Species library · Mushrooms

Peppery Bolete: poisonous

Chalciporus piperatus

☠ Poisonous. Do not eat.What to do if poisoning is suspected

Peppery Bolete is classed as poisonous in the Forage field guide. This page helps you identify it and tell it apart from similar species. It is not a foraging guide. Have every wild mushroom checked by a qualified mushroom expert before eating it.

If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center right away. If someone has trouble breathing, has a seizure or is unconscious, call emergency services. Don't wait for symptoms: with some poisonings they only start hours later. Keep any leftovers of the find, they help identify it.

Usually seen from January to December in the northern hemisphere. Can be confused with similar species.

☠ Poisonous
Peppery Bolete (Chalciporus piperatus)

Photo: (c) Jörg Hempel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · iNaturalist

When Peppery Bolete appears

Typical window in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset.

Look up Peppery Bolete in the app

In the Forage app, Peppery Bolete has a full field guide entry with more photos, key features and the species it can be confused with.

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Peppery Bolete: common questions

Is Peppery Bolete poisonous?

Yes. Peppery Bolete is classed as poisonous in the Forage field guide. Do not eat it. If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center right away, or emergency services if it is life-threatening.

When does Peppery Bolete appear?

Peppery Bolete usually appears from January to December in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather.

What can Peppery Bolete be confused with?

Toxic look-alikes: Devil's bolete, Lurid bolete, Red-mouth bolete. Only a confident identification tells them apart. When in doubt, have a find checked by a qualified mushroom expert.

One note before you head out

Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.

Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits