Western Giant Puffball

Calvatia booniana

Family: Lycoperdaceae

Also called: Western Giant Puffball, Sagebrush Puffball

Western Giant Puffball (Calvatia booniana)
Photo:JerryFriedman(CC BY-SA 3.0)View original source →

Overview

Western giant puffball of sagebrush steppe and high meadows. Good edible while gleba is pure white.

Edibility
Edible
Rarity
uncommon
Trophic mode
saprotrophic
Typical peak
Sep–Oct

Season

Sep–Nov — typical fruiting months: Aug, Sep, Oct.

Host trees & substrate

  • Decaying pasture wood and forest litter

Where it grows

See live fruiting predictions for Western Giant Puffball on the forecast home page, or browse the full field guide.

Always confirm wild-mushroom identification with multiple sources and a knowledgeable local expert before consuming. Read the foraging safety guide.