Giant Puffball
Calvatia gigantea · Family Lycoperdaceae · Updated October 2026
890US records
33states
Octbusiest month
890 US records since 1887 (606 in the last 10 years)
Last seen Oct 5, 2026 (about 3 weeks ago) near Chanhassen, Carver County, MN, 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 New York, 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 (37) · latest Oct 14, 2020
- Hennepin County, MN (32) · latest Oct 5, 2026
- Ocean County, NJ (29) · latest Oct 26, 2019
- Mercer County, NJ (23) · latest May 4, 2019
- Morris County, NJ (23) · latest Sep 13, 2025
- Middlesex County, NJ (19) · latest Jul 12, 2026
- Burlington County, NJ (19) · latest Oct 6, 2018
- Dane County, WI (17) · latest Oct 8, 2023
- DuPage County, IL (16) · latest Sep 13, 2025
- Allegheny County, PA (16) · latest May 10, 2026
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.