Has anyone found King Boletes in central PA?

[Yergaderga]

I have found a few types of Boletes in the mountains but it hasn't been raining so I'm not sure what all I can find. What trees shoul I be looking under?

Thanks!

[troutddicted]

DaveW has found everything, even stuff that hasn't been discovered yet

[Dave W]

In eastern PA and points northward (through eastern NY into VT) there are several types of King Boletes. These fall into a few categories.

1. Classic edulis types: planted Norway Spruce (usually on lawns), hemlock (old growth near a stream, but not always), white pine (but for every 100 white pine trees one explores, maybe 1 or 2 produce edulis), rarely old-growth oak (but I have seen massive fruitings under oak).

2. Boletus separans, B. nobilis, B. variipes, B. atkinsoniana: These are generally hardwood associates... oak, beech, hickory (oak/hickory mix seems good), sometimes with hemlock mixed in. But I once picked over 10 pounds of B. separans in a yard under hemlock.

3. Boletus subcaerulescens: The only one of these that exhibits blue staining, usually faint. Stains may appear on the pore surface or where the tubes connect to the cap context (seen by removing tubes). This species does not always stain blue. A non-staining look-alike/variety (?) has been called Boletus pinophilus. This is found usually in pine/oak mix. Seems to be more prevalent south of the areas I mentioned above. Perhaps the best quality eastern bolete (the spruce/hemlock edulis types are also excellent).

Boletus subcaerulescens

Not sure about central PA. But the further west/south one travels from NE PA, it seems the classic edulis types become less common. The hardwood types (category 2) are common west/south of my area.

[John Smalldridge]

Nice post on the subject Dave. Species description and tree associations are very helpful. It seems that hunting edible mushrooms is 20 percent species knowledge, 20 percent finding the right type trees, elevation, time of year, weather and 60 percent boots on the ground searching.

[Dave W]

I like that quantitative analysis, John.

[eat-bolete]

I'd squeeze 1% in somewhere for cursing all the mushroom-dwelling bugs.

[John Smalldridge]

Extra protein!!! Haha.

[Yergaderga]

Thanks for all the knowledge! I think I'll try sometime today or soon and see what I can find. I've been on vacation in MD. and yesterday before we left I found a cluster of Boletes of some type under an oak at the bay house.

[Heidi]

yes, I think I just found a king bolete in my yard among other kinds. It's a dark blood reddish velvety cap and yellow under w/ thicker longish stem... not exactly sure but this one really stood out as I was out with my dog. I have it with two other kinds in a ziplock bag. let me know if you're interested in any info or picture I can offer.   -Heidi C. Franks I'm on fb under that name or you can text my cell 574-238-3518

I have lived in the South Hills Mt. Lebanon, Pa. for 41 years.