Today we come to talk about another of the mushrooms of the genus Boletus. In this case, we are going to talk about the king of summer, the boletus aereus. Its growth begins in late spring and lasts well into autumn. It is one of the most coveted species of mushrooms by any self-respecting mushroom hunter.
In this article we are going to show you what the main characteristics are and where you have to look for them if you want to get them.
Key features
El boletus aereus It is found in the edules section. It belongs to the most coveted mushrooms by gatherers. This is because it is an excellent food from a gastronomic point of view. They are really abundant in many places and can be found in almost all types of forests. If we go through poplar groves and avenues, we may not see them, since these ecosystems do not meet the necessary conditions for the Boletus aereus to survive well.
The time of appearance is quite long, which helps them to be better distributed and increases their collection rate. Among its main characteristics we find a large hat that it can be perfectly between 20 and 25 cm in diameter. At first, when the mushroom is young, it has a fairly closed hemispherical shape. As it develops, they open until they become convex and with a regular edge. Its cuticle is adherent and dry. When young, it has a velvety texture and is dark brown in color.
Little by little, it clears up as it grows to the point that in some areas it becomes discolored. It has long, thin, white tubes that when they grow up they become lighter yellow and greenish yellow when they are in old age. Pores are closed at first and open to appear some round but quite small.
As for your foot, it can reach up to 15 cm in height, although the most normal thing is that it is between 8 and 10 cm. It is a thick foot and the longer it grows, the thicker it becomes at the base. Its color is ocher somewhat redder and its reticulum is finer.
Description
Its meat is quite, firm, compact, brown and when it grows it softens. That is why it is important to wait for it to mature in order to eat it. The real game comes when the meat is tender and is used to make many dishes. The meat is white and does not alter throughout its development. It also does not rust and has little odor.
It has spores of a yellowish ocher color and micron size. There are some species of Boletus that are not edible, such as the Boletus satanas. Therefore, it is necessary to know in depth the mushrooms to be able to differentiate them from the poisonous ones and not make mistakes in the collection.
Period in which it appears
As we have mentioned before, the boletus aereus It can be found from May uninterruptedly until well into autumn. Other edible mushrooms of the genus Boletus such as Boletus edulis, has its appearance in autumn. This species is also in high demand for being a gastronomic delicacy with multiple applications. The boletus pinicola has its time in spring, although it can also have a second outbreak in early fall.
The advantage of boletus aereus with respect to the others of the same genus and that they are edible is that They are shown from spring until well into autumn without interruption. The other delicacies usually have two shoots a year, so their harvest is interrupted and not so abundant.
Depending on the environmental conditions of the year in which we are, this mushroom can remain grown until November and even December if we are in the chestnut and cork oak groves of Huelva. In order for them to last longer, it is necessary for the autumn to be more humid and somewhat hot. For this reason, this species of mushroom is known as the King of Summer.
Where do we find the boletus aereus
We are going to focus on explaining what is the habitat that this mushroom has. The preferred habitat and in which it develops best and most abundantly are oak groves. Its expansion is somewhat more limited than other of its companions such as the Boletus edulis (This extends to all types of pines, firs, oaks, holm oaks, beech and even hazelnuts). It is limited somewhat more to some types of oaks, cork oaks and some chestnut trees.
On the other hand, it is not a mushroom that is hidden and in isolation like many others. On the contrary, you can see it easily since his preferred location is in the light. You can find them in clear terrain and they usually appear in pairs or trios very often. In just a few square meters, you can find numerous specimens.
It is considered a delicacy in gastronomy and, as always, it is a matter of taste. In general, there is not much difference with other edibles of the genus Boletus. The meat of this species takes longer to soften and thanks to this, it has a better texture to be able to work it in the kitchen. It also perfectly supports drying, so it gives it more versatility when treating it.
Threats
This mushroom has some drawbacks when it comes to eating them. The thing is, it is frequently attacked by larvae being a summer mushroom. These larvae appear when temperatures are higher and can reproduce more quickly. Before pulling it, it is better to check its condition a little to see if it has larvae or is in good condition. If it has larvae or is badly destroyed, it is better not to tear it off. In this way, we allow it to release its spores and it can continue to reproduce.
Let's not forget that we have to guarantee the survival of the species. If we tear it off and cannot take advantage of it, there will be fewer that can reproduce by spores.
I hope that with this information you can know more about the boletus aereus, could beboletus aereusas pick them up well and enjoy their flavor in their countless dishes.