And it's still growing....

[shirebound]

I've never seen a puffball mushroom anywhere near this size. None of the critters who visit my backyard seem to be nibbling at it, so I wonder how much bigger it might be allowed to get!

Comments

[hashiveinu]

Puffballs are so cool! I've never tried eating them, but I want to.

[shirebound]

I hate to disturb this beauty!

[northlands]

That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing. Never seen one even close to that size.

[shirebound]

This is the first puffball of any kind I've seen in the backyard. What a specimen!

[yourlibrarian]

That's big alright! Looks like a voleyball at a distance

[shirebound]

I thought a pale pumpkin had mysteriously appeared in my yard!

[lizardjay]

Wow.... it looks like a full balloon!

[shirebound]

*tiptoes past quietly so it doesn't pop*

[emeraldarrows]

Wow, that's the biggest one I've seen! Very nice!

[shirebound]

I check on it every morning, and it seems to still be expanding.

[adafrog]

Wow!!

[shirebound]

It's quite a sight.

[sholio]

I had no idea they could get anywhere near that big! Amazing.

[shirebound]

The squirrels that roam through the yard are completely ignoring it.

[blackcatofmisery]

That sucker's huge! I think I just found a couple baby puffballs in my own yard today; I've never seen one in person. They're supposedly edible, although I guess it depends on the kind of puffball?

I really want to know how big this one will get.

=^..^=~

[shirebound]

I run out and measure it every few days!

[silveradept]

That's a big puffball. I wonder what will disturb it.

[shirebound]

I'm in suspense...

[smallrobot]

Wow... what a perfectly round mushroom. I've never seen anything like this! Thanks fo sharing! ^^

[shirebound]

My pleasure! It sure is interesting.

[adore]

it's so round and poofy i love it

[shirebound]

Me too! What a beauty.

[cmcmck]

You can cook puffballs thickly sliced like you'd pan fry a steak.

[shirebound]

Oh my, how about that!

[full_metal_ox]

A local upscale grocery in my hometown carries a cultivated variety in season; my own experience is that they’re fairly bland, and should be treated as a canvas for the seasoning—marinara or soy sauce or whatever. We’re not talking an umami bomb like shiitake or porcini.

[shirebound]

Interesting, thank you.

[cairistiona]

Be sure to call 911 if it gets so big it eats your house!!!

[shirebound]

Yes indeed. So far, it's keeping its mysterious plans to itself.

Hey

[dauntless_heart]

Did I see you posting this on Reddit also?

Re: Hey

[shirebound]

I'm not on Reddit (or Facebook or Twitter or Instagram!), but I did post this to my LJ and DW a few days ago.

Re: Hey

[dauntless_heart]

I'm guessing someone else picked it up and re-posted to Reddit then. You're famous! :)

[full_metal_ox]

I wonder what’ll hatch from it…

[shirebound]

I'm watching it carefully...

[morrow]

Wow it’s beautiful! So rotund :D

[shirebound]

It's round and it's proud. :)

[ranunculus]

The puffballs in my area of California get ripe, and eventually pop open to deliver spores to the neighborhood. In that stage they stink. So if you are not going to eat it you may want to dispose of it once it starts to fade. Or at least look it up on Wiki!

[shirebound]

Good advice, I'll keep an eye on its progression.

[chestnut_pod]

Wow! Do you know if this is one of the kinds that pop? I think such a large one would pop magnificently!

[shirebound]

I assume that it will, or release its spores somehow. Now I'm wondering if next year my lawn will be host to a large number of these giants.

[turlough]

Wow, that's the largest puffball I've ever seen!

[shirebound]

It amazes me.

[octahedrite]

Wow!

[shirebound]

It's totally wow!

[full_metal_ox]

[shirebound]

Heeee! It sure is!

[rain_gryphon]

Biggest one I've ever seen. I like to let them dry out and then make the spores puff out.

[shirebound]

I'm keeping an eye on it. What a specimen.

[kaishin108]

Hmm, it might be an alien, LOL!

[shirebound]

It certainly is unusual.