The giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea, syn. Langermannia gigantea, Lycoperdon gigantea) is an easily identifiable meadow mushroom with extraordinarily large fruiting bodies from the mushroom family. It used to belong to the class or subclass of the abdominal fungi (Gastromycetes or Gastromycetidae), which, according to recent scientific findings, no longer have any taxonomic significance.

-Calvatia gigantea is the largest species of the puffball family and is also the most common species.

-Giant puffballs appear to rapidly pass into the inedible spore-producing stage after being exposed to a day or so of sunshine.

-The very largest specimens of the giant puffball ever reported were more than 150 cm in diameter, 45 cm high and would have weighed more than 100 kg when fresh.

-They grow and increase in size over a period of nearly two weeks before they reach maturity.

Calvatia gigantea development occurs around the fall months of the year. Puffballs occur in areas of sparse vegetation, such as fields, pastures, and wooded areas. Calvatia gigantea is widespread and locally common in areas of the north due to the favorable temperature zones. Calvatia gigantea is mycorrhizal. The fungus has a mutualistic association with the roots of the plant that it is using as a host.

1. Dissolve the malt extract and agar in distilled water.
2.  Sterilize the solution by autoclaving at 121°C for 15-20 minutes.
3. Pour the sterilized media into petri dishes or other containers under sterile conditions.
4. The Yeast is optional, but you can add it to any recipe for nutritions, same for Peptone.

Rye Berries, grain mix

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first flush 350-500 g per m2, second flush 3,5-4,5 kg per m2

Base of growth with thick root-like strands of mycelium.

Calvatia gigantea grow from June to October mainly on meadows, pastures and sparse forests (loosened pine forests on rather dry sites). Characteristic sites are mainly old orchard meadows, where witch rings of ten or more meters in diameter have been observed.

Meadows, parks and forest edges, secondary decomposers, spring to summer.

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Calvatia gigantea is edible when young while the fruiting body is still firm and white, and is often sold in farmers’ markets. Each Calvatia gigantea fruiting body produces more than seven billion spores inside. Young specimens that are still white when cut are edible, but have only a slight flavor of their own. When sliced, they can be prepared similar to a Wiener Schnitzel. They are toxic to mammals when eaten raw. In the past, smoldering specimens were placed next to the hive in the apiary to keep the bees calm during beekeeping work. This fungus was also used as tinder.