# Painted Bolete (*Suillus variegatus*)

The Painted Bolete is a beautiful mushroom with a colorful cap. It’s a delight to see while exploring the woods!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Pine forests
- **Also known as:** Variegated Bolete

![Painted Bolete](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424394/objects/5149.jpg)

## Appearance

The Painted Bolete has a unique woolly-felted cap, ranging from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown, often appearing painted with diverse shades. Its underside features small, yellowish pores instead of traditional gills, which helps differentiate it. The stout stalk is typically reddish or orange-brown, adding to its vibrant look.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- It's sometimes called the "Velvet Bolete" because of its furry top!
- Its fuzzy cap feels like a soft, woolly blanket to touch!
- This mushroom loves hanging out with pine trees in cool, northern forests!
- Under its cap, it hides tiny tubes instead of classic mushroom gills!

## Special abilities

- **Nutrient Exchanger:** Painted Bolete forms a partnership with pine roots, swapping vital nutrients for sugars produced by the tree, helping both grow.
- **Spore Sharpshooter:** Painted Bolete has millions of tiny tubes that launch microscopic spores into the air, spreading new mushrooms far and wide.
- **Color Changer:** Painted Bolete's internal flesh undergoes a slow chemical reaction, turning a faint blue when exposed to air.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 4-12 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 5-15 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Summer to fall
- **Spore Color:** Olive-brown

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — Trades nutrients with its roots in European forests.
- **Symbiotic with:** [Eastern White Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-white-pine) (*Pinus strobus*) — Partners with this tree in North American woodlands.
- **Eaten by:** Great Grey Slug (*Limax maximus*) — Slugs and other invertebrates often feed on its caps.

## Traits

- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [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 Painted 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 Painted Bolete?

4-12 cm

### Is Painted Bolete edible?

edible

### How big is Painted Bolete?

5-15 cm

### Where is Painted Bolete usually found?

Pine forests

### What does Painted Bolete grow on?

soil

### When is Painted Bolete in season?

Summer to fall

### What color are Painted Bolete spores?

Olive-brown

## Where to spot

- [Lesní koutek Ralsko - Mini ZOO](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lesn-koutek-ralsko-mini-zoo) — Liberec Region, CZ · Zoo

## 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: [Painted Bolete: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/painted-bolete)