Among the finds that have captivated the internet, one man went viral after happening upon ‘the holy grail’ of mushrooms—the so-called Giant Puffball.
Formally titled the Calvatia gigantea, the much sought-after species was protected in Poland until 2014 and enjoys a reputation as the largest mushroom to be found in the country.
On Saturday, pictures of the Giant Puffball swept the internet after Piotr Grześ posted a video showing a forest clearing dotted with these outsized white fungi. Enjoying a cult following of over 8,000 on Facebook, the naturalist and self-styled ‘mushroom expert’ followed up the post with an image of a Giant Puffball several times larger than his head.
Discovered just outside Kostrzyn, central Poland, the XL mushroom is considered a delicacy, with gourmands often choosing to cook the Puffball in breadcrumbs.
Often growing to 50 centimeters in diameter, the largest Puffball on record was registered in Canada, weighing a whopping 23 kilos.
The Puffball is not the only mushroom to flirt with fleeting weekend fame. In the Podkarpackie region of southeastern Poland, another discovery prompted an outpouring of horror after a mushroom hunter posted a photograph of three mushrooms growing from the cap of another.
The post prompted a wave of comments, with one Facebook user naming the mushroom ‘Borowikus czarnobylus niepospolitus’ after Chernobyl.
Equally startling, in the Podlasie region of eastern Poland, police and specialist units were called after one mushroom picker discovered a box filled with fuses and primers in hermetically sealed bags. The matter is now being investigated by the ABW, the country’s internal security service. Poland’s mania for mushroom picking is nothing new. Described by some as being a national sport, the pastime has now even made the transition into pop culture after a video game was released over the summer titled Mushroom Season.
Published by Actus Games, the sim game challenges users to become “the ultimate forager.”
“Customize your character, explore lush forests, and compete in thrilling mushroom picking contest,” declare the game’s makers, “identify mushrooms, avoid the poisonous ones, and aim for the top trophy.”
Climbing into a classic FSO Polonez, users then dive into the heart of rural Poland before setting off on foot into the country’s forests and fields to hunt for mushrooms with the aid of a digital atlas and a handbook describing different types of mushrooms.
Available for download on the Steam platform, the game has so far earned positive reviews.
