Suillus sibiricus subsp. helveticus is a medium sized bolete with pale yellow pileus with darker spots and the margin fringed with veil and with a stipe with woolly, white ring. The fruit bodies are edible but not much appreciated by mushroom hunters. No commercial value. The fruiting period is July-October.

Mycorrhizal with Pinus cembra in subalpine forests in the Alps and with Pinus peuce in Eastern Balkans. It is found in at least 14 countries, and has been included in the Red List of 8 countries.

Suillus sibiricus is one of the few species of the genus Suillus that are exclusively mycorrhizal with five-needle pines. The subspecies helveticus is a very rare European species, endemic to Central-European mountains. It occurs within the area of distribution of its mycorrhizal trees as follows: Pinus cembra in the Alps and Carpathians (Favre 1960, Breitenbach & Kränzlin 1991, Lizoň & Bacigálová 1998, Krieglsteiner 2000, Roniker 2005), and P. peuce in the Balkans (Aasyov & Denchev 2004, Gyosheva et al. 2000, Karadelev & Rusevska 2009).

In national lists of endangered fungi in Austria, Armenia, Germany, Great Britain (extinct), Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland (extinct), Netherlands.

In regional lists of endangered fungi in FRANCE: Pays-de-la-Loire; GERMANY: Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen-Anhalt; RUSSIA: Rostov Region

Suillus sibiricus ssp. herlveticus is a species exclusively mycorrhizal with five-needle pines. The subspecies helveticus is a very rare European species, and occurs within the area of distribution of its mycorrhizal trees as follows: Pinus cembra in the Alps and Carpathians and P. peuce in the Balkans.

Loss of habitats by constructing of sky-runs and other infrastructure for winter sports. Intensification of agriculture and forestry in subalpine region.

Many localities are already nature reserves, so the species is partially protected.

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