Updated 28 July 2026
When will Slippery jack appear in County Laois?
Slippery jack usually come up in County Laois from August to November, and right now they’re at 13% and just starting.
It is outside the usual season for Slippery jack, so expect only scattered finds.
In the same pine woods and season look for other Suillus such as larch bolete and weeping bolete, plus saffron milkcaps and the occasional bay bolete or porcini on richer patches. False chanterelles and various brittlegills often share the same acidic ground.
Always peel off the slimy cap skin and remove the spongy pore layer first, as both can upset the stomach. Slice and fry in butter for a soft side dish, add to risotto or stews where the texture suits, or dry the cleaned pieces and grind into a savoury mushroom powder for stocks and sauces.
Other Suillus boletes such as the larch bolete (Suillus grevillei) and weeping bolete, all of which are also edible, so there are no dangerous poisonous lookalikes. The slimy brown cap, yellow pores and ringed stem set it apart from any toxic gilled mushroom.
Laois is a landlocked midlands county, mostly low limestone plains and gently rolling farmland, rising in the west to the Slieve Bloom Mountains, whose rounded summits top out at Arderin (527 m). Among the uplands you’ll find blanket bog, heath and river valleys like Glenbarrow. Much of the woodland is state conifer plantation of Sitka spruce and pine cloaking the Slieve Bloom slopes, but pockets of native mixed broadleaf survive in places such as Glenbarrow, along with oak, birch, hazel and beech in the lowland demesnes. Look for fungi along forest edges, mossy stream banks and old parkland.
The county has a mild, damp Atlantic climate with rain spread through the year and no real extremes, though as an inland midlands area it sees slightly cooler nights than the coast. The reliably wet, humid autumns suit fruiting mushrooms well. Expect a quiet inland foraging county centred on the Slieve Bloom forests and bogs rather than coast, with conifer plantations, native woodland and damp pasture all in reach. Autumn is the prime season, and trails around Glenbarrow and the Cut give easy access to mixed habitats.
FAQ
How do I know slippery jack season has started in County Laois, Ireland?
Season usually kicks off after a warm spell followed by steady rain, with the first flushes appearing somewhere in the August to November window. The clearest sign is the live forecast lifting off zero into ‘just starting’ or ‘building’. For County Laois, Ireland it currently sits at 13% and is just starting.
Are slippery jack out near me right now in County Laois, Ireland?
Today the slippery jack forecast for County Laois, Ireland is 13% and conditions are just starting. That is a live read for the region this July, and it shifts with the weather rather than following a fixed calendar. It tells you if it is worth heading out in County Laois, Ireland right now.
What should I look for this week for slippery jack in County Laois, Ireland?
This week in County Laois, Ireland the forecast is 13% and just starting. Grows in conifer woods, almost always with pine, on sandy or poor soil and often along forest tracks and clearings. Common in young plantations and appears in groups. The 14-day outlook on the page shows whether conditions are climbing toward a flush or easing off, so you can pick your day.
Is it mushroom season in County Laois, Ireland right now?
For slippery jack in County Laois, Ireland, the typical season is August to November, and today the live forecast reads 13% with conditions just starting this July. So yes or no depends on the day and the weather, which is exactly what the forecast tracks.
Does ShroomCast tell me if a mushroom is safe to eat or identify it for me?
No. ShroomCast only forecasts timing, so it tells you when slippery jack are likely to be fruiting in County Laois, Ireland. It does not identify mushrooms, and it cannot tell you whether anything you pick is safe to eat. Always confirm your own identification from a reliable source before eating anything.
See the live regional forecast in the ShroomCast app.
Scale: 0-20% very low · 20-40% low · 40-60% moderate · 60-80% high · 80-100% excellent. ShroomCast forecasts fruiting probability from weather, soil, forests and years of observations – a guide, not a guarantee of finds.