Medicinal properties of puffball mushroom. Raincoat mushroom: description, photo, medicinal and beneficial properties

Puffballs (Lycoperdaceae) are a subdivision, or family, of bloated fungi, or gastromycetes (see Bloated Fungi). These include the genera Lycoperdon, Bovista, Geaster, Sphaerobolus, Tulostoma (Tylostoma), Batarrea, etc. Representatives of the first three genera are common throughout our country, especially in rainy years(hence the name raincoats). Fruit bodies are spherical, pear-shaped, plum-shaped, sessile or with a false stalk, 1-10 cm tall, 1-7 cm in diameter.dozhdevik_lech

IN folk medicine unripe puffballs in the form of infusion or decoction are taken as an external remedy that has a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect. The spores are used in homeopathy.

Polish scientists have isolated from a raincoat:

A substance similar to penicillin antibiotics
a substance that promotes blood clotting (by the way, young raincoats have an excellent ability to stop bleeding and disinfect wounds).
a substance that suppresses tuberculosis.

American pharmacologists found an antitumor substance in them - calvacin. This substance inhibits both benign and malignant tumors. The raincoat performed especially well in resolving fibroids, hardening due to mastopathy and thyroid tumors.

The healing properties of a raincoat

Raincoat has high nutritional properties: it is easily absorbed by the body; back in the 17th century, doctors prescribed raincoat soup to tuberculosis patients. It has raincoat and healing properties.

Raincoats have long been used in folk medicine for diseases of the blood and lymphatic system. Removes poisons and toxins from the body: atoms of heavy metals and radionuclides, fluorine and chlorine compounds. This means that it is able to protect workers of chemical enterprises from serious occupational diseases: fluorideosis, sarcoidosis, lung and blood diseases.

It is known that almost every resident of an area with increased radiation has a disease such as diffuse toxic goiter. This is not because there is not enough iodine in the diet, but because radionuclides accumulated in the body “forced” the thyroid gland to forget how to properly absorb iodine. Due to its structured fungal cell feature, puffball removes radionuclides better than juniper.

Raincoat tincture can be successfully used to remove toxins from the body after suffering from helminthiases, hepatitis, liver and kidney diseases, and various skin diseases.

Puffball mushrooms are used as a hemostatic and disinfectant. Skin cancer is treated with the powder (spores) of bighead. In folk medicine back in the 17th century, mushrooms, including puffballs, served as medicinal products. Thus, young fruiting bodies of puffball mushrooms were used as an antitumor agent. But their white, cool, immature core is sterile and has antibacterial properties. Applied to a wound, it replaces a plaster in the field. Spores of mature mushrooms of the puffball family have effective hemostatic properties. If you sprinkle the spore powder of these mushrooms on the wound, the blood will stop flowing.

To treat various skin diseases, you can prepare this lotion and wipe the affected areas with it twice a day:

Mix 100g of water and 100g of vodka, liter jar Fill tightly with a puffball mushroom and pour this mixture over it. Leave in a dark place for 2 weeks, strain and add 10 drops of lavender and tea tree oil to the finished composition.

The same recipe is used to prepare the raincoat tincture, of course, without adding essential oils. Take it 1 tbsp. with water before meals three times a day.

Women can make face masks from raincoats crushed in a mortar: it will make the skin elastic and firm, and give the skin a pleasant color.

Puffball mushroom can be dried and added to ready food the resulting powder. Healing properties puffball can occur equally when eating it and when taking medicines and preparations made from it.

Ancient recipes raincoat against various ailments:

Tincture for multiple sclerosis: mix powdered mushrooms: puffball, saffron milk cap, White mushroom(10 g each), fill with church wine "Cahors" (750 ml), leave for 7 days. We take 1 tbsp. l. 4 times a day before meals, course - until recovery.

For tumors you need to drink a decoction of fresh mushroom in any dose and vodka tincture: infuse dried pulp or mature spores in a dark cabinet for 14 days in a ratio of 1:5, shaking the container periodically. Take the tincture orally, 1-2 tsp. 3-4 times a day before meals for a course of 3-4 weeks, then a break for one week.

Contraindications: pregnancy, lactation, individual intolerance to the components of the drug, use is not recommended for children under 5 years of age. http://www.gribovik.ru/lecheniegribami/dozhdevik_lechenie/

The giant golovach is a type of puffball mushroom. Almost everyone knows it and it grows everywhere. However, many do not realize that this product can be eaten and also used as medicine. This mushroom has useful and unique properties.

Description of the mushroom

The giant golovach has many names: hare potato, duster, tobacco mushroom, and so on. This is due to various factors. However, it is this mushroom that actively absorbs toxins contained in environment, although in many ways superior to other types of mushrooms.

It belongs to the Champignon family. The giant golovach differs from other varieties of puffballs in its size. The mushroom has a spherical or ovoid shape. Moreover, it can have a yellow-gray or white color. Often a kind of fallen shell collects on its surface. As a result, the bighead looks unattractive. The weight of the mushroom can reach up to 7 kilograms. Over time it begins to darken, and in the end life cycle takes on a brown tint.

Features of the mushroom

The raincoat - the giant bighead - has many features. This mushroom is very beneficial for the body. Its main feature is the absorption of radionuclides, as well as heavy metal salts. After eating a dish prepared from a raincoat, harmful substances quickly leave the body naturally.

It is worth noting that due to this property, golovach is used for the production of dietary supplements. As practice shows, such products cleanse the body well and allow you to restore skin and make them more elastic. If desired, you can cook golovach tasty dish at home.

Growing area

The giant golovach is a mushroom that does not have a specific growing area. He is well known in our country. You can find such a raincoat everywhere. However, most often it occurs in moderate climatic zone on fertile soils.

As a rule, the mushroom can be found on open spaces: in the park, in pastures, in meadows and on the outskirts of the forest, in the field. Raincoats grow in small groups. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to find a bighead in the same place twice. If the season is successful, up to three waves of fruiting can be observed. You can collect such mushrooms from the end of May to the beginning of November. The main thing is to choose the right raincoat, since not all of them are suitable for indoor use.

How to choose the right mushroom

For many, the giant golovach seems to be exclusively poisonous mushroom. However, it is not. It can be eaten. The main thing is to know how to choose. Do not pack raincoats in wet weather. Otherwise they will lose their appearance, turning into a gray substance. This product should not be used.

For cooking, you should use only young mushrooms. They do not need to be boiled and soaked to remove harmful components. Raincoats can be immediately added to the dish during its preparation. In addition, young mushrooms have denser and more elastic flesh.

Old raincoats are dangerous because they absorb a lot of toxins. It is also not recommended to collect mushrooms growing along highways.

Use in cooking

The giant golovach is used to prepare many dishes. After all, this product is not only tasty, but also healthy. It is worth noting that this mushroom can replace meat. The product is ideal for those on a diet, as its calorie content is 27 kcal. In this case, a raincoat can:

  • stew;
  • bake;
  • marinate;
  • fry;
  • cook;
  • salt and so on.

However, the mushrooms must be prepared before cooking. To do this, remove the skin from white fruits. The pulp is usually cut into cubes. It is worth noting that raincoats go well not only with vegetables, but also with meat.

How to fry mushrooms

If you find a suitable giant golovach, you don’t have to think twice about how to cook it. Simply peeled and chopped mushrooms need to be rolled in flour mixed with a small amount salt and then fry on vegetable oil.

This dish is served with a special sauce. To cook it, you need to peel it and then chop it finely. Bell pepper chop capers, pickled or pickled cucumbers. The components should be placed in a deep container, salted and seasoned with mayonnaise and lemon juice. And to give ready-made dish more interesting taste, worth adding a little soy sauce. In this case, the amount of salt should be reduced.

How to cook soup

Giant golovach, the preparation of which does not require pre-processing, is also used for making soups. To do this you will need:

  • chicken broth;
  • carrot;
  • mushrooms;
  • flour;
  • vegetable oil;
  • canned peas;
  • fresh greens.

Onions and carrots should be peeled and fried in vegetable oil. Add prepared vegetables to ready chicken bouillon. Peel and cut the mushrooms into slices, roll in flour and fry in a frying pan in vegetable oil. Then you should put them in the broth. Cook the soup for at least 10 minutes. Finally, add peas and chopped herbs to the dish.

Golovach with sour cream

The giant golovach mushroom, the preparation of which is not particularly difficult, can become the basis for many dishes. So, to prepare an independent dish from a raincoat, you will need:

  • 0.5 kg of mushrooms;
  • 0.2 l sour cream;
  • 0.3 kg of potatoes;
  • 2 pcs. onions;
  • seasoning and vegetable oil.

This amount of ingredients is enough to prepare 4 large servings.

How to cook

The cooking process does not take much time. Potatoes should be peeled and boiled. In this case, young root vegetables are ideal. Peel the raincoats, wash well and chop into slices or cubes, then fry in vegetable oil. This takes at least 25 minutes.

While the raincoats are being prepared, you should peel the onion, cut it into half rings, and then fry until golden in a separate frying pan. After which both components should be combined in one container. Season the mixture with salt and fry for 15 minutes.

Finally, you need to add sour cream to the dish. It's better to do this 5 minutes before it's ready. The ingredients should be mixed and then simmered over low heat. The dish is ready.

It should be served with boiled potatoes. You can also use steamed fluffy rice as a side dish.

Many mushrooms of the family Raincoats (Lycoperdales) are often collectively called “raincoats”, although among them there are not only raincoats ( Lycoperdon), but also flutters (powder flasks, Bovista), golovach (Calvatia) and some other types. Any mushroom picker has seen a variety of raincoats many times: with a smooth surface and with growths, warts and needles. These mushrooms also differ in the shape of the fruiting body: spherical, pear-shaped, ovoid, etc. The white balls of some mushrooms lie on the ground, while others rise on a false stalk.

Puffballs grow in forests and parks, appear in steppes, agricultural fields, pastures and manicured lawns. If you trample a ripe mushroom, it will release “smoke” with spores.

Mushroom pickers often trample raincoats to release a cloud of “smoke”

There are several popular names for raincoats: “grandfather’s gunpowder”, “dust duster”, “wolf’s tobacco”, “devil’s tobacco”, “hare’s potato”, “mushroom-egg” and “forest egg”.

Variety of species

Even an experienced mushroom picker does not always navigate the complex taxonomy. This applies to many mushrooms, including puffballs.

At first you call all the mushrooms “wolf tobacco”, then, having learned that these are puffballs, you will call them puffballs, and then you will understand that puffballs are different: just a puffball, a prickly puffball, a pear-shaped puffball, a needle-shaped puffball, a blackish puffball, a round bighead, bighead oblong. (V.A. Soloukhin).

Raincoats, puffers and bigheads belong to the group Gasteromycetesnutrevikov"), because their fruiting bodies remain intact until the spores mature. The shell then ruptures, releasing “smoke” containing the spores. These mushrooms are classified as saprophytes, because They need rotten organic matter for nutrition.

Let's bring short description several mushrooms, which we call “puffballs”. They are all very tasty. They are harvested young while their fruiting bodies are firm and filled with white pulp.

Raincoat spiny (Lycoperdon perlatum) is covered with clearly visible conical spines. If you peel off their white or creamy skin, a more or less noticeable mesh pattern will remain on it. The smell of mushroom is pleasant. This type of raincoat can be safely placed in the basket while the mushroom is young and strong, and its flesh is white and elastic. The mushroom often grows in groups.

Raincoat pearl (Lycoperdon perlatum) prefers manured pastures, although it is also found in forests. Pearl puffball grows (usually in waves) from May to mid-November. This mushroom has a pear-shaped fruit body white, which turns yellow as it matures, then becoming grey-brown. Old mushrooms are filled with spore powder inside. A skin with small growths or non-prickly spines, which are sometimes found only in the upper part.

It's very beautiful and delicious mushroom(photo from Wikipedia)

Golovach oblong (Calvatia excipuliformis) in some reference books is called a variety of spiny puffball. However, the bighead is taller, its spines are more tender and thinner, it is edible in at a young age. Sometimes the mushroom resembles the shape of a bubble, which was inflated with air and pulled from below (sac-shaped, or bladder-shaped, capitol). These mushrooms often grow in pastures.

Stunning appearance raincoat giant, or Langermannia gigantic (Langermannia gigantean). In some publications it is classified as a golovach. This is a huge mushroom. It grows in forests (deciduous and mixed), meadows, fields and pastures. There is a better chance of finding it from the end of summer (August - October). The huge “soccer ball” can weigh up to 8 kg and is 40 cm in diameter. There are individual record-breaking specimens that weighed almost 20 kg and had a fruiting body diameter of 30 cm!!! More chances to find a kilogram raincoat gigantic in size with a medium head of cabbage.

The skin of this puffball can be either smooth or slightly flaky. As it grows, the color of the flesh changes from white (or slightly yellowish) to greenish-brown, then to dirty brown. In old mushrooms, the skin dries out and resembles parchment. The edible pulp is often loose, reminiscent in consistency of homemade cheeses. As the mushroom grows, it becomes lighter and noticeably loses weight. The mycelium of the giant puffball is durable and can live up to 25 years.

Raincoat pear-shaped (Lycoperdon pyriforme) refers to small species (maximum up to 5 cm in height). It often grows on rotting wood, tree trunks and stumps. The shape of the fruiting body is pear-shaped, resembling a white ball narrowed downwards, which has a short false pedicle with rare light threads of mycelium. This very tasty mushroom is fried and boiled (in soups), unless it is overripe. The degree of maturity can often be determined not in the forest, but in the kitchen, because... When ripe, the mushroom does not always quickly change the color of its skin.

False puffball (Scleroderma)

False raincoat (scleroderma) should not be collected. In most books Soviet period this mushroom is considered inedible or poisonous. Western authors only call it inedible, specifying that cooks sometimes add pulp to sausages instead of truffles. They all warn that puffballs can be hazardous to health if eaten in large quantities.

I have not tried this mushroom, so I can only refer to the opinions of authoritative mushroom experts. I quote them verbatim.

The false puffball, which they scare us with in all the books about mushrooms, is not at all poisonous, even in its raw form. It is simply tasteless, and according to the rules it should be classified as inedible mushrooms. Moreover, young false puffball (when the flesh is white when cut) has a sharp spicy taste and can serve spicy seasoning for meat and poultry dishes. This is how it is used in Europe, especially in Slavic countries.
The final inedibility of the false puffball occurs from the moment when its flesh ceases to be pure white when cut. (M. Vishnevsky).

Let me remind you once again: false puffballs are poisonous, however, only if you eat them in large quantities. In the Czech guide to mushrooms of J. Klan it is written that “for the sake of a strong spicy taste, young mushrooms are used instead of roots in the preparation of soups and sauces.” These are truly inscrutable human whims! For the sake of an exotic taste, sacrifice the health of your stomach? (M. Sergeeva).

We conclude: the degree of poisoning by false puffballs depends, first of all, on the number of mushrooms eaten.

False raincoats are easy to distinguish from edible species. False puffballs usually have warty-scaly, dense skin of a yellowish-ochre color, which may have small cracks. In older mushrooms, the skin dries out, breaks, and no longer holds the spores underneath.

False raincoats often grow in nests (photo from Wikipedia)

The color of the flesh of young mushrooms, according to most authors, is yellowish or light olive even at a young age. A marble pattern with white veins can be seen on it. The central part of the false puffball darkens as it matures, first becoming gray-violet, then almost black. The pulp of even adult puffballs retains its density. Everyone notes an unpleasant, pungent odor.

Mushroom pickers who have not collected puffballs before should not take risks and not collect mushrooms with elongated false legs that grow in nests. To be on the safe side, it is better not to take raincoats with clearly yellow or brown skin. Especially when it is covered with rough growths and has noticeable cracks. The unpleasant smell should also stop.

Which raincoats taste better?

Edible puffballs are eaten while they are young. They then have tasty, dense white flesh, which is located under the skin (smooth or with growths). In an adult mushroom, the pulp changes its quality and color. It becomes looser, often sticky, gray or greenish-yellow. Old mushrooms are filled with spores. The shell of their fruiting body becomes thin, dries and is easily broken. Then the mushroom becomes dusty, releases a cloud of spores and settles on the ground. It is worth saying that raincoats grow up quickly.

As you know, a young raincoat is hard and strong to the touch, and when cut, it is white as sour cream. At this time, you can, without doubt, put it in the frying pan. The roast will be fragrant with an excellent mushroom aroma. With age, the pulp of the puffball begins to turn slightly yellow, becomes watery, when pressed with a finger, it does not spring back and does not try to straighten out. At this stage, raincoats should no longer be taken. (V.A. Soloukhin).

Few people find a ripe raincoat appetizing.

How to prepare a raincoat?

Puffballs are a great addition to any mushroom mixture. When prepared separately, raincoats will not be to everyone's liking (due to their specific taste). Another thing is a giant raincoat. One such mushroom can be the reason for a separate party! (A. Schwab).

I love this mushroom. True, I only take smooth young white “balls”. A skillet of fried puffballs is a delicious and satisfying meal. This mushroom tastes a little like something between mushrooms, scrambled eggs and... chicken meat. The flavor of the protein is enhanced when the puffball is fried with butter or ghee.

I don't like raincoats boiled, but fried. They can be cut into pieces, slices or circles and placed in a frying pan with oil. Sometimes before frying, large slices up to 2 cm thick are rolled in flour or breadcrumbs. They can be salted and even peppered beforehand. Whole balls fried in oil are also tasty. First fry on one side until nice golden brown crust, then turn over or roll to the other side. This takes a little time. Especially if you fry the mushroom in a frying pan with a lid.

It is worth saying that almost all raincoats have a skin that resembles either skin or eggshells. It's better to remove it.

V.A. Soloukhin described in detail the condition of a man who always considered all raincoats toadstools:

I remember with what embarrassment I brought home the first raincoats, how my wife refused to fry them, and with what interest I tried them for the first time. And now for me this is the most common edible and tasty mushroom, of course, when there are no boletus, chanterelles or aspen mushrooms in the forest. But even when you have them, it’s a good idea to add some strong young raincoats to the pan for a bouquet.

Let us once again appreciate the culinary merits of the giant puffball while its flesh is pure white. During this period, the fungus competes with itself noble mushrooms. The “ball” is peeled and fried, soup is made from it and dried. Other raincoats, even pearl ones, are also suitable for drying.

V.A. Soloukhin quotes one of his readers, who not only describes the method of preparing raincoats, but also compares the methods of processing them:

I really love raincoats. When fried, they are actually a little inferior to white ones. To make the dish more tender, it is better to remove the rough shell of some of them. The golovach is oblong - gently crush it in your hands, and the shell cracks and comes off, like the shell from a hard-boiled egg. It is best to do this under the tap. In some spherical puffballs, the shell can be peeled off like peeling an orange. The best one - prickly - does not cause any worries at all: cut it into a frying pan. I dry them successfully. By grinding them into powder, you can make an excellent soup from them.

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Many mushroom pickers undeservedly bypass these mushrooms, and completely in vain. Young puffballs are very tasty and healthy mushrooms. And most often they are one of the first to appear in spring forest, therefore, for lovers of precisely such gifts, the forests will pleasant variety in the diet after long winter when dishes from fresh mushrooms, collected in the forest, are still a rarity on the table.

Puffballs belong to the mushroom family. The fruiting bodies of these mushrooms different types They have a rounded pear shape, most often white. Many of them have a pronounced false leg, and their sizes can be medium or large (like those of giant puffballs).

In young mushrooms, the entire cap is covered with small growths similar to thorns, which fall off over time. The spores of this type of mushroom ripen inside the fruiting body; when they ripen, a hole opens at the top of the fruiting body through which the spores spread around the mushroom. The color of ripe spores can range from green with an olive tint to brown.

Common names for this type of mushroom:

  • bee sponge;
  • hare potatoes.

And puffballs, in which the spores in the fruiting body are fully ripe, are called:

  • flutter;
  • puffing;
  • dust duster;
  • grandfather's tobacco;
  • wolf tobacco;
  • tobacco mushroom, etc.

Puffballs belong to the mushroom family

Edible types of puffball

The following common groups of mushrooms are classified as puffballs:

  • true raincoats;
  • bigheads;
  • flutters.

Typical raincoats are small in size (height - 5-6 cm, radius - 2.5-3 cm). Their fruiting bodies are closed; in young individuals they are covered with a double shell. The outer layer of the fruit body shell may be covered with cracks, small scales or spines. As the mushroom ages, the outer layer falls off, exposing the inner - brown or ocher - layer, which covers the ripening ones.

Gallery: puffball mushrooms (25 photos)




















Where do raincoats grow (video)

Meadow, pear-shaped and pearl raincoats

All of the above types of true puffballs are the most common category 4 mushrooms in the central regions and middle lane our country. They are very similar to each other, and the pearl type is also called real, or edible. It is covered with large spines, which makes it look like a bighead mushroom.

Golovachi

Mushrooms of this genus are similar to puffballs; some mushroom pickers often confuse them. The main differences between bigheads and raincoats:

  • larger sizes (at least 7 cm in height and 3.5 cm in radius);
  • The fruiting body of these mushrooms, after the spores ripen, ruptures much more strongly than that of ordinary puffballs.

Otherwise, they look about the same as raincoats. The most commonly encountered species of bighead are described below.

Golovachi

Baggy golovach

Common names for this type of raincoat:

  • Bladderhead;
  • The golovach is round;
  • Sac-shaped golovach;
  • Rabbit raincoat;
  • The golovach is pot-bellied.

The fruiting body of such a bighead can be from 10 to 20 cm in diameter, round in shape, slightly flattened on top, fine-grained inside, tapering downward. Young bigheads are light milky in color as they grow up and become brown with a gray tint. Cracks run along the fruiting body of an adult bighead, and tubercles similar to warts will also appear. Old mushrooms open up at the top, becoming like bowls with torn parts.

This mushroom belongs to the 4th category; only young bigheads are used for food.

Baggy golovach

Golovach oblong (extended raincoat)

Synonyms – bighead marsupial. This species has a fruiting body of a peculiar shape - pin-shaped or club-shaped. The pseudopod is elongated, the apex looks like half a ball. The height of the fruiting body together with the pseudopod is from 8 to 14 cm, in rainy and warm weather can grow even more. The thickness of the upper part of the pseudopod is about 4 cm, and the lower part is about 6–7 cm. But different sources indicate different values ​​of these indicators.

Young mushrooms are white in color, which over time becomes yellow and then brown. There are spines along the entire surface of the fruiting body. The flesh of young mushrooms is white, but over time it becomes yellow, withers, and then turns brown. The upper spherical part of the fruiting body opens and brown spore powder falls out. The young elongated bighead is quite edible.

Golovach oblong (extended raincoat)

Giant golovach

This mushroom is the largest among all varieties of bigheads. Some of its specimens can grow up to 0.5 m in height, and their weight reaches 18-20 kg. It is this representative of the bighead genus that is considered the most delicious of all representatives of the genus. But, unfortunately, giant bigheads always grow alone and do not appear in one place, and this is considered their main drawback.

How to assemble raincoats (video)

Poisonous false puffballs

But in the family under consideration there are also inedible species, some of which are also mildly poisonous.

False raincoat warty

This mushroom belongs to the category inedible mushrooms from the genus of False Puffballs of the Scleroderma family. Usually grows in "families" in deciduous forests and groves (especially on the edges or forest clearings), found in grass meadows and on roadsides. Growth period is from the first ten days of August to mid-October. The fruit body is 3–5 cm in diameter, tuberous in shape, and the color of the outer shell is brownish. The outer shell is leathery, corky, leathery.

False raincoat warty

Common false raincoat

The fruiting body of this mushroom is tuberous in shape, 5–6 cm in diameter, the shell can be smooth or covered with small scales. The color of this raincoat is dirty yellow. When the shell cracks, small warts appear.

Medicinal properties of puffball mushroom

Not all mushroom pickers know that raincoats have unique medicinal properties. They are able to stop bleeding and also have a healing effect. In case of a severe cut, you can simply break this freshly picked mushroom and apply the pulp to the wound - the bleeding will stop very quickly. Similarly, it can be used to treat other skin diseases:

  • severe burns;
  • poorly healing purulent wounds;
  • acne;
  • urticaria, etc.

Raincoats have unique healing properties

Decoctions are prepared from mushrooms, which are used to treat inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract:

  • bronchitis;
  • tuberculosis;
  • laryngitis.

The giant bighead has the ability to prevent the growth of malignant cells, so the medicine calvacin was made based on this mushroom, which helps in the fight against malignant tumors V different parts human body.

To this healthy mushroom was always at hand, it is prepared for future use (pickled, dried).

Places where puffball grows

Varieties of puffballs can grow in different places. The baggy loggerhead is usually found with last decade May to mid-September on open air sunny places– forest edges or clearings, in shallow ravines, in pastures. Most often it grows singly.

The elongated raincoat appears in forests, on the edges or forest clearings from the second ten days of July. The last mushrooms of this species are found in mid-October.

How to cook puffball mushrooms (video)

Options for preparing puffball mushrooms

Only young mushrooms should be used for cooking. They can be fried, stewed, or prepared as first courses.

Stuffed zucchini

Peel the young zucchini, cut into rings 2.5-3 cm thick. Remove the middle (along with the seeds), boil in salted water until half cooked, place in a colander to drain. Then roll in flour and fry in sunflower oil. Pass young mushrooms through a meat grinder along with onions and fry in sunflower oil. Fill the zucchini with the prepared mushroom mince.

Vermicelli casserole

Vermicelli is boiled in salted water and drained in a colander. The puffballs are finely chopped and fried in butter until ready. Then the fried mushrooms are mixed with vermicelli and raw eggs, put in a mold greased with oil and sprinkled with crushed breadcrumbs and put in an oven heated to 170 - 180 degrees for 1/3 hour. Pepper is added to this dish to taste.

Although raincoats belong to category 4, you can use them to prepare a lot of tasty and healthy dishes. Fried young mushrooms are especially tasty.

Gallery: puffball mushrooms (35 photos)




























So, let’s begin to study the puffball mushroom: photos and descriptions of the culture will help you understand the diversity of its species:


The giant puffball mushroom is edible when young.


Langermannia gigantea- the largest raincoat with a smooth surface. Fruit bodies up to 50 cm in diameter weighing up to 20 kg. IN early age round white with a velvety felt shell with white flesh. Later, their shell becomes leathery and durable, but remains almost white and smooth. At the end of the development of the fruiting body, the shell cracks and begins to peel off in layers, exposing an ocher or umber-brown layer of pulp, reminiscent of cotton wool in consistency. When touched or exposed to wind, the layer of pulp “smoke” with spores. At the same time, the internal parts of the pulp do not disintegrate into powder and remain in the form of an ocher “cotton” ball, which is not washed away by rain, but emits spores in dry weather.

Look at the photo to see what your development and growth looks like:

Puffball mushroom in different stages
Puffball mushroom in different stages

Grows in soils rich in nitrogen, in gardens, in bird cherry bushes and in deciduous forests.

Old fruiting bodies remain intact until mid-summer of next year. The mushroom is rare.

It has no poisonous counterparts.

The mushroom is suitable for frying.


Bear mushroom pear-shaped puffball in the photo

The bear's puffball mushroom is edible when young. Fruiting bodies are up to 1-3 cm in diameter, 2-5 cm in height, obversely pear-shaped. Extended top part below it tapers into a sterile (spore-free) stalk. The surface is smooth or finely warty. At an early age they are white with white flesh, later with a brownish tint. The flesh is white at first, then olive or umber brown. Numerous white strands of mycelium grow from the lower sterile stalk. After the spores mature, a hole is formed from which the fungus releases spores in the form of “smoke.”

Found from July to October.

Grows in pine and spruce forests on tree trunks, on stumps or near stumps on rotting wood.

Many mushroom pickers wonder whether the puffball mushroom is false and dangerous to human life and health. We answer: poisonous doubles does not have.

The raincoat is real in the photo


Pearl raincoat in the photo


True or pearl puffball is edible when young. Fruiting bodies are up to 2-5 cm in diameter, 3-9 cm in height, obversely pear-shaped. The widened upper part tapers below into a sterile (spore-free) stalk. Lycoperdon perlatum are covered with large conical spines, around which there are small spines. The thorns easily fall off the fruiting body when touched by hand or on their own. After the thorns fall off, numerous areas remain on the surface, forming a mesh pattern. At an early age, they are white with white flesh, later turning yellow, and finally gray-brown, powdery inside. After the spores mature, the mushroom bursts and releases the spores in the form of “smoke.” It is similar to the pear-shaped raincoat, but it is without thorns and has smooth or warty fruiting bodies.

It grows in pine and spruce forests on the forest floor of needles, in fields, in grassy clearings and on rotting wood.

Found from July to October.

Large puffball mushrooms: bag-shaped and elongated

Let's look at other large puffball mushrooms and find out which of them are suitable for eating.

Bag-shaped puffball (Calvatia utriformis) edible when young. Large raincoat. Its surface cracks into numerous, almost hexagonal cells. Fruiting bodies up to 16 cm in diameter. At an early age - round white with a velvety felt shell with white flesh. Later they become flattened gray-ocher, with a shell dotted with small protruding “hexagons”. The white inner mass first turns olive, then chocolate brown as the spores mature. At the end of the development of the fruiting body, the shell becomes gray-ocher, cracks in the upper part, exposing an olive-brown spore powder.

It grows in pastures, meadows, former cattle pens, and sometimes in clearings in forests.

Found from July to October.

It has no poisonous counterparts.

Raincoat (golovach) elongated (Calvatia excipuliformis) edible when young. Fruit bodies are up to 3-8 cm in diameter, 5-15 cm high, club-shaped or pistil-shaped. At an early age, they are white with white flesh, with a fine-grained or finely spinous surface. Later they become ocher and finally tobacco brown. Below there is a sterile part in the form of a leg. The flesh is first white, then yellow-brown, then dark brown. At the end of the development of the fruiting body, the shell becomes tobacco-brown and cracks at the top, exposing an olive-brown spore powder.

It grows in pine and spruce forests on the forest floor of needles, in deciduous forests, in gardens and parks.

Found from July to October.

Poisonous and inedible doubles does not have.