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slippery jack (Suillus luteus)
Suillus luteus is a pine companion with slimy brown cap, yellow tubes and a skinned, violet-colored ring. It is collected a lot, but its food value is controversial.
Scientific name: Suillus luteus
Features
The cap is 4 to 12 cm wide, chocolate to chestnut brown, shiny and in moisture strongly slimy. The tubes and pores are yellow to olive yellow and fine. The stem is yellowish, dotted glandularly above the ring and bears a skinned ring (cuff), violet-brown below; a net is missing. It smells and tastes mild. The flesh is soft, whitish to pale yellow and does not discolour. Ochre brown
Habitat
Pine.. Rather acidic, nutrient-poor soils, including sand.. From the coast to alpine areas.
Season
September to November Individual copies from June.
Weather and fruiting
Slimy cap and ring; after rain under pine often abundant. Peeling the skin improves eating quality.
Lookalike risk
Weeping bolete: It has no ring, and the young pores excrete milky droplets. Suillus collinitus: It has no ring and a pink stem base; only on lime. Tamarack jack: It has a yellow to orange cap and grows only under larches.
More regions
slippery jack · Scottish Highlands
Cool, wet Atlantic climate; season later and longer than in southern England.
slippery jack · Cairngorms
Upland granite and pine woods; elevation delays fruiting compared with the coast.
slippery jack · New Forest
Lowland mixed woods and heath; earlier season after mild, wet summers.
slippery jack · Lake District
High rainfall on western fells; valleys fruit earlier than high tarns.
slippery jack · Galloway
Mild, wet south-west Scotland with Sitka and mixed woodland.
More species
FAQ
What does the map show?
Weather-based foraging chances, not a guarantee that fruit bodies stand at the pin.
Can I eat this mushroom?
No page replaces identification. If unsure, leave it or ask an expert.
Slippery Jack: is it edible?
Yes, but only with restrictions. The nutritional value is assessed inconsistently; pull off the slimy cap skin, it can cause digestive problems.
Slippery Jack: when and where does it grow?
In central Europe the season runs September to November. Individual copies from June. Habitat: Pine.
Slippery Jack: what are the lookalikes?
The most important distinction is from Weeping bolete (Suillus granulatus, edible): It has no ring, and the young pores excrete milky droplets. Other lookalikes: Suillus collinitus, Tamarack jack.
When is a trip worth it?
Slimy cap and ring; after rain under pine often abundant. Peeling the skin improves eating quality.