Brain Puffball
Calvatia craniiformis · Family Lycoperdaceae · Updated October 2026
548US records
34states
Octbusiest month
548 US records since 1887 (111 in the last 10 years)
Last seen Sep 9, 2026 (about 7 weeks ago) near Sewickley Heights, Allegheny County, PA, photographed by an iNaturalist user, with the ID agreed on by other iNaturalist users (research grade). Most US records come from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois, and the busiest months are Oct, Sep and Aug. (Data as of October 26, 2026; records can lag by weeks.)
⚠ Never eat a wild mushroom based on this site. We show where fungi have been recorded, nothing more. We never say any mushroom is edible or safe, and you shouldn't decide that from any website, app or photo. Many deadly mushrooms look like harmless ones. If someone may have eaten a wild mushroom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Lookalike warning. Many mushrooms, including deadly ones, closely resemble each other, and the only reliable identification comes from an expert looking at the actual specimen (often with spore prints or microscopy). Never use a name, photo or record count on this page to decide what something is.
When it's recorded
Records by month, all years. Busiest: Oct, Sep, Aug.
Where it's recorded
Top counties
- Sussex County, NJ (36) · latest Sep 28, 2019
- Ocean County, NJ (29) · latest Oct 26, 2019
- Mercer County, NJ (23) · latest May 4, 2019
- Allegheny County, PA (22) · latest Sep 9, 2026
- Morris County, NJ (22) · latest Jul 20, 2019
- Burlington County, NJ (19) · latest Oct 6, 2018
- Hunterdon County, NJ (15) · latest Aug 25, 2019
- Monmouth County, NJ (13) · latest Aug 22, 2015
- Middlesex County, NJ (12) · latest Aug 18, 2019
- Chester County, PA (11) · latest 1961
More on this species from GBIF.
Bring along
🍄
Regional mushroom field guideSee on Amazon🍄
Folding mushroom knife with brushSee on Amazon🍄
Wicker foraging basketSee on Amazon🍄
10x hand lens / loupeSee on Amazon🍄
Spore print paperSee on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.