Zeller's Boletes - Boletus zelleri - appear on the Mendonoma Coast

This is a new mushroom for me. Zeller's Boletes, Boleuts zelleri, have been appearing on our property in Anchor Bay for the past three or so weeks. Is this just a good year for them or have I not noticed them before? Only time will answer that question.

Zeller's Boletes are edible and they are only found in Western North America, from British Columbia, down the Pacific Northwest and south to Mexico. It is a colorful mushroom with its yellow and red stem. Like all Boletes it has a sponge underneath the cap. The ones on our property have a grayish top when young, browner with age and the sponge is yellow.

Do you see the bite mark on the largest mushroom? That was Huckleberry, our golden retriever. Rick and I try to stop him from eating wild mushrooms.

Here's is the dog in question, posing by a bloom of tiny mushrooms on the forest floor. At least he didn't try to eat these. Who knows if they are the hallucinogenic kind!

If you'd like to learn about our recent mushroom forage with David Arora, here's the link: http://mendonomasightings.blogspot.com/2011/11/mushroom-forage-with-author-david-arora.html