Puffballs – Lycoperdaceae SPP.: Edible and Other Uses of the Bland Marshmallow of Edible Mushrooms

Puffballs - Lycoperdaceae SPP.

There are dozens of species of puffballs (Lycoperdaceae spp.) in Ontario alone. The pear shaped puffball (Apioperdon pyriforme syn. Lycoperdon pyriforme) pictured below is the most common. Fairly common is the widely sought after giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea). And pictured in the header image as well as furthur below, common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum) is the …

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Tree Lungwort (Lichen) – Lobaria Pulmonaria: Medicinal & Alternative Uses of the Sign of a Healthy Forest

Tree Lungwort (Lichen) - Lobaria Pulmonaria

This isn’t the herb lungwort, which we’ll be covering next month. This is a very special lichen also called lungwort. Tree lungwort AKA lung lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) wowed me the instant I saw it. This is a large distinct lichen, named after its pulmonary appearance. I first spotted it on a tree in damp woods …

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Chaga – Inonotus Obliquus: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Birch Mushroom

Chaga - Inonotus Obliquus

We’re branching out into Fungi, which isn’t a plant so we may need to create a new category here with an exact title. How about Edible & Medicinal Fungi and Lichen? Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a mostly recognizable fungi, black and rugged on the outside and an orangey golden brown on the inside. There are …

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