Giant Puffball Mushrooms

You never know what you’ll find when you’re out in the woods.

While conducting stand exams for the Upper Grouse Valley Project in California, MB&G foresters Ande Myers, Ian Cummins, and Rubie Teffeteller came across these impressive giant puffball mushrooms.

Giant puffballs (Calvatia gigantea) can grow to the size of a soccer ball, or even larger. And despite their simple appearance, they have an impressive way of reproducing: a single large puffball can produce 7 trillion or more spores, which are dispersed by wind when the mushroom matures.

Just another reminder that fieldwork often brings unexpected discoveries, and plenty of opportunities to appreciate the ecosystems we work in.