A tale of two Boletes.
Brown Birch Bolete (Leccinum scrabrum) and the Lurid Bolete (Suillellus luridus) have both appeared in the garden this month. Both under Birch trees but the Lurid seems to like the gate area while the Brown Birch isn't fussy!
They are fast growing, literally popping up overnight under the right conditions and some grow huge!
Left to their own devices it will get to 15 +cm across.
I struggle with spore prints from boletes simply because the insects get there first so any spores that drop tend to be disturbed by insect larvae!
Below on the left is the Lurid Bolete and on the right is the Brown Birch Bolete.
Once confidently idendified, these boletes are technically edible and need long cooking - however - The Lurid Bolete can very easily be mistaken for poisonous lookalikes and the list is quite long. The Brown Birch Bolete is not a firm or tasty mushroom and most don't think it is worth the effort. (Especially when you see what crawls out of them!)
They are fast growing, literally popping up overnight under the right conditions and some grow huge!
Left to their own devices it will get to 15 +cm across.
They both bruise very easily, going quite black at the slightest touch.
I struggle with spore prints from boletes simply because the insects get there first so any spores that drop tend to be disturbed by insect larvae!
Below on the left is the Lurid Bolete and on the right is the Brown Birch Bolete.
Once confidently idendified, these boletes are technically edible and need long cooking - however - The Lurid Bolete can very easily be mistaken for poisonous lookalikes and the list is quite long. The Brown Birch Bolete is not a firm or tasty mushroom and most don't think it is worth the effort. (Especially when you see what crawls out of them!)
Wood, Trees in Ireland, Edible mushrooms Ireland, Poisonous mushrooms Ireland, Mushrooms Ireland, Mushroom Identification Ireland, Irish mushroom identification, Forest, Ireland Forest, Irish Garden mushrooms, Irish wild mushrooms, irish garden mushrooms, artwork, irish artist, painting, modern art, art online, modern irish painting, online art store, contemporary irish art, buy art online, online artist