C. herculeus is only known from Cedar (Cedrus) plantations from southern Europe and has probably been introduced on the roots of Cedar from Morocco, where it is originally described from. It is very large and has a strong and unpleasant earth like smell - like that of C. variecolor. The flesh is staining reddish to blackish on handling and drying in which respect it reminds of related, but lighter coloured species like C. argutus and C. fraudolosus.

This photo was taken by Jan Vesterholt.