The relationship between trees and fungi is one of the most fascinating secrets of Czech forests. Every experienced mushroom picker knows that the penny bun does not grow by chance – where it appears, there is a spruce or beech nearby. This hidden world of symbiosis, called mycorrhiza, decides where and which mushrooms we find in the forest. Learn nature's rules of the game, test your knowledge in our interactive quiz and become a better mushroom picker by understanding what happens underground.
Identification quiz: Which tree hosts which mushroom?
Test your knowledge of mycorrhiza and the links between mushrooms and trees. Choose a difficulty and start playing – every correct answer brings you closer to the title of master mushroom hunter!
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Visit AMADEAA guide to mycorrhiza: Which mushrooms grow under which tree?
Mycorrhiza (from the Greek mykes = fungus, rhiza = root) is a symbiotic relationship in which the fungal mycelium wraps around the fine roots of trees, forming characteristic branched structures on them. The fungus supplies the tree with nutrients from the soil – especially nitrogen and phosphorus – and the tree in return provides the fungus with organic substances from photosynthesis. Without this partnership, boletes, chanterelles and milk caps could not exist at all.
Norway spruce and penny bun – Picea abies & Boletus edulis
The penny bun – also known as the cep or porcini, and affectionately called "pravák" (the real one) by Czech mushroom pickers – is the most famous of all mycorrhizal fungi. Its mycelium most often connects with spruce roots, but it partners more readily than you might expect with birch, oak or beech too. That is why we find it everywhere from the spruce forests of the Krkonoše Mountains through the mixed beech woods of the Šumava to the oak groves of southern Moravia.
In young spruce stands with sparse undergrowth of bilberry and moss – exactly where the soil is poor and the tree depends most on its fungal partner – penny buns tend to be most plentiful. Would you like to bring a handcrafted forest motif home? Take a look at our wooden puzzles with nature motifs, great for the whole family.
European beech and golden chanterelle – Fagus sylvatica & Cantharellus cibarius
The golden chanterelle is the treasure of Czech beech woods. Its golden yellow colour is unmistakable and its scent is reminiscent of apricots. It prefers deciduous and mixed forests under beech and oak, and less often grows under conifers. In the Šumava, the Brdy hills or the Vysočina highlands it can be picked from June to October. Its great advantage is that it is hard to confuse – the poisonous jack-o'-lantern mushroom is rare and grows in a different habitat.
The European beech – the largest forest tree of Central Europe – is a fungal host par excellence. Its roots are home not only to chanterelles but also to brittlegills, milk caps and other species. Beech wood is also the basis of many products from the AMADEA workshop, including our popular serving and chopping boards.
Silver birch and brown birch bolete – Betula pendula & Leccinum scabrum
Birch is a pioneer tree that is the first to colonise clearings, forest edges and abandoned meadows all over the Czech Republic. Where birches grow, brown birch boletes soon follow. This bolete is a faithful partner of birch – it practically never grows without it. You will find it wherever birches stand in groups: at forest edges, in copses and young stands from the lowlands up to the foothills of the Jizera Mountains, the Beskydy or the Ore Mountains.
Typical features are its grey-brown cap and pale stem covered with dark scales – hence the Czech folk name "šupiňák" (the scaly one). The flesh turns grey to black when cut, which surprises some pickers, but the taste remains excellent.
Aspen and orange aspen bolete – Populus tremula & Leccinum aurantiacum
The orange aspen bolete is one of the most beautiful and heaviest mushrooms in our forests. Its striking orange-red cap gives it away from afar. It is almost exclusively tied to aspen, which grows abundantly in the Czech Republic in clearings, natural gaps in the forest and along streams. Wherever a group of aspens trembles in the wind, it is worth stopping to look around their roots.
Only pick firm, young specimens – old fruiting bodies are spongy, darken and spoil quickly. The flesh darkens markedly to blue-violet when cut, which is normal and does not mean it is poisonous.
Scots pine and slippery jack – Pinus sylvestris & Suillus luteus
The slippery jack is almost exclusively tied to pine. You will find it in pine forests and at the edges of dry, bilberry-rich woods throughout central and southern Bohemia, in the Elbe lowlands and on sandy soils in Slovakia. Fruiting bodies appear in abundance from June to November – slippery jacks are more frost-resistant than boletes.
Slippery jacks are less popular because of the slimy skin on the cap, but once peeled they taste excellent. They are ideal for sauces and soups. Pine – the slippery jack's host tree – is also one of the timbers used for AMADEA's wooden decorations and home accessories.
European larch and larch bolete – Larix decidua & Suillus grevillei
The larch bolete is a textbook example of an extremely specific mycorrhizal bond: it grows only under larch and nowhere else. This fungus evolved alongside the larch and cannot survive without its host. In Czech forests, look for it in larch plantations at mid elevations – from the Šumava through the Ore Mountains to the Beskydy – usually between August and October.
The most common look-alikes: what to watch out for in the forest
Knowing the mycorrhizal links will not only help you find mushrooms, it will also protect you from dangerous mistakes. The presence of a particular tree nearby is a key clue.
The bitter bolete is inedible (intensely bitter), but its pinkish pores and the dark network on its stem give it away. Its flesh turns slightly pink when cut. It grows in the same places as the penny bun – under spruce and beech. Touch the flesh to your tongue – the bitter taste will stop you at once.
The jack-o'-lantern is poisonous – it causes severe stomach upsets. It grows on wood or at the base of trees (not in soil), has true gills (not false ridges) and glows faintly in the dark. The mycorrhizal chanterelle growing in soil never has true gills.
Confusion is unlikely, but the highly poisonous panther cap also grows at the edges of birch woods. The key difference: the panther cap always has true gills, a ring on the stem and a sack-like volva at the base. The birch bolete has pores, not gills.
At a glance: Tree → Mushroom → Season
| Tree | Mushroom (English) | Mushroom (Latin) | Season | Edibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spruce, beech, birch | Penny bun (cep, porcini) | Boletus edulis | Jun–Nov | ✅ Excellent |
| Beech, oak, spruce | Golden chanterelle | Cantharellus cibarius | Jun–Oct | ✅ Excellent |
| Birch | Brown birch bolete | Leccinum scabrum | May–Oct | ✅ Good |
| Aspen | Orange aspen bolete | Leccinum aurantiacum | May–Oct | ✅ Excellent |
| Pine | Slippery jack | Suillus luteus | Jun–Nov | ✅ Good |
| Larch | Larch bolete | Suillus grevillei | Aug–Oct | ✅ Good |
| Spruce | False saffron milk cap | Lactarius deterrimus | Aug–Oct | ✅ Good |
| Pine | Saffron milk cap | Lactarius deliciosus | Aug–Oct | ✅ Excellent |
| Pine, spruce | Pine bolete | Boletus pinophilus | Jun–Nov | ✅ Excellent |
Frequently asked questions about mycorrhiza and mushroom picking
What is mycorrhiza and why does it matter to mushroom pickers?
Mycorrhiza is a symbiotic relationship between fungal mycelium and the fine roots of trees. The fungus passes nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) to the tree and the tree supplies the fungus with sugars. For mushroom pickers it is essential because it decides where mushrooms grow – without its specific host, a given mushroom will not appear. Knowing the mycorrhizal pairs greatly improves your chances of a good harvest.
Why can't boletes be grown like button mushrooms?
Boletes are mycorrhizal fungi – their mycelium is inseparably linked with tree roots. Without a living host they cannot produce fruiting bodies. The only mycorrhizal fungi grown commercially are truffles, in special oak and hazel plantations. Button mushrooms, by contrast, break down organic matter and need no host.
Can I pick mushrooms in a park or garden?
Yes! Mycorrhizal fungi do not need a forest – the partnership also forms with trees in parks, avenues and copses. If you have a birch or an oak in your garden, birch boletes or penny buns may appear under them in favourable conditions. The roots of a neighbour's birch reaching under the fence are enough too.
How do I know a mushroom is edible?
The golden rule: only pick mushrooms you can identify safely and with certainty. Do not rely solely on mobile apps – they make mistakes. Use a good field guide and ideally consult a mycologist. Remember the mycorrhizal link – the presence of a particular tree is a strong clue, but not a guarantee. Always examine the whole mushroom, especially the underside of the cap and the base of the stem.
What wooden products made from forest timber does AMADEA offer?
AMADEA handcrafts wooden products from native timbers – beech, oak, lime and others. Wood from the trees that host mycorrhizal fungi in Czech forests becomes serving boards, bowls and plates, as well as wooden puzzles for children. Every product carries the mark of Czech handwork and natural material.
🍄 Inspired by mushroom picking? Bring the forest home – explore handmade wooden products from Czech timbers at AMADEA. The perfect gift for nature lovers.
Browse AMADEA productsAuthor: Martin Portych – specialist in wooden products, gift advice and shop content
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