Hello, I was hoping someone could help identify and let me know what would be a treatment for a hard fungus that I cannot identify. It is white, round and the size of a baseball. I've had several growing next to and under my driveway. It is so hard that it actually lifts the asphalt up and has ruined the driveway. Apart from digging them up, I have not been able to get rid of them. They come back every year at the end of the summer. The area is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. I don't have a picture, but hopefully that is enough information for one of you experts. Thanks in advance.
hard round and white sounds like a puff ball of *some* kind. A picture is going to help a lot, though!
If a photo is not possible, can you dig up an entire mushroom and describe it: Is it completely round like a puffball, or can you see a stem starting to grow?
Several kinds of mushrooms are known to be able to do such strange things like growing through asphalt The more frequently seen is Agaricus bitorquis, but other like Coprinus comatus or Coprinus atramontarius can do it as well. Give more details please J@C
Some puffballs are capable of what you described. A species of Scleroderma might be in question though the genus does not include pure white ones. Harri Harmaja http://www.luomus.fi/users/harmaja/index.htm
I will try and get a picture. I'm currently in Texas. My main concern is treatment to rid the fungus. Are any of the ones mentioned treatable?
i'd recommend cutting one in half - and seeing if there is a complete uniform consistence (puffball) or some structures inside (not a puffball). As for getting rid of them? Go to http://www.mushroomexpert.com/yard.html and scroll down to where it says "how do i get rid of them". Lengthy, full of details, and accurate information there.
Thanks all. I'm not completely sure, but after some of your suggestions, it may be Scleroderma polyrhizum. Sounds like I'll have to make the most of it since they are there to stay and will return until they have finished. Maybe I can sell them. Anyone interested? What's the going rate?
Not sure that's how the market on these things works! However, If you pack them up for me, and throw in $25, I'll take them off your hands. Oh yeah, and you'll have to cover shipping too. :)
Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass. Are they edible? Can they be eaten raw? Anyone have any good recipes if they are ingestible?
As far as I know, no Scleroderma is edible at any stage of development. In fact, Scleroderma's are dubbed "the poison puffballs".
Perhaps the Department of Defense would be interested. Hard as iron, strong as steel, able to lift (and pulverize) whole driveways---the Poison Puffballs! Either as projectiles or as stealthy invaders these fungi are formidable adversaries. Trebuchet, anyone?