Old man of the woods
Strobilomyces strobilaceus
A species of Strobilomyces.
Indigenous to both Europe and North America, the mushroom known as old man of the woods (Strobilomyces strobilaceus) stands out due to its distinctive color and texture, which visually mimics dark, overlapping scales set against a white foundation. Notably, this fungus has even been featured on a Swiss postal stamp, valued at fifty centimes.
In This Article
Attributes of Old man of the woods
Cap Diameter
4 - 15 cm
Height
8 - 15 cm
Cap
Cap 4 - 10 cm wide; convex shape, flat; covered with dark grey to black erect scales
Cap Shape
Convex, Flat
Cap Surfaces
Fibrillose-scaly
Gills
Absent
Stem
Stem up to 14 cm long and 2 cm thick; cap-colored; coloured like the cap; woolly surface, scaly
Stem Shapes
Cylindrical
Stem Surfaces
Scaly
Flesh
Thick; white; pink to grey and black on exposured
Ring
Ringless
Spore Print Color
Black
Odor
Earthy, slightly musty, not strong.
Body Color
BlackGrayWhite
Flesh Bruises
Discolor to reddish or gray-black
Growth Form
Solitary, Scattered, Gregarious
Nutrient Gathering
Mycorrhizal
Substrate
On soil
You can find Old man of the woods by these plants
Oaks, Pines, Spruces, European beech
Occurence Habitats
Deciduous Woodland, Coniferous Woodland
Species Status
Rarity in Britain and Ireland
Endangered Species
No
Scientific Classification of Old man of the woods
Phylum
Club fungi
Class
Mushroom-forming fungi
Order
Boletes and allies
Family
Boletes
Genus
Strobilomyces
Toxicity and Edibility of Old man of the woods
Is Old man of the woods Toxic?
Toxicity information is not available for this mushroom. Always consult with an expert before consuming any wild mushrooms.
