This species of mushroom is a very rare specimen. You need a lot of luck to find it in a deciduous forest, and a lot of knowledge to mark this species correctly.

It is very similar to several other species of boletus, but the differences between them are not so distinct that an amateur can do it. Of course, microscopic examination is not needed here, but some important information about this species of fungus is enough to correctly identify it.

The hat of this boletus (Imperator) can reach a diameter of up to 15-20 cm. The young fruiting body is semicircular, becomes flat with time, and even convex in old age.

The color of the cap is pale pink in young mushrooms, to blood red and brown in mature fruiting bodies. The pores and tubes are yellow.

The leg is very massive, thick, sometimes an adult man with a large hand is not able to embrace it completely. It has a cylindrical shape, often also barrel-shaped. A characteristic red mesh is visible on the foot. Often the leg is badly bitten by rodents and snails.

Yellow at the beginning, the flesh turns blue after the fungus is damaged or cut, and this is what happens throughout the entire cross-section of the fungus, from the cap to the stem.

This species of boletus is inedible, rare and should be protected, but unfortunately it is not. It grows mainly singly, sometimes, but rarely 2-3 pieces can be found side by side. Likes deciduous forests in late autumn, the most common are oaks in Europe.

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