The species was originally described by mycologist Mu Zang in 1990, who called it Tricholoma quercicola.

[1] It was later discovered that this name was a later homonym of a North American species described by William Alphonso Murrill in 1949, and a new name was needed.

[2] Tricholoma zangii grows on the ground near oaks, at altitudes ranging from 3,000–3,900 m (9,800–12,800 ft).

Its recorded collection locations in Sichuan, China, include Miyi, Yajiang, and Xiangcheng.

The popular pine mushroom (Tricholoma matsutake) is closely related and similar in appearance.