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I came across this exchange on one of my mushroom groups, thought it was good stuff:
Q: Basically my question has to do with the weather. A few weeks ago, the weather was perfect daytime 70's, night time 50's. I have been out these past couple weeks about 5 times...have found nothing, but since many people on the net were saying that the heat may move the morel season up, I wanted to be there.
Now that the temp has dropped CONSIDERABLY, does the season go back to mid April till June?? I'm having a heck of a time finding more than a few elms ALIVE, let alone dying or dead for the 1-3 years, I just can't find any or I don't realize it when I do. Plenty of ash and tulips as well as a half dozen abandoned apple orchards (for the later arriving yellows, correct?)
Thanks so much for any info....its greatly appreciated.
A:I've come out of winter hibernation to answer your question realistically. There is no technical secret to finding morels. One simply matches certain species of morels with certain vascular plants. Mushrooms are plants. They are achlorophilic but none the less they react to the environment the same as their vascular, perennial brothers. Whereas it is true that temps play an important part in fruiting and may alter the fruiting time to some degree; the fact still remains that morels (in this case) fruit paralleling certain other perenial plants. It's no big deal. Simply be attuned to the vascular plants that tell you when the morels are out there. Blossoming skunk cabbage, May apples up but not yet, or just starting, to unfiold and untwist into an umbrella. Spring beauties and dutchmens britches are in the woods. These vascular plants are telling you (at this stage of development) that "black morels" are fruiting. The next problem is habitat.
They may be fruiting but if you're looking for a Chevy at the Ford dealership you won't find one. Tulip poplar (Leriodendron) or Wild Cherry would be good habitat. Forget apple orchards for Black morels. Grey morels are simply immature morchella elata or morchella esculenta (black or yellow morels respectively). Morchella hybrida (spikes...to be polite) follow black morels and precede morchella escueltnta. They may overlap at either end. False morels enter in this time period, as well. The dogwood has turned from a green blossom to a white one now and the apple trees are turning from a tight blossom to a full blown one. These apple orchards must be old orchards with broken, decrepit, trees but still producing apples although usually scabby. Forget that bull about lingering toxins. I've eaten morels from these old orchards all my life and I'm turning 86 this year. The trilliums are in bloom now, as well. Elm trees are excellent habitat and
are best when the tops are standing bare of bark and some of the bark is sloughing off the trunk , as well. Elm is a lowland tree best found in swampy areas and river bottoms. A bit later esculenta fruits under ash, especially if you can find a woods that has been timbered out the previous year. Morchella is a fickle mushroom and will play tricks on you regarding habitat. they might take a turn at fruiting in your garden. Most people have problems fining morels because they are too impatient. black morels are just coming in. How do I know? That skunk cabbage in the wetland behind my house is sporting a big unique blossom and right next to it is a lovely marsh marigold. Forget all this technical B,.S. about when morels fruit and why. Mother nature is telling you, and one must always pay attention to their mama.
Of course, our wise answerer isn't completely right: Fungi are not plants, but they do associate very closely with them.
Q: Basically my question has to do with the weather. A few weeks ago, the weather was perfect daytime 70's, night time 50's. I have been out these past couple weeks about 5 times...have found nothing, but since many people on the net were saying that the heat may move the morel season up, I wanted to be there.
Now that the temp has dropped CONSIDERABLY, does the season go back to mid April till June?? I'm having a heck of a time finding more than a few elms ALIVE, let alone dying or dead for the 1-3 years, I just can't find any or I don't realize it when I do. Plenty of ash and tulips as well as a half dozen abandoned apple orchards (for the later arriving yellows, correct?)
Thanks so much for any info....its greatly appreciated.
A:I've come out of winter hibernation to answer your question realistically. There is no technical secret to finding morels. One simply matches certain species of morels with certain vascular plants. Mushrooms are plants. They are achlorophilic but none the less they react to the environment the same as their vascular, perennial brothers. Whereas it is true that temps play an important part in fruiting and may alter the fruiting time to some degree; the fact still remains that morels (in this case) fruit paralleling certain other perenial plants. It's no big deal. Simply be attuned to the vascular plants that tell you when the morels are out there. Blossoming skunk cabbage, May apples up but not yet, or just starting, to unfiold and untwist into an umbrella. Spring beauties and dutchmens britches are in the woods. These vascular plants are telling you (at this stage of development) that "black morels" are fruiting. The next problem is habitat.
They may be fruiting but if you're looking for a Chevy at the Ford dealership you won't find one. Tulip poplar (Leriodendron) or Wild Cherry would be good habitat. Forget apple orchards for Black morels. Grey morels are simply immature morchella elata or morchella esculenta (black or yellow morels respectively). Morchella hybrida (spikes...to be polite) follow black morels and precede morchella escueltnta. They may overlap at either end. False morels enter in this time period, as well. The dogwood has turned from a green blossom to a white one now and the apple trees are turning from a tight blossom to a full blown one. These apple orchards must be old orchards with broken, decrepit, trees but still producing apples although usually scabby. Forget that bull about lingering toxins. I've eaten morels from these old orchards all my life and I'm turning 86 this year. The trilliums are in bloom now, as well. Elm trees are excellent habitat and
are best when the tops are standing bare of bark and some of the bark is sloughing off the trunk , as well. Elm is a lowland tree best found in swampy areas and river bottoms. A bit later esculenta fruits under ash, especially if you can find a woods that has been timbered out the previous year. Morchella is a fickle mushroom and will play tricks on you regarding habitat. they might take a turn at fruiting in your garden. Most people have problems fining morels because they are too impatient. black morels are just coming in. How do I know? That skunk cabbage in the wetland behind my house is sporting a big unique blossom and right next to it is a lovely marsh marigold. Forget all this technical B,.S. about when morels fruit and why. Mother nature is telling you, and one must always pay attention to their mama.
Of course, our wise answerer isn't completely right: Fungi are not plants, but they do associate very closely with them.
