(18 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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Orange Birch Bolete
Edible 
Autumn 
Summer 
A tasty member of the greater Bolete family. This mushroom can sometimes also be known as the Boletus testaceoscaber or Boletus rufescens.
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | Orange Birch Bolete |
| Scientific Name | Boletus / Leccinum versipelle |
| Synonyms | Boletus versipellis, Boletus testaceoscaber, Boletus rufescens |
| Season Start | Jul |
| Season End | Nov |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 20 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 20 |
Cap
Starting ovate opening to broadly convex and staying like that until finally flattening out a bit with age, can be slightly downy. Orange to red orange/brown or even yellowish, this mushroom can vary greatly in cap colour and the versipelle used to be thought of as several different Leccinum species. The top edge of the cap overhangs the pores a little bit which can help with identification.
Pores
Pale yellow sponge-like pores, can be a bit grey/brown.
Stem
White to off-white mottled with small brown to black scales which give it a dirty appearance. The stem can be longer than the diameter of the cap.
Flesh
White/pale grey turning dark blue/green in the stem to dark grey/black on cooking.
Habitat
Growing under birch trees, especially on acid heathland and wood edges.
Possible Confusion
The Orange Oak Bolete looks almost identical and can grow with Birch but the two are edible if well cooked.
Spore Print
Brown. Subfusiform.
Taste / Smell
Good, similar to the Cep. Must be well cooked before consumption as it is mildly toxic, 15 to 20 minutes apparently destroys all the toxin.
Frequency
Fairly common.
4 comments for Orange Birch Bolete
The comment that this mushroom is toxic is simply not true, we have consumed a lot of these raw over the years. Not once has anyone ever been poisoned or anything like that. It would be interesting to see a link to a scientific paper confirming the toxicity of L.versipelle as well as other related fungi.
I agree, have eaten them both cooked and raw for years and never had any issues.
I have just sliced and fried one for the first time but found it disappointingly tasteless, and rendered rather floppy in texture. Is this to be expected ? Best eaten raw maybe ?
That’s a pity, I like the Orange Birch Bolete but for me, any mushroom fried in lots of butter tastes great. I don’t recommend eating wild mushrooms raw.