Larch bolete

Identity and naming

Suillus grevillei is a bolete of the genus Suillus, which forms a partnership with the roots of larch trees. The catalogue uses the English name larch bolete and records no other alias for it.

Look-alikes named by the guides include the velvet bolete and the slippery jack. The catalogue's note that host information is useful for research but insufficient for identification applies here.

Ecology and habitat

The larch bolete is a mycorrhizal fungus associated with larch trees, and the catalogue places it in Europe and in regions where larch has been introduced. The fruiting bodies come up in the soil under larches, and the catalogue records the supply as wild gathering.

Preparation and use

Foraging guides consistently say the mushroom is edible but must be cooked. Several guides advise peeling off the slimy cap skin and removing the pore layer, because the pores are said to cause stomach upset in some people. The mushroom holds much water and guides often advise drying it first, or drying it before use.

Cooking methods named in the guides include roasting, baking, soups and stews, and frying with butter, garlic and herbs. One UK guide gives at least 15 to 20 minutes of heating and says the raw fruit body is slightly toxic. Wikipedia describes the species as edible but of little culinary interest once the slimy cuticle is removed. The mushroom softens when cooked, so guides suggest mixing it with firmer mushrooms.

The catalogue records the food use as a cooked bolete, and the supplied Nordic source lists it among food species. The amounts and timings above come from foraging guides, not from a controlled study, and they are recorded as the guides state them.

Safety and identification

Safety wording: this page describes what the sources record. It is not an identification guide, and it gives no verdict that a wild bolete is safe to eat. Guides warn that some people get stomach upset or allergic-type reactions, and advise a small test portion. Anyone who eats it should stop if they feel unwell.

The catalogue marks its evidence as food and specialist evidence, which does not establish identity by itself. Look-alike boletes must be excluded by a qualified expert before anyone eats a specimen.