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Leccinum variicolor Watling · Boletaceae
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The mottled bolete is a scaber stalk that lives only with birches and prefers marshy, acidic sites. Its flesh turns pink and bluish in the air, and at the stem base it is often blue-green. It is edible, but rarer than the birch bolete and should be spared.
It has tubes instead of gills and a white stem with dark scales, and grows near birches. All scaber stalks are edible, and the similar birch boletes are too. Raw, they are not tolerated.
Its flesh is unchanging when broken, and the stem base does not turn blue. The strongest distinguishing feature is the blue-green stem base and the flesh turning pink to bluish in the mottled bolete. Also edible.
View on the mapIt also has a stem base that turns blue; a safe separation in the field is usually possible only for experts. Also edible.
| Mottled bolete | Birch bolete | Leccinum cyaneobasileucum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | pale grey-brown to reddish brown, 5 to 15 cm, slimy when damp | pale grey-brown to reddish grey-brown, 5 to 15 cm | pale grey-brown |
| Underside | whitish to cream-coloured tubes | white, later grey tubes | whitish tubes |
| Stem | white, dark-scaled, base often blue-green | white, dark-scaled, base not discoloured | white, dark-scaled, base bluish |
| Flesh | firm when young, later spongy, flesh pink to bluish | firm when young, later spongy, flesh unchanging | soft, watery |
| Edibility | Edible | edible | edible |
Marshy, acidic sites and bogs. It does not occur on calcareous soil. No reliable information.
Birch only.
possible good main season
It grows within the range of birch, preferring bogs and marshes.
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
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.
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112 · 999
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.
Poison centre:
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.
Because of its rarity, sparing the species is recommended.
Use only young, firm mushrooms; older flesh becomes spongy and watery. The flesh turns black when cooked, which is normal. Cook for at least 15 minutes.
No reliable information on drying. Not tolerated raw. Better to spare it because of its rarity.
Yes, like the birch bolete it is edible. Because of its rarity, however, it should be spared.
By the white, dark-scaled stem with an often blue-green base and the flesh that turns pale pink and later bluish in the air, in association with birches.
The flesh of the birch bolete is unchanging when broken, and the stem base does not turn blue.
Only near birches, preferably in bogs and marshes on acidic soils, from June to October.
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.
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