The Largest Edible Mushroom on Our Planet Owes Its Impressive Dimensions to Insects

When you look at the photos of the largest edible mushroom in the world, it looks air-brush suspicious. But the pictures are true and the mushroom is very tasty.

Its name makes you think of mythical titans,. Or the famous ship that sank on its maiden cruise. And although in Black Africa it has been known for centuries, the world discovered the mushroom as late as in 1980’s

The mushroom grown only in western Africa and Zambia. It loves the local ‘winter’ when the areas receive a massive amount of rainwater. And although water plays an important role in the mushroom’s growth, it owes its size to something else.

The termitomyces titanicus owes its size mainly to termites, and to be more precise, to their… excrements. This is the main nutrient of the mushroom and this is what makes it so huge.

Titanicus lives in perfect symbiosis with termites as this cooperation provides both sides with food they need. Termites build their nests under the mushrooms where thousands or even millions of the insects find shelter.

Interestingly, Titanicus would never be considered as the largest edible mushroom of the world but for the pressure form mother nature. The larger it is, the more spores it has, luring termites providing it with food and ensuring survival. And the more of them, the larger the mushroom gets.

Titanicus is alleged to be tasty, partly due to its fleshy texture and spicy smoky flavor. It’s got a number of microelements our bodies need so it’s nutritional value shouldn’t be underestimated. Locals often use one mushroom as a single ingredient for a complete family meal.