Description of edible and inedible butter mushrooms, their poisonous counterparts (+40 photos)

Butter mushrooms have long been considered a delicacy, and mushroom pickers eagerly collect them in the autumn forest for their extraordinary aroma and flavor. However, it's important to remember that there are several edible species of butter mushrooms that can easily be confused with inedible and even poisonous mushrooms. Therefore, it's important to carefully study the photos and descriptions of such mushrooms to avoid poisoning.

Characteristic features of the species and rules for collecting butter mushrooms

To understand what butter mushrooms look like, you need to familiarize yourself with the species' characteristics and photos. The mushroom cap varies in structure and can be wavy or smooth, cone-shaped or hemispherical, becoming more like a cushion with age. It can be brown or chocolate-colored, depending on the lighting. They can reach up to 15 cm in diameter.

The cap is also covered in a special mucus that protects the mushroom from damage and bacteria. The presence of this mucus clearly distinguishes boletus mushrooms from other families. The spore-bearing layer is easily separated from the cap. The stipe is full, smooth, and granular. Occasionally, ring-shaped areas of the cap can be seen. The flesh is white with a yellowish tint; when the stipe is cut off, the color changes to red or blue. The spores are yellow.

Butter mushrooms are most common in the Northern Hemisphere, but in exceptional cases they can be found in Australia and African countries. Some species grow with only one tree species, while others can live with various conifers—pine, larch, etc.—but they thrive only in well-lit forests. They are often found in shelterbelts, coniferous thickets, and forest clearings.

Mushrooms bear fruit from early summer to late fall. The optimal temperature for boletus mushrooms is 150°C (312°F). They can appear immediately after rain. They don't like cold very much and stop growing when the soil freezes to a depth of 3 cm. Harvesting butter mushrooms requires great care to avoid damaging the mycelium. Mushroom pickers use a special mushroom knife to cut the stem as close to the ground as possible and immediately remove any soil or debris from the mushroom.

Popular types of edible butter mushrooms

There are several types of butter mushrooms that can be eaten, and their descriptions make it easy to distinguish them in the forest:

1. The yellow-brown butter mushroom (variegated butter mushroom, or variegated butter mushroom) grows in small clusters in pine forests. The cap reaches 14 cm in diameter and is semicircular in shape, becoming cushion-shaped with age. Young specimens are olive-green, while mature specimens can be brown, red, or yellow.

   

   

   

   The skin, unlike other members of the Oleraceae family, is not slimy and cracks into scales. This makes the skin difficult to peel. When immature, the skin is hairy, later turning into thin, smooth scales. The stem resembles a club. The flesh is yellow, turning blue where cut. The aroma is reminiscent of metal or pine needles. This variety is excellent for pickling.

2. The white (pale) butter mushroom grows in small clusters in pine and cedar forests. It bears fruit from June to November. The round cap reaches 12 cm in diameter. The surface is slightly slimy, light yellow, with purple spots.

   

   

   

   The stem resembles a cylinder or spindle, reaching a height of 8 cm. The flesh is purple under the skin, light in the center, and yellow above the spores. The aroma and flavor are distinct. This species is best harvested when the mushrooms are still young.

3. The summer boletus (Silver boletus) grows in clusters and is often found among coniferous thickets and under pine trees. The cap is up to 10 cm in diameter, rounded, and reddish-brown or yellow-orange in color. The surface is dehydrated and glossy, becoming slimy in high humidity and after rain. The skin peels easily from the flesh.

   

   

   

   The stem is light yellow with brown spots, up to 8 cm tall and up to 1.5 cm in diameter, resembling a cylinder. A bumpy surface forms after the droplets secreted by the pores dry. The flesh is yellow, with a pleasant nutty aroma and flavor. The cut surface remains unchanged. The spores are brown.

4. The common butter mushroom (autumn butter mushroom) grows in clumps and is often found in coniferous and mixed thickets. It bears fruit from early July to October. The cap is round and brown or chocolate-colored. The surface is covered in mucilage, and the skin peels off easily. It reaches 12 cm in diameter. The spores are brown. The aroma and flavor are indistinct.

   

   

   

5. The cedar boletus (weeping boletus) grows primarily in dense clumps in cedar forests. It bears fruit from mid-June to late September. The cap can reach 15 cm in diameter and is brown. The surface is waxy, dull, and yellow. The stem is covered with rusty spots. The flesh is light yellow, turning blue when cut. It has a sour taste and an indistinct aroma. The pores can secrete a liquid that hardens, turning the mushroom brown.

   

   

   

6. The butter mushroom grows in swamps and damp areas. It can be found in North America, Siberia, and the Far East. It bears fruit from early summer to late fall. The cap is fleshy, 10 to 15 cm in size. The surface is slimy with small scales. The stem has a ring.

   

   

   

   The color above the ring is light yellow, below it is brown with slight scales. After cutting, the flesh is initially yellow, then turns brown. The aroma and flavor are mild.

7. The Tridentine butter mushroom grows on mountain slopes and in coniferous thickets. It bears fruit from early summer to late October. The cap is fleshy, orange, and semi-circular, becoming cushion-shaped over time. The flesh is fleshy, yellow, and reddens when cut. The spores are olive.

   

8. The Siberian butter mushroom grows in dense clumps in pine forests. The cap is light-colored (but darkens with age), resembling a hemisphere that soon unfolds at maturity. The skin becomes slimy in high humidity and peels easily. Drops may exude, which harden into brown spots.

   

   

   

False and poisonous doubles

The Oleraceae family includes both false boletuses, which are inedible and poisonous, and conditionally edible mushrooms. They are easily distinguished:

1. The peppery boletus, a member of the Chalciporus genus, is considered a false mushroom. Fruiting occurs from June to October. The cap is round, smooth, and glossy. The stem is 6 cm tall and 1 cm in diameter. It turns red when cut. The mushroom's main distinguishing feature is its peppery flavor, which disappears after cooking. Many chefs consider it inedible, but some add it to food for a piquant flavor.

   

2. The poisonous Satan's Boletus (Boletus satanicum) grows in oak and deciduous forests on calcareous soil. The cap is 20 cm in diameter, cushion-shaped, light olive green, and fleshy. The flesh of the poisonous lookalike is light-colored, turning blue when cut. The odor is unpleasant, reminiscent of carrion, especially pronounced in mature mushrooms.

   

Edible and conditionally edible mushrooms similar to butter mushrooms

Some mushrooms, quite similar to edible butter mushrooms, are considered conditionally edible:

1. The larch butter mushroom lives symbiotically with deciduous trees. When young, the cap is semicircular and cone-shaped; when mature, it becomes smooth and pillow-like. The stem, 10 cm tall, is the same color as the cap. The flesh is dense, fleshy, and yellow, turning brown where cut. It has a pleasant flavor and aroma.

   

2. The goat's tongue mushroom (lattice mushroom) grows in humid areas under pine trees. It bears fruit from early July to November, in dense clusters. The cap is reddish-brown, rounded, and forms a cushion as it grows. It is approximately 11 cm in diameter. The surface is slimy, smooth, and glossy. The skin separates easily from the flesh. The flesh is fleshy, light in color with brown hues. It has a slightly tart taste and is suitable for pickling.

   

3. The yellow butter mushroom grows in the sandy soils of Siberia. The mushroom cap is orange-cinnamon in color. The cap is conical and 6 cm in diameter. The stem has a ring resembling white gelatin. When preparing food, it is important to carefully remove the skin, which can cause severe diarrhea.

   

4. The grey butter mushroom grows in deciduous forests and parks from June to September. The cap is light grey. The stem is 10 cm tall, cylindrical in shape, and has a white ring. The surface is slimy. The cut surface turns blue.

   

5. The spruce mokruha belongs to the genus Mokruha and is a completely edible lookalike. It grows in spruce forests and bears fruit abundantly in summer. The cap can reach 12 cm in diameter and is grayish-purple. The shape is initially wavy, then spreading and sunken in the center, with downward-sloping edges. It is fleshy and slimy when immature. The spores are almost black. The flavor and aroma are pleasant. The flesh is yellow.

   

Symptoms and first aid for poisoning by false butter mushrooms

The first signs of poisoning can be noticed within 3 hours. This usually manifests as an upset stomach. Initially, severe stomach pain and vomiting are felt. Stools are loose and frequent. Sometimes accompanied by fever and headache. The amount of butter mushrooms consumed and individual reactions should be taken into account.

Don't wait until the patient exhibits all the symptoms of boletus poisoning—emergency medical care must be provided immediately. Call a doctor immediately. It's also important to provide assistance yourself—give the person plenty of warm water with activated charcoal dissolved in it. This will help cleanse the stomach and intestines of toxins.

It's quite possible to get poisoned by false boletuses. If you don't know where the mushroom came from, where it was picked, or who picked it, it's best to avoid eating it.

Answers to frequently asked questions

The safety of eating butter mushrooms raises many questions among inexperienced mushroom pickers:

Butterlets are healthy and delicious mushrooms. There are many edible varieties, but it's important to recognize the false mushrooms and pay attention to proper cooking.

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