Old Man
of the Woods
(Strobilomyces floccopus)

This perfectly-named bolete has a spectacular convex to flattened cap 1-5/8 to 6 inches across covered with coarse, shaggy, black and grey, warty scales.

The whitish flesh slowly bruises pink-orange, then gray. The tubes, pores, and stalk have the same color as the cap, and go through the same changes.

The spore print is black.

The scruffy stalk is 2 to 4-3/4 inches long, 5/8 to 1 inch thick. A grayish, membranous veil or skirt covers the pores when they're very young. Its remnants may adorn the mature cap's margin, or wrap the stalk in evanescent rings, or ring zones.

Look for it from mid-summer to fall under hardwoods or conifers in the eastern half of North America.

Unfortunately, this nonpoisonous mushroom tastes bad when it's young, and gets even worse later on.

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