In mid-April, porcini mushrooms are already growing near Staryi Sambir.
This is three months earlier than usual.
Marian Lozynskyi, the head of the Department of Journalism Theory and Practice at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, found them in his native Koblo forest:
Porcini mushrooms in Lviv region: what you need to know when they grow
The porcini mushroom, also known as boletus, is one of the most valuable and delicious mushrooms that can be found in Ukrainian forests, particularly in the Lviv region. This region is famous for its rich and well-preserved forests, where natural conditions favor the growth of porcini mushrooms.
Where porcini mushrooms grow in Lviv region
Porcini mushrooms can be found in mixed and coniferous forests in the Lviv region, especially in humid, shaded areas. They often appear under oaks, beeches, and pines. The mushroom season traditionally begins in late summer and lasts until late fall, but the most fruitful months are September and October.
Porcini mushrooms, or boletus, are traditionally considered late summer and fall mushrooms because the optimal conditions for their growth are warm and humid weather, which is more common during these seasons. However, there are some boletus species that can appear as early as spring.
One of these species is the May boletus (Boletus reticulatus), also known as the summer boletus. This species can start growing in late spring or early summer, depending on weather conditions. May boletus have a well-developed flesh and a large cap, which makes them very similar to traditional autumn porcini mushrooms. Their taste is mild and delicate, which is highly appreciated by mushroom pickers.
May boletus typically grows in deciduous and mixed forests, under oaks, beeches, and chestnuts, often forming mycorrhiza, a symbiosis with tree roots that allows the mushrooms to obtain nutrients from the soil. You can find these mushrooms in open, sunny areas of the forest or in forest clearings.
If you are planning to collect porcini mushrooms in spring, it is important to keep in mind that they require quite specific conditions for growth and may not appear regularly in the same place every year, especially if the spring is cold or too dry.
It is also worth remembering the rules for safe mushroom picking, making sure they are edible and only picking those you are sure about.