Painted Bolete is for me the most beautiful mushroom in Genus Suillus. It is not very common in my area of South-West Ontario. It grows under pines and prefers eastern white pine. I sometimes find it mixed with Chicken Fat Suillus (Suillus americanus).
Name
The scientific name is Suillus spraguei and common names are the Painted Bolete, Painted Suillus or the Red and Yellow Suillus. Historically it was also known as Boletus pictus (this name can still be found in somwhat older field guides).
Characteristics
The main characteristics are:
- cap is up to 12cm in diameter, initially with inrolled margin; in maturity flattens out
- edge sometimes have a hanging remnants of partial veil
- despite being suillus, cap is not slimy and slippery but scaly
- pore surface is yellow and pores are angular
- stem is scaly with yellow flesh
- young specimens have pores covered with partial vail; mature ones have a ring
- grows under pine
Edibility
Like majority of Suillus species, the Painted Bolete is edible. It is mainly not highly regarded, but some sources considered it to be “choice” edible. Too bad that it turns black when cooked and does not preserve beautiful colors. In fact even when cut or damaged, flesh turns from yellow to black. For me the best thing to do with any Suillus is to dry. Drying concentrates flavor and avoids any issues with slimy cuticle.