraging is an extremely rewarding and useful skill, numerous common plants and fungi can make you sick or kill you. Be absolutely sure of what you’re eating and, when gathering, ensure you leave enough not only to ensure the survival and growth of the species but also enough for others to enjoy, from the human and more-than-human communities. Also cultivate an awareness of contamination and pollution – wastewater runoff, spraying, exhaust fumes – as this should affect your decision to harvest.

The Mushroom

Lycoperdon pratense is an edible species of puffball mushroom (Lycoperdon genus) found in Europe, North America, Australia, and Aotearoa. Lycoperdon comes from the Greek word lycos meaning “wolf” and perdon meaning “fart”, literally “wolfs-fart” perhaps referring to the way that puffballs puff their spores out into the air through a central hole. The epithet pratense means “of the meadow” in reference to the fact these mushrooms are commonly found growing in meadows and fields. This genus of fungi are saprophytic, consuming decaying organic matter for nutrients.

Description

This species appears as a white round, oval, or irregularly rounded ball and will be 4-8 cm across. The outer surface is scurfy and covered in short spines when young which can be brushed off with your fingers. Puffball mushrooms lack a stipe but the meadow puffball does have a distinct short stump-like stem which will often have small rhizoids attaching them to the ground. The texture is not slimy, and slightly rubbery, and they have a mild mushroomy odour. When cut in half the flesh inside is soft and rubbery and is pure white and will turn yellow brown as it ages. Only consume when the flesh is pure white. There is a slight distinction between the skin and the flesh inside. They have brown spores. When at maturity the mushroom will brown and a hole in the top will form which releases puffs of spores to be dispersed by the wind.

Ecology

Lycoperdon pratense grows best in grasses, meadows, fields, and in sand dunes in sunny areas. Meadow puffball mushrooms will generally grow near each other. We found ours in lawn in the Wairarapa in Aotearoa. Puffballs can generally be found growing through late summer into autumn.

Nutritional/Medicinal Information

Puffballs have been long been used to dress wounds and stop bleeding. The spores were used by blacksmiths to treat burns and to staunch cuts.

Puffballs are high in fibre and amino acids and low in calories.

Possible Lookalikes

Other puffballs will look very similar to Lycoperdon pratense but are also edible when they are pure white when cut open.

Earthballs are a similar shape to puffballs and could be confused with them. Earthball’s are poisonous and can be identified by the dark inside when cut open.

Interesting Facts

Breathing in the spores of puffballs can cause Lycoperdonosis, a horrible lung disease, so care should be taken when harvesting/working with mature mushrooms.

In 1967 eight teenagers in America snorted Puffball spores in an attempt to get “high”. They ended up being hospitalised for four weeks. Apparently spores germinated in their lungs and they had to be treated with a fungicide!

Storage & Cooking

Puffballs should be cooked quite soon after harvesting or ideally stored in the fridge in a paper mushroom bag.

Don’t wash puffballs in water as the texture will change when it absorbs the water.

Ensure that the inside of the mushroom is pure white and free of maggots or bugs.

Lycoperdon pratense is soft and has a distinct mushroom flavour. It can be used as a substitute for tofu or button mushrooms in stirfries, pastas, casseroles, stews, on pizza, in patties, or battered and fried!

Enjoy my fellow foragers!

Further Reading

iNaturalist

First Nature

The Foraging Course Company

The Mushroom Diary

Wild Food UK