# Pine Bolete (*Boletus pinophilus*)

The Pine Bolete is a delicious mushroom that loves to grow under pine trees. It's a favorite for mushroom hunters!

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

![Pine Bolete](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426745/objects/5151.jpg)

## Appearance

The Pine Bolete has a large, robust cap, typically reddish-brown to dark brown, often with a velvety texture that can crack with age. Its thick, club-shaped stem is whitish to brownish, covered with a distinct net-like pattern (reticulation), especially towards the top. When cut, its firm, white flesh usually does not change color.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Boletales
- **Family:** Boletaceae
- **Genus:** Boletus

## Interesting facts

- It smells distinctly earthy, sometimes even like sourdough bread!
- Its cap can grow larger than a dinner plate, making it very noticeable!
- Pine Boletes can form an underground 'superhighway' for nutrients to trees.
- This mushroom is prized by chefs, often called a 'King Bolete of Pines'.

## Special abilities

- **Mycorrhizal Helper:** Pine Bolete can share vital nutrients with pine trees because its fungal network connects directly to their roots.
- **Forest Recycler:** Pine Bolete has a hidden mycelial network that helps break down organic matter, enriching the forest soil.
- **Water Magnet:** Pine Bolete can absorb and store a surprising amount of water in its spongy cap, especially after heavy rain.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 8-25 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 7-30 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*) — Exchanges nutrients via its root system.
- **Symbiotic with:** [Austrian Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/austrian-pine) (*Pinus nigra*) — Forms a crucial underground nutrient partnership.
- **Eats:** [Red Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-squirrel) (*Sciurus vulgaris*) — Squirrels forage for these mushrooms, especially in autumn.
- **Eats:** Red Slug (*Arion rufus*) — Slugs and snails often munch on the fleshy cap.

## Traits

- [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones.
- [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 Pine 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 Pine Bolete?

8-25 cm

### Is Pine Bolete edible?

edible

### How big is Pine Bolete?

7-30 cm

### Where is Pine Bolete usually found?

Pine forests

### What does Pine Bolete grow on?

soil

### When is Pine Bolete in season?

Summer to fall

### What color are Pine Bolete spores?

Olive-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: [Pine Bolete: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pine-bolete)