# Larch Bolete (*Suillus grevillei*)

The Larch Bolete is a mushroom that grows under larch trees. It has a unique shape and is fun to find in the forest!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Larch forests
- **Also known as:** Greville's Suillus, Larch Mushroom

![Larch Bolete](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425907/objects/5148.jpg)

## Appearance

The Larch Bolete has a shiny, often very slimy cap that ranges from golden yellow to orangey-brown, sometimes reddish. Its underside is covered with small, angular yellow pores instead of gills. The stem is yellowish and often features a distinct ring.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Boletales
- **Family:** Suillaceae
- **Genus:** Suillus

## Interesting facts

- Instead of gills, it has a spongy yellow underside filled with tiny tubes!
- Its shiny cap sometimes looks like it's been painted with a clear varnish!
- Older Larch Boletes can turn reddish-brown when handled or bruised!
- Tiny insect larvae often tunnel through its soft flesh for a tasty treat!

## Special abilities

- **Larch Life Partner:** Larch Bolete can absorb nutrients from soil and share them with larch tree roots, helping the trees grow stronger.
- **Slime Shield:** Larch Bolete has a slimy cap that helps it stay moist and protects it from drying out in sunny weather.
- **Spore Shower:** Larch Bolete can release millions of tiny, dust-like spores from its pores that are carried by wind to new locations.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-12 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 5-15 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Summer to late autumn
- **Spore Color:** Olive-brown to rusty-brown

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** [European Larch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-larch) (*Larix decidua*) — Forms a crucial underground partnership for nutrient exchange.
- **Symbiotic with:** [Tamarack Larch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tamarack-larch) (*Larix laricina*) — Essential mycorrhizal partner in boggy North American habitats.
- **Eats:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs enjoy munching on its moist, fleshy cap and stem.
- **Eats:** Eurasian Red Squirrel (*Sciurus vulgaris*) — Squirrels sometimes forage for and consume this mushroom.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Larch Bolete?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Larch Bolete?

5-12 cm

### Is Larch Bolete edible?

edible

### How big is Larch Bolete?

5-15 cm

### Where is Larch Bolete usually found?

Larch forests

### What does Larch Bolete grow on?

soil

### When is Larch Bolete in season?

Summer to late autumn

### What color are Larch Bolete spores?

Olive-brown to rusty-brown

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Larch Bolete: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/larch-bolete)