Hunting morels this spring? Here’s how to forage them safely.
These spring fungi only appear for a few weeks a year—but experts warn that you should watch out for lookalike “false morels” that are considered poisonous.
To the uninitiated, a morel mushroom may look more like a loofah sponge than a tasty treat for the table. But when a scientific paper goes so far as to call a fungus "charismatic," it's an indication of the passion morels can inspire. Every spring, mushroom hunters take to the woods in search of this honeycombed delicacy, reporting sightings on enthusiast websites. In Minnesota, the morel is so beloved it inspired a movement that made it the official state mushroom.
Though they grow worldwide, including most parts of the United States, they are not necessarily easy to find—and therein lies part of the appeal.
"It is not easy to predict in advance of a hunt whether there will be some morels found in a particular place, even in a known 'morel spot,'" American mycologist Tom Volk once wrote. "The thrill of the hunt is precisely what makes morelling so exciting...and often so frustrating."
Nonetheless, there are some practical guidelines that can help boost chances of success in morel hunting.
What are morel mushrooms?
Morels have been on Earth at least 129 million years, dating back to when dinosaurs dominated the land. Distinguished by their spongey-looking, pitted surface and ranging from pale and slender to dark brown and cone-like, morels belong to the fungal genus Morchella. There are about 100 different types: Some common species include white morels (Morchella americana) and half-free morels (Morchella punctipes).
Indigenous people worldwide historically have harvested the fungus, according to a comprehensive U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report, but they were not universally admired. At least one early taster, the American explorer Meriwether Lewis, called morels "truly an insipid tasteless food" in 1806—though, to be fair, he ate them "without salt pepper or grease."
Fans of the famous fungi disagree with Lewis, prizing them for their nutty, woodsy flavor. Dried and fresh morel varieties can be found in markets and online, though they often fetch high prices, adding to the allure of foraging.
These fungi can be found anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere where there are forests that get cold weather, according to the USDA. But they also grow in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, documented in the Patagonian forests of Argentina and northwestern Australia.
How to forage safely and responsibly
The morel-hunting season in the United States runs from about late March into June, but the exact timing varies, depending on your region. You'll find the best indicators of when these fungi emerge in your area by consulting resources such as local university extension programs, nearby parks, nature groups, foraging forums, and morel-dedicated websites.
While there's no guarantee of morels in a given season or expedition, some general guidelines apply. Conditions are favorable when soil is warming up from winter (Missouri's Department of Conservation points to daytime temperatures in the 70s and nights in the 50s) and is neither very moist nor very dry.
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Before you begin your hunt, make sure you understand the rules and guidelines of your chosen location. Some public areas have harvesting limits on fungi.
So-called "burn morels" are known to flourish after fires. Searching on southern slopes early in the season and northern slopes later is recommended. Many resources also associate various tree species such as elm and ash with morels, a selection that also depends on location.
In Maryland, Catoctin Mountain National Park's website recommends using a breathable mesh bag to transport your harvest so that the mushroom spores can escape and be distributed.
Though the method of harvest seems to be a subject of debate, many sites advise not to pull mushrooms out of the ground and instead cut them at the stem with a knife to preserve the chances for more mushrooms in the future. The USDA points out that cutting has the additional benefit of keeping the fungi cleaner. It is also suggested to remove mushrooms selectively rather than clear-cutting.
Be sure to cook morels thoroughly before eating them, since raw or undercooked ones can cause serious illness. As for cleaning and storing the prized fungi, the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Cooperative Extension Service recommends wiping them with a damp cloth or soft brush and refrigerating them in a paper bag or wax paper for no more than two or three days.
The most important rule when searching for any type of mushroom is to be sure you can identify the variety you want to harvest. For morels, beware the lookalike false morels, species of Gyromitra and Helvella. These are considered poisonous.
The ideal way to forage as a beginner is to partner with someone experienced and educate yourself by reviewing photos and descriptions of different morel species.
