Boletus separans / Xanthoconium separans

Lilac Bolete / Lilac edulis

True Boletus edulis ( Porcini, Cepe, Steinpilz, King Bolete ) mushrooms are a bit scarce in southwestern Pennsylvania. I am always searching for prime habitat for such mushrooms, even when I am not out and about searching for mushrooms.

Once while on a golf outing at a course in mid September I ran across sporadic growths of some under and near spruce trees that lined the left and right fairways on a few holes. Unfortunately, being a golf course, I left them all alone. Chemicals of all types are applied on golf courses so picking mushrooms on them is not a good idea. Also, unfortunately, I did not have my camera along.

There are plenty of other Boletes/Boletus'/Boleti however that will fill the bill when it comes to enjoyable taste. Several are not so hard to find and each has it's own good points.

Boletus separans is such a mushroom.

Once you find a patch make sure you never forget it. What you want will grow there every year - as long as the weather conditions cooperate. You can pick these every few days from June through August in our area of southwestern Pa.

Xanthoconium separans ( I hate the word Xanthoconium and prefer the older name Boletus ) have several features of the Boletus edulis group of mushrooms.

A.
White reticulations on the stipe/stalk. Sometimes more noticable than others. Other times you will have to look close to see them near the top of the stalk.

B.
White pore surface. Also, when the mushroom matures the pore surface has a yellowish or light greenish aspect - NOT pinkish or brownish.

C.
Generally a stalk/stipe that is thick, usually thicker at the bottom. Sort of like the one on the right in the picture below.
However, you will also find stipes that are long and even throughout its' length, like on the left.

D.
No color changes when cut.
This cap has the stalk cut out ( stalk was larvae riddled ) to salvage the cap as a good edible, ( the stalk was removed ).
This photo is a good example of 'no color changes' during injury or cutting.

Note that with the tunnel-riddled stalk removed I have gotton down to a mushroom cap that is in larvae absent, pristine condition.

( This cap, in addition to demonstrating the non-color-change aspect of the Boletus edulis group, also shows a mushroom that is just about too mature as far as my preferences are concerned.
Note that the pore layer thickness 'is almost' as thick as the meaty part of the cap. I try to make sure I do not take any home that have a pore layer thicker than the meat. Some people of course will remove the pore layer from the meat since it does peel away readily. To each their own!)

When picking these mushrooms for the table pick those that are solid. You don't want the bigger ones that have started to soften. Let them alone to drop their spores. They are probably all riddled with larvae anyway.
The absolute best eating size is like the one not much bigger than the one I am holding above, or the first photo at the start of the article. However, size has no bearing as to their larvae riddledness. I have often found buttons that are useless.
That's why it is important to cut the stems on each mushroom picked.

Boletus separans has a cap color that is very light brownish-pink when young which darkens as the mushroom matures, getting more color saturated but keeping that brown-pink-lilac shade.

Boletus separans / Xanthoconium separans - A/K/A - Lilac Boletus.
DATE - June 22 through August 18 give or take a week at either end.
FOUND - 'Near Kregar, Pa. - close to Camp Run. Laurel Hill State Park, Kooser State Park, church groves near Stahlstown and Ligonier, Pa.
Open woods with an abundance of older oak trees. Especially places that are mowed on occasion like picnic groves and/or park camping areas.

Weather conditions were wet for several days prior to the outcroppings. Temperatures were hot - higher 80's.

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