- Wolf-fart (Lycoperdon pyriforme) puffballs, which are around 1.5 inches, have light brown or whitish outer surfaces and white inner fruiting bodies. Giant puffballs, or Calvatia gigantea, can grow as large as 3 feet. They have light-colored outer surfaces and solid white inner fruiting bodies. False puffballs, hard puffballs or earthballs (Scleroderma spp.) are a similar type of fungi that develop just below the soil's top layer. They are approximately 3 inches in diameter, with a light-brown outer surface and dark inner spore masses.
- Puffball fungi live on dead or dying plant matter. They are useful because they help decompose organic material into plant nutrients. According to the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, puffball fungi are more of a curiosity than a serious lawn problem.
- Some homeowners prefer to eradicate puffballs, particularly if they have small children who play in the area. Christine Engelbrecht at the University of Iowa Extension recommends controlling puffballs by removing them as they occur. Improving the drainage or adding nitrogen fertilizer to the soil may help prevent fungal growth in some instances.
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