Tag Archives: Boletus edulis

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We've had enough rain for a Porcini, Boletus edulis, bloom. This choice, edible mushroom is such a treat to find. Paul Kozal hit a goldmine of Porcinis, over ten pounds of them.

Basketfull of Boletus edulis by Paul Kozal

And, this very morning Rick and I discovered this bloom of Coccora, Amanita calyptroderma.

Coccora by Jeanne Jackson

Coccoras should only be picked and eaten by the most experienced mushroom forage as they have a deadly look-a-like, the Destroying Angel. Since Rick refuses to eat a mushroom that could conceivably be mistaken for a deadly one - a wise decision - we leave these beauties alone and admire them growing in the forest.

Happy foraging! We have rain in our forecast for next week but for the weekend we are having a short heat wave.

Thanks to  Paul for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Paul's photography, here is his website: http://www.paulkozal.com/

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It amazes me that King Boletes are being found in April. They "normally" fruit in the fall after the first rains. But this hasn't been a normal weather year. The rains we had in February and March have prompted a very late bloom in some places.

Alon Fish and Tony Gatchalian found some beauties near Manchester.

This delicious edible mushroom is also called Porcini or Cep. Cece Case found one too, this one near The Sea Ranch

Lucky mushroom foragers! I do wonder what will happen in the fall - will there be a strong fruiting of King Boletes? Time, of course, will tell.

Thanks to Alon and Cece for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Susan Moore scored this huge Boletus edulis on a friend's property. It came up the latter part of March, which is very unusual. This delicious edible mushroom normally fruits in November and December.

This is one BIG Porcini mushroom!

I did see my first Black Trumpets - Horn of Plenty - up on our property yesterday. They looked great with all the rain to prompt them to bloom.

Thanks to Susan Moore for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

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Several King Boletes, Boletus edulis, have appeared, though we haven't had any recent rains. Irma Brandt went out recently, looking for moist soil under pine needles. This is what she found - a nice, fat King Bolete under a Bishop Pine tree.

This mushrooms usually fruits in November, when our first rains trigger their appearance. Rick and I have checked our spots and no mushrooms have appeared. It will be interesting to see what kind of wild mushroom season we have this year.

Thanks to Irma for allowing me to share her photo with you here. To see Irma with the biggest bolete I've ever seen, here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/10/17/the-biggest-king-bolete-ive-ever-seen-was-found-in-the-manchester-area-a-few-days-ago/

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A choice, edible mushroom that *normally* blooms in the fall, usually in November, has fruited on the Mendonoma Coast. Cathleen Crosby had a half dozen pop up near her home in Gualala

This is exactly what you look for - a big, fat mushroom with a thick, white stalk and a brown cap. Under the cap is a sponge rather than gills. This mushroom is a joy to find and delicious to eat. Now I wonder what will happen when our fall rains begin. Will we get a normal bloom of King Boletes?

Our summer edible mushroom is The Prince, Agaricus augustus. It is blooming on schedule as Leslie Hoppe's photo shows you. The Prince often pops up near roads and trails. When it is young it tastes sweet and almondy; when older it tastes more "mushroomy."

Thanks to Cathleen and Leslie for allowing me to share their photos with you here.