Pages

Monday, December 9, 2019

Langermannia gigantea or Giant puffball

It seems like mushrooms will be following us our entire life...
This one popped up on our front lawn and was rather huge with about 10 inches diameter or 25 cm.
Photo got taken of this 'Langermannia gigantea' or Giant puffball on November 24.
Looking kind of pleated... Similar though to the one from hidden forest in New Zealand, click on the name to see its picture and scroll to the bottom.
The same one now on November 30... Darker brown and even more pleated.
December 6, still darker and now measuring its diameter.
Almost 10 inches or 25 cm in diameter!
Maybe someone can tell its name with more certainty...

Thanks for your visit and comment!


21 comments:

  1. WOW, what a giant Mushroom!
    Wishing you and Pieter a lovely week, Mariette!
    Love and hugs, Claudia xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Claudia,
      Yes, this indeed was a Giant puffball with 25 cm!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  2. Hello Mariette, Puffballs are very common in Ohio and as kids we used to step on them to release the clouds of spores inside. Occasionally we came across giant specimens such as the one you found--it's hard to imagine the number of spores in one of those huge ones. I understand that some puffballs are edible in their younger stages, but as I mentioned before, I prefer admiring mushrooms to eating them, so I never followed up on that aspect.
    --Jim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Jim,
      We did as kids just that, stepping on them to make them poof open.
      Every mushroom when mature releases millions of spores and that's what keeps the cycle going in nature.
      You act wise for admiring them instead of eating them! We too seldom feel secure enough for doing so.
      It is far better to buy them at the store.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
    2. Forgot to mention that yes, they are edible when they're still white in color before they mature and turn dark.

      Delete
  3. Wow! I like fungi, "fabulous fungi" I think of them, so interesting, so many varieties. But I think yours is the largest I've ever seen, even if only via computer!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Kim,
      There are over 80,000 varieties of fungi and a lot of them are edible but we certainly can admire them in nature and photograph them. Guess it grew on the grass clippings and the total environment must have been perfect for it to really thrive and reach maximum size.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  4. It is huge in size! I've never seen such a fungus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Anne,
      It is not a real rarity though, back in The Netherlands we have seen them and Dad even had a huge white one that we prepared and ate, except Dad, he did NOT trust them...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  5. Wow, 10 inches. That is one huge mushroom! I have never seen a mushroom that big in person! They do seem to follow you :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Tamago,
      'Everything is Everywhere'... that's the motto in nature and only the environment selects.
      It must have been just perfect for growing out to this size.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  6. I'd love to know how to tell which mushrooms can be eaten and which are poison. They are reportedly healthy. Roasted, delish!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Debbie,
      As my husband Pieter always replied to such question: 'You can eat them ALL, some of them only once...'
      No, even both of us prefer to buy them at the store to be sure. There are too many look-alike varieties that are poisonous, so why take any risk?
      About being healthy, keep in mind that just like most veggies, they contain about 90% or more water and there is not much dry matter left for being healthy. It seems to be a new desperate thing for selling them under the new hype of being healthy.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  7. That's a big mushroom. It's amazing how many varieties there are and the places they manage to pop up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Tammy,
      Yes, mushrooms or toadstools are a very amazing part of life's cycle as they are at the very end of it.
      They can decompose things that no human, animal or other being can digest.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  8. Bellissime le tu fotografie, non avevo mai visto un fungo così grande.
    Buona giornata.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Caro Giancarlo,
      Ci sono quelle grande e sono felice che qui hai vistalo!
      Un abbraccio,
      Mariette

      Delete
  9. I'm impressed! What a big size
    Hugs and good evening dear Mariette.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Nathalie,
      Yes, this one sure was huge.
      Have a nice evening yourself, as we just start our afternoon.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  10. Prachtig!! deze wonderen van de natuur. Om deze kon je niet heen kijken dus ☺

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beste Marian,
      Ja, als de omstandigheden in de omgeving 'juist' zijn dan zien we zoiets verschijnen. Alles Is Overal!
      Liefs,
      Mariette

      Delete

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...