Nordic mushrooms – get to know the species
SvenskaNorskDeutschEnglish
← Back to all mushrooms
Birch bolete

Birch bolete

Leccinum scabrum
Edible
★★★☆☆
Taste rating: 3 out of 5

How to identify it

Cap
Cap brown to grey-brown, smooth to slightly felted and usually convex. Colour can vary greatly.
Underside
Underside consists of fine white to grey-white tubes that darken with age. Pores readily become brown-grey.
Stem
Whitish stem with distinct dark to almost black scales. Often long and slightly tapering upwards.
Smell
Mild, slightly earthy mushroom smell.

Occurrence and habitat

Grows together with birch and occurs in many types of birch woodland and mixed woodland.

Look-alike species

These mushrooms can resemble Birch bolete. Look closely at features, habitat and images to see the differences.

Spotted bolete
Spotted bolete
Leccinum variicolor
★★★★★
Good edible mushroom

Important characteristics and habitat must be compared when identifying the species.

Read more about Spotted bolete ›

Preparation

Always cook thoroughly. Remove older, watery parts. Frying, stewing and soup are suitable.

Recipe suggestions

Fried birch bolete with butter, onion and cream served with potatoes.

Images – study the mushroom from several angles

Click an image to display it as the main image.

⚠ Important safety information

Use only well-identified, fresh specimens. Older Leccinum species can become spongy or have poorer texture.

Facts and sources

Sources
Svampguiden; SLU Artdatabanken/Artfakta
Checked batch 08 – fact text compiled against