It’s morel hunting season. Here’s how you can prepare and forage like an expert
.jpg "One mycological expert suggests that once dogwood flowers are fully open and white, it’s prime morel growth season in the Midwest.")
It’s that time of year when mushroom enthusiasts scour the forest floor for the mighty, mysterious morel. There will be gatherings and celebrations.
But why are morels so special?
According to one expert, it’s a mix of their ephemeral nature, what they represent, and, of course, their taste.
For one, morels are a harbinger of spring, according to mycologist Mike Snyder of the Missouri Mycological Society.
“People have festivals and go out on morel hunts,” Snyder said about the morel’s appeal. ”I think that is part of it, too – a way to gather and something to look forward to after the winter is over.”
The main reason Snyder said he thinks people revere morels? Their taste — but just be sure to cook them “thoroughly” to avoid illness.
“There are hundreds of edible species and morels are one of the best,” Snyder said.
Most of what is known about finding morels is “anecdotal and widely variable,” according to experts.
Snyder recommends that anyone interested in mushrooms should join a local mycological society. In the meantime, here are a few tips on foraging and respecting these prized mushrooms.
Identifying morels
Morels, which grow for only a few weeks in spring, have caps that look like sponges and are composed of pits and ridges.
One surefire way to confirm a morel is by cutting it in half. The stem and cap of a morel have a hollow cavity inside, according to Snyder.
Morels grow directly from the ground, according to Snyder, “so you won’t find them growing from a log laying on the ground or something.”
Where are morels found?
Morels form symbiotic relationships with the roots of specific plant species.
In the Midwest, morels are typically found with elms or, less often, ash trees, but the type of tree can vary by region, Snyder said.
“Some people swear by cottonwoods and sycamores,” he said.
Dying elms also create a prime environment for morel growth – temporarily.
“When the elm tree that these mushrooms are living with dies, the fungus actually senses that,” Snyder explained. As as result, “they go into overdrive and make a whole bunch of mushrooms...to get more spores into the environment.”
This is why the spread of the Dutch elm disease in the United States had a huge impact on morel hunting, according to experts.
“People kept encountering these huge flushes of hundreds of morels at a time and so I think that just helped build their popularity,” Snyder said. “That phenomenon isn’t as common anymore because a lot of the big old elm trees have already died and after they’re dead there are no more morels in that spot.”
The Missouri Department of Conservation notes that morels can typically be found in the following conditions:
- On south and west facing slopes early in the season, and north and east slopes later in the season;
- In warm, moist spring weather with daytime temperatures in the 70s and nighttime temperatures in the 50s.
In some parts of the country, “burn morels” can be found where forest fires occurred, Snyder said. “You can track where big fires happened last fall, and that will trigger these huge explosions of morels in the spring.”
When is peak morel season?
One of the best ways to determine if it’s peak morel season is to observe other things happening in nature.
“Don’t just run out as soon as you see someone post a morel on the Facebook group,” Snyder said.
“Once the dogwood flowers are fully open and white, that’s when prime growth morel season is pretty much a sure thing,” he said. The presence of mayapples and dandelions seed heads can also be good indicators, according to Snyder.
But traipsing through the woods too early can actually inhibit morel growth.
During the winter, morels form a shell-like structure called sclerotia to protect them from harsh conditions, according to Snyder.
“If you’re walking around and it’s too early, you can step on those little sclerotia and you’ll squish them and they won’t turn into a full size mushroom,” he said.
What are ‘false morels’?
Some toxic mushroom species may resemble morels to the untrained eye. But Gyromitras, or “false morels,” differ in a few easy-to-spot ways, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
“False morel” species:
Have wrinkled or folded caps resembling a brain;
Have chambered interiors;
Grow at times other than spring.
Ethical harvesting: To pull or cut?
Studies show the amount of mushrooms picked from an area doesn’t impact how many mushrooms will show up in the future, Snyder said.
“It has a lot more to do with protecting their habitat” and the specific plant species they grow around, like elms, according to Snyder.
Because aspects of the morel life cycle are still a mystery, climate impacts on this particular species are mostly anecdotal, Snyder said.
“I’ve talked to lots of mycologists who agree that when the winter is not very cold here in the Ozarks, there won’t be as many morels, so there does seem to be a correlation between a mild winter and a lower morel harvest,” he said.
According to Snyder, there is debate about whether you should cut a morel at the base or pull it from the ground. Those in favor of cutting fear that pulling will damage the mycelium in the ground and lead to a lower yield in the future.
“That’s simply not true,” Snyder said. “There have been some good studies that show it just simply does not matter.”
“I like to pull the morel out of the ground and then cut off the dirty base and leave it behind,” Snyder explained.
Safely consuming morels
Morels contain toxins that can make people very sick if eaten raw, so it’s crucial to cook them fully, Snyder said.
“If you have a bunch of them and you can’t use them all, dehydrate them and they’ll last for months or even years in an airtight jar in a dark cabinet,” he suggested.
To re-hydrate, pour boiling water over them and let them sit for about 20 minutes and cook fully before eating.
This story was originally published April 9, 2024 at 7:25 AM with the headline "It’s morel hunting season. Here’s how you can prepare and forage like an expert."
