Old Man of the Woods

Strobilomyces strobilaceus

Family: Boletaceae

Also called: Old Man of the Woods, Pinecone Bolete, Shaggy Strobilomyces

Old Man of the Woods (Strobilomyces strobilaceus)
Photo:This image was created by user Patrick Harvey (pg_harvey) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You ca(CC BY-SA 3.0)View original source →

Overview

Coarsely shaggy black-and-white bolete of eastern hardwoods. Edible cooked but turns inky; mostly a curiosity.

Edibility
Edible
Rarity
common
Trophic mode
mycorrhizal
Typical peak
Sep–Oct

Season

Sep–Nov — typical fruiting months: Aug, Sep, Oct.

Host trees & substrate

  • Mycorrhizal with oak
  • Mycorrhizal with beech
  • Mycorrhizal with maple
  • Mycorrhizal with birch

Where it grows

See live fruiting predictions for Old Man of the Woods on the forecast home page, or browse the full field guide.

Always confirm wild-mushroom identification with multiple sources and a knowledgeable local expert before consuming. Read the foraging safety guide.