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Morchella and allies
Morchella, the Morels
Morchella are mycrorrhizal, meaning that they grow in association with plants, usually trees. They often fruit in moss-beds or regions of disturbed soil and grow in clusters, gregariously, or alone. Look for Privet as our Southern Morels seem to love it. Morels like to grow with stable soil temps of about 55F in the very early Spring. Check for them on slopes and fields that hold moderate moisture (intermittent sun exposure).
The fruitbody of Morhcella spp. have large asymmetrical pits inside of which the microscopic ascus (sac) hold spores for dispersal upon disturbance (like when the wind blows). The stipe AND cap will ALWAYS be hollow. The color of the pileus (cap) is variable from tan-grey-dark brown and often have blackened edges when they dry with age.
Photo by Jean Cox
Morchella americanum
Often darker with more discrete pits.
Morchella diminutiva
With longer pits and a paler body
Morchella (Morels)
Fruitbody
Young Blonde
Fruitbody
This genus is defined by the pronounced pits, and hollow stipe/body.
The fruitbody of Morhcella spp. have large asymmetrical pits inside of which the microscopic ascus (sac) hold spores for dispersal upon disturbance (like when the wind blows). The stipe AND cap will ALWAYS be hollow. The color of the pileus (cap) is variable from tan-grey-dark brown and often have blackened edges when they dry with age.
Photo by Jean Cox
Young Blonde
Fruitbody
Photo by Wendy Lewis Creel
Young Blonde
Young Blonde
Young Blonde
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While this morel is blond in color, it will soon darken to look more like the M. americanum pictured above.
When?
Cook hard
Young Blonde
Morels appear in the very early spring, right as winter breaks and soil temperatures stabilize around 55F. They like disturbed soil so look at the edges of trails and you may spot one.
Cook hard
Cook hard
Photo by Tim Pfitzer
Cook hard
Cook hard
Cook hard
Morels dry and reconstitute remarkably well and store (completely dry) for years! I've also quite successfully powdered the cooked and dried fruitbody as a robustly meaty seasoning.
Morels and their allies need to be cooked thoroughly. Oftentimes the 'poisonings' associated with these types of mushrooms are due to them being under-cooked. That means that even if you are going to powder the mushrooms as a seasoning/salt, you should bake them (~170F) before powdering.
Lookalikes
Gyromitra
Phalliceae
Phalliceae
The genus Gyromitra also fall into the phylum of ascocarps and are often the harbingers of Morchella (or at least they tend to like the same general environments and fruit at about the same time of year). While these too have a hollow stipe and cap, they will lack the very distinctive pits seen with Morchella. Some of the species in this genus produce a toxin called gyromitrin, which can cause renal failure. Our stance at the AMS is to not eat them as they are not 'beginner' mushrooms.
Phalliceae
Phalliceae
Phalliceae
The genus Phallus, a branch of the stinkhorns (Phallaceae) will actually erupt from an 'egg' like structure and be covered with sticky and stinky spore mass called a gleba. The stipes will not be hollow, and you probably don't want to eat these stinky things.