Sponge Mushrooms Overview: 25 mushrooms with sponge

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sponge fungi

Mushrooms are called sponge fungi that have tubes as a spore-forming fruit layer. This makes that part appear spongy. Mushrooms with a sponge belong to different families and sometimes have significant differences. Introducing 25 sponge mushrooms.

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In a nutshell

  • Sponge fungi also known as boletes or tube fungi
  • Sponge mostly whitish to yellow
  • in some species the sponge turns blue when pressed
  • only a few spongi are poisonous
  • most edible sponge mushrooms are better tolerated when heated

Table of contents

  • Sponge mushrooms from A to E
  • with F
  • From G to M
  • From N to R
  • From S to Z
  • frequently asked Questions

Sponge mushrooms from A to E

Apple fire sponge (Phellinus pomaceus)

The apple fire sponge is a Harmful fungus on fruit trees. It makes the wood brittle, which means that branches can easily break off.

Apple fire sponge (Phellinus pomaceus)
Source: Jerzy Opiola, Phellinus pomaceus BW 50 (3), Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Cap: hoof-shaped, grey-black, occasionally fissured
  • Stem: no stalk, firmly attached to the tree
  • Sponge color: grey-brown, red-brown
  • Location: exclusively on apple trees
  • Edibility: inedible
  • Risk of confusion: other fire sponge species, tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius)

Birch fungus (Leccinum scabrum)

The birch mushroom is a popular edible mushroom, who in the company of birches can be found. In order for the sponge fungus to develop, the vegetation must be rather low.

Birch fungus (Leccinum scabrum)
  • Cap: grey-brown to red-brown, greasy when moist, unevenly convex
  • Stem: dirty white, black-brown scales
  • Sponge color: whitish, more gray in older mushrooms
  • Location: around birch trees
  • Edibility: edible
  • risk of confusion: other birch mushroom species, hornbeam boletus (Leccinum griseum)

Blue-spotted purple boletus (Imperator rhodopurpureus)

The poisonous purple boletus can be recognized by its unpleasant odor, which is reminiscent of carrion. The bluish discoloration when cut is also striking.

Blue-spotted purple boletus (Imperator rhodopurpureus)
Source: This image was created by user (Gerhard Koller) at Mushroom Observer, a source for mycological images.
You can contact this user here.
English | espanol | french | italiano | macedonian | മലയാളം | portuguese | +/−, 2008-08-04 Boletus rhodopurpureus 1 18733, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Cap: crimson to dusky pink, velvety, scaly
  • Stem: yellow, reddish net
  • Sponge colour: yellow when young, later reddish
  • Habitat: deciduous forests, on calcareous soils
  • Edibility: toxic
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species

Butter fungus (Suillus luteus)

The butter mushroom belongs to the boletus family, which are edible. However, sensitive people can react with allergies or gastrointestinal complaints when consuming it, with the result that all species in the family should be avoided.

Butter fungus (Suillus luteus)
  • Cap: brown, shiny, slimy to greasy
  • Stem: yellow, brown-purple ring, brownish spots
  • Sponge color: lemon yellow
  • Location: symbiosis with Pine trees
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species, other smear species

Redcap (Leccinum aurantiacum)

The deciduous forest red cap is considered a very good edible mushroom. The tube fungus is rare, however, since it is the symbiosis of oak trees needs.

Redcap (Leccinum aurantiacum)
  • Hat: reddish brown, felty
  • Stem: white ground color, reddish-brown scales
  • Sponge color: whitish to yellow-brown
  • Habitat: Mixed forests, mainly in the company of oaks, rarely with other deciduous trees
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other Red Cap species

with F

False Satan Bolete (Rubroboletus legaliae)

There are various statements about the edibility of the boletus. Since it has to be cooked for at least a very long time, it is generally classified as inedible.

False Satan Bolete (Rubroboletus legalie)
Source: Xth floor, Luční – Boletus legaliae 05, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Cap: light gray to reddish brown, occasionally reddish
  • Stem: yellowish, reddish net
  • Sponge color: purple
  • Location: deciduous forests, with oaks or Book
  • Edibility: toxic
  • Risk of confusion: different species of purple boletus, Satan's boletus (Boletus satanas)

Norway spruce cap (Leccinum piceinum)

The spruce red cap is one of the most common species among the red caps. However, the sponge mushroom should not be eaten raw, but always fully cooked.

Norway spruce cap (Leccinum piceinum)
Source: Colin Rose from Montreal, Canada, Leccinum piceinum, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0
  • Hat: reddish brown
  • Stem: white ground color, black scales
  • Sponge color: white-grey to grey-brown
  • Location: at spruces, symbiosis with blueberries
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other red cap species, spotted birch mushroom (Leccinum variicolor)

Felty boletus (Xerocomus submentosus)

The brown felt boletus will too goat lip called and is a widespread sponge fungus. The formation of the fruiting bodies begins in summer and continues into autumn.

Goat's lip (Xerocomus submentosus)
  • Hat: grey-brown, tomentose
  • Stem: yellowish, brownish net
  • Sponge colour: yellow, bluing when pressed
  • Location: mixed forest, mainly in the company of spruces
  • Edibility: edible
  • Likelihood of confusion: other boletus species, sand boletus (Suillus variegatus)

Flat Varnish Porling (Ganoderma applanatum)

The Lackporling is an inconspicuous fungus that grows on dead wood. He is considered a healing medicinal mushroom.

Flat Varnish Porling (Ganoderma applanatum)
  • Cap: brown to grey-brown, kidney-shaped
  • Stem: without a stem, grown directly into the wood
  • Sponge color: whitish, later yellowish
  • Location: Deadwood from deciduous trees
  • Edibility: inedible
  • Danger of confusion: Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), other Lackporling types

Flake-stemmed witch bolete (Neoboletus luridiformis)

The Flakestemmed Witch Bolete is one of the first edible mushrooms of the year. It can be found in the woods from May.

Flake-stemmed witch bolete (Neoboletus luridiformis)
  • Cap: dark brown, occasionally flecked with yellow, velvety, sticky
  • Stem: yellow base, red flakes
  • Sponge color: red, young mushrooms with yellowish tubes
  • Habitat: Mixed forest, prefers acidic soil
  • Edibility: edible
  • risk of confusion: other species of witch boletus, other species of purple boletus

From G to M

Common gall boletus (Tylopilus felleus)

The common bile boletus is usually easy to recognize by its taste, because it tastes unpleasantly bitter. Hence the name "Bitterling". Even a single mushroom in a dish can spoil the whole dish.

Gall boletus (Tylopilus felleus)
  • Hat: light brown, sometimes dark brown
  • Stem: light brown, brown net
  • Sponge color: white to pink
  • Location: Mixed forests with spruce
  • Edibility: inedible to poisonous
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species, chestnut boletus (Imleria badia), porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis)

Smooth-stemmed witch bolete (Suillellus queletii)

The smooth-stemmed boletus has little food value. However, it is suitable for mixed dishes with other mushrooms.

Smooth-stemmed witch bolete (Suillelus queletii)
Source: EmillimeS, Suillellus queletii; 101 0524, Edited by Home Garden, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Cap: variable colouring, from brown to reddish
  • Stem: yellow
  • Sponge color: yellowish to orange
  • Location: Deciduous forests, preferably with oaks or beeches
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species

A notice: Identifying the smooth-stemmed witch bolete is not easy. If you are not sure, you should avoid the sponge mushroom, especially since its taste is not very intense either.

Red-footed boletus (Xerocomellus pruinatus)

The autumn red foot has a mild taste of its own. It can be infested with mold and must then no longer be consumed.

Red-footed boletus (Xerocomellus pruinatus)
Source: Holger Krisp, Boletus pruinatus, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
  • Cap: gray with reddish edge, sticky when wet
  • Stem: reddish, flaky
  • Sponge color: yellow to brownish
  • Location: mixed forests
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species, especially red-legged boletus species

Cow boletus (Suillus bovinus)

The boletus is a good mixed mushroom. When cooked, the flesh turns pink to purple.

Cow boletus (Suillus bovinus)
Source: Jerzy Opioła, Suillus bovinus G1, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Cap: light brown to brown, greasy, shiny, hemispherical to cushion-shaped, edges wavy curved
  • Stem: light brown, base often pink to red
  • Sponge colour: greyish yellow, later brownish to reddish brown
  • Location: in the company of pines
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species, goat's lip (Xerocomus subtomentosus), sand boletus (Suillus variegatus)

Chestnut bolete (Imleria badia)

The chestnut boletus is a popular edible mushroom that can be found in autumn. It has a pleasant nutty-mushroom taste.

Chestnut boletus (Imleria badia)
  • Cap: light brown to dark brown, tomentose, shiny when wet
  • Stem: brownish to yellow-brown
  • Sponge color: yellowish to greenish, bluing when pressed
  • Location: mixed forests, coniferous forests
  • Edibility: edible
  • risk of confusion: other boletus species, porcini (Boletus edulis)

From N to R

Coniferous sulfur polypore (Laetiporus montanus)

The coniferous sulfur polypore is an excellent edible mushroom when young, but it is rarely collected. However, it may only be used from wood that is not poisonous, because it can absorb toxins from wood.

Coniferous sulfur polypore (Laetiporus montanus)
Source: Gerhard Koller (Gerhard), Laetiporus montanus 237227, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Cap: yellow to orange
  • Stem: without stem, fused with the wood
  • Sponge color: yellow
  • Habitat: on deciduous trees, rarely on conifers
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other Porling species

Net-stalked bolete (Suillellus luridus)

The netted boletus is only conditionally edible. There are always people who can easily eat the overcooked sponge mushroom, but sensitive people can sometimes experience severe gastrointestinal problems.

Net-stalked witch bolete (Suillelus luridus)
Source: 2010-09-13_Boletus_luridus_Schaeff_104527.jpg: This image was created by user mushroom at Mushroom Observer, a source for mycological images.
You can contact this user here.
English | espanol | french | italiano | macedonian | മലയാളം | portuguese | +/− derivative works: Ak cc, 2010-09-13 Boletus luridus Schaeff 104527 crop, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Cap: light brown to dark brown, occasionally grey-brown, velvety, sticky, surface bluing under pressure
  • Stem: red-brown to yellowish ground colour, brown net
  • Sponge color: yellow, later orange-yellow to reddish
  • Habitat: deciduous forests, parks, prefers calcareous soils
  • Edibility: conditionally edible
  • Likelihood of confusion: other witch boletus species, other purple boletus species

Ringless Butter Mushroom (Suillus collinitus)

The Ringless Butter Mushroom has a fruity smell. Its food value is average. It is therefore mainly suitable for mixed dishes with other mushrooms.

Ringless Butter Mushroom (Suillus collinitus)
Source: Holger Krisp, Ringless Butter Mushroom Suillus collinitus, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
  • Cap: brown, shiny, moist, greasy
  • Stem: yellowish, without a ring, brownish fine points
  • Sponge color: yellow
  • Habitat: Forest edges, parks, likes to be in the company of spruces
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: different boletus species, granulated boletus (Suillus granulatus), butter fungus (Suillus luteus)

Red-footed boletus (Xerocomellus chrysenteron)

The red-footed boletus has a mushroomy and slightly sour taste of its own. It can be infested with mold and must then no longer be consumed.

Red-footed boletus (Xerocomellus chrysenteron)
  • Cap: brownish, tomentose, older mushrooms torn with red coloring between the fissures
  • Stem: reddish, dotted, without markings
  • Sponge color: yellow to olive yellow
  • Location: mixed forests
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species, chestnut boletus (Imleria badia), red-footed boletus (Xerocomellus pruinatus), goat's lip (Xerocomus subtomentosus)

From S to Z

Sand Boletus (Suillus variegatus)

The sand boletus has a pleasant mushroomy taste with a slightly sour note. Among the boletus, it is one of the best edible mushrooms.

Sand Boletus (Suillus variegatus)
Source: Strobilomyces, Suillus variegatus 111113w, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Cap: yellow to ocher, tomentose, dull, scaly
  • Stem: yellowish ground colour, frosted with brown granules
  • Sponge color: yellowish to brownish
  • Location: in the company of pines
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: different boletus species

Boletus (Butyriboletus fechtneri)

The silver boletus would be an excellent edible mushroom because it tastes like marzipan. Unfortunately, it is now rarely found, which is why it is already fully protected in many regions and may not be collected.

Boletus (Butyriboletus fechtneri)
Source: 2012-08-26_Boletus_fechtneri_Velenovsky_254739.jpg: This image was created by user Gerhard Koller (Gerhard) at Mushroom Observer, a source for mycological images.
You can contact this user here.
English | espanol | french | italiano | macedonian | മലയാളം | portuguese | +/− derivative works: Ak cc, 2012-08-26 Boletus fechtneri Velenovsky 254739 crop, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Cap: silver-grey to reddish brown, silky, hemispherical, cushion-shaped
  • Stem: yellowish, white or pink net
  • Sponge colour: yellow, bluing when pressed
  • Location: deciduous forests, alluvial forests, in the company of beeches or oaks
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: different boletus species, porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis), chestnut boletus (Imleria badia)

Porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis)

The mean mushroom is probably the best known and most popular sponge fungus. It is versatile in the kitchen and can be dried very well.

Porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis)
  • Hat: hazel, leathery
  • Stem: whitish to brownish, with age with web
  • Sponge color: whitish to yellowish
  • Location: Mixed forests with conifers
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species, other boletus species

Redfoot (Xerocomus ripariellus)

The rare redfoot can be attacked by mold and is then no longer edible. Don't eat old specimens either.

Redfoot (Xerocomellus ripariellus)
Source: Peter de Lange, Xerocomellus ripariellus 6718123, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Cap: brownish to reddish, torn open, felty, velvety
  • Stem: reddish dotted
  • Sponge color: yellow
  • Habitat: Mixed forests, alluvial forests, especially in the area of ​​banks
  • Edibility: edible
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus species, chestnut boletus (Imleria badia)

Woolly boletus (Leccinum cyaneobasileucum)

The blue-footed roughneck is only edible when young. Older mushrooms become uncomfortably spongy and tough to process.

Woolly boletus (Leccinum cyaneobasileucum)
Source: Holger Krisp, Blue-footed roughneck Leccinum cyaneobasileucum, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
  • Cap: grey-brown to red-brown, uneven, tomentose
  • Stem: whitish to grey, woolly, tomentose
  • Sponge color: whitish to grey
  • Habitat: moist soil, peat soil
  • Edibility: edible when young
  • Risk of confusion: other boletus (all edible), birch mushroom species

Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius)

The tinder fungus was used in many ways in the past. Due to the decline in primeval forests with beech trees, the frequency of tinder fungi is also decreasing.

Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius)
Source: spit station; modified by wildfire, Tinder Sponge03, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Cap: hemispherical to plate-shaped, grey-brown to orange-brown
  • Stem: no stalk, firmly attached to the tree
  • Sponge color: whitish to rusty brown
  • Location: mainly on beeches
  • Edibility: inedible
  • Risk of confusion: other fire sponge species, different Porling species

A notice: Tinder fungus is considered a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine. It is dried in small quantities and added to various dishes or drunk as a tea.

frequently asked Questions

Are all sponge mushrooms edible?

No, some species are edible and have high food value. Some species are only partially edible or must be specially prepared to be edible. It is usually sufficient if the mushrooms are heated for a long time. Some species are inedible very poisonus. Therefore, you should only eat mushrooms that you have been able to clearly identify.

Why are sponge fungi also called "boletus"?

Colloquially, some sponge mushrooms are also referred to as boletes, since the fruit layer is made up of many individual tubes. However, the term "boletus" is mainly used for mushrooms that grow on the ground. This term is not used for fungi that grow on trees.

Is the sponge eaten with edible sponge mushrooms?

Whether the sponge is eaten with edible mushrooms or not depends on personal taste and the way it is prepared. If the mushrooms are dried, the sponge often stays on. With fresh preparations or when the mushrooms are frozen, many people remove the sponge because the consistency is occasionally perceived as unpleasant.

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