Red-capped scaber stalk Leccinum aurantiacum
edible
It lives with oaks, whereas Leccinum albostipitatum is strictly tied to aspen. The strongest distinguishing feature is the tree partner. Also edible.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
Leccinum albostipitatum is a stately scaber stalk with an orange to orange-brown, finely felty cap and a white, scaly stem. It is strictly tied to aspen and is considered edible.
SeasonJune to October
Spore printochre-brownish
FamilyBoletaceae
- Cap. The cap is 5 to 20 cm wide, at first hemispherical, later cushion-shaped, yellow-orange through orange-red to orange-brown. The surface is finely felty and dry, and the margin overhangs, especially in young mushrooms.
- Underside. The tubes are narrow and stay whitish to pale cream-grey for a long time, olive to grey-yellowish with age. Pressure marks turn violet-blackish.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is 6 to 15 cm long and 1.5 to 3.5 cm thick, white with slightly protruding scales that are whitish at first and later brick-orange. At the base it is often spotted blue-green. There is no ring and no volva.
- Smell and taste. It tastes mild and has no particular smell.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white and, when cut, quickly turns wine-reddish to violet, after a while violet-black.
Lookalikes
Leccinum albostipitatum is a bolete with an orange to reddish-brown cap and a scaly stem, strictly tied to aspen. All scaber stalks are edible, and the similar red-capped scaber stalks are edible mushrooms too. Raw, they are not tolerated.
Orange birch bolete Leccinum versipelle
edibleIt grows near birches, has a distinctly black-scaled stem and turns blackish directly at pressure marks, without reddening first. Also edible.
Side by side
| Leccinum albostipitatum | Red-capped scaber stalk | Orange birch bolete | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | yellow-orange to orange-brown, 5 to 20 cm, finely felty | orange-red to reddish brown, finely felty | orange to reddish brown |
| Underside | narrow, whitish to cream-grey tubes | narrow, whitish to cream-grey tubes | whitish to grey tubes |
| Stem | white with scales, later brick-orange | white with darker scales | white, with black scales |
| Flesh | firm, flesh turns violet | firm, spongy with age | firm, softer with age |
| Edibility | Edible | edible | edible |
Habitat & Season
Near aspens, in and beside woods, on soils that carry aspens. No reliable information.
Host trees
Aspen (European aspen), strictly tied.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
Rough estimate; it follows the stands of aspen.
Mushroom regions with a daily forecast
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
Chance near you
How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Only eat mushrooms you have identified beyond doubt, and always cook them thoroughly.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112
Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).
Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.
Austria
Poison centre:
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43
Emergency: 112 · 144
Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.
Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.
Conservation and collecting rules
Not specially protected.
In the kitchen
Fried, stewed or in sauces. The flesh can turn dark when cooked. Cook for at least 15 minutes.
No reliable information on drying. Not tolerated raw.
- Never eat wild mushrooms raw, and always cook them for at least 15 minutes.
- Use only young, fresh, maggot-free mushrooms that you have identified with certainty.
- Carry mushrooms in an airy basket, not in plastic bags, and process them on the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leccinum albostipitatum edible?
Yes, it is edible. All scaber stalks are considered edible. Like all wild mushrooms, eat it only when cooked thoroughly.
How do you recognise Leccinum albostipitatum?
By the orange to orange-brown, finely felty cap, the white stem with scales, the flesh turning violet and its growth near aspens.
How does it differ from other red-capped scaber stalks?
Mainly by the tree partner: the red-capped scaber stalk near oak, the orange birch bolete near birch, Leccinum albostipitatum only near aspen. The orange birch bolete also has a distinctly black-scaled stem.
Related species
- Birch bolete Leccinum scabrum
- Hornbeam bolete Leccinum carpini
- Red-capped scaber stalk Leccinum aurantiacum
- Cep Boletus edulis
- Bay bolete Imleria badia
- Red cracking bolete Xerocomellus chrysenteron
Sources
- Wikipedia: Weißstielige Rotkappe
- GBIF: Leccinum albostipitatum den Bakker & Noordel.
- Index Fungorum: Namensabfrage Leccinum albostipitatum
Photo credits
- Photo: Archenzo, Bearbeitung Ak ccm · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Red-capped scaber stalk: Photo: About field station from Russia, edited by Ak ccm · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.