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I fondly remember searching the woods for yellow morels alongside my parents and grandparents in the 1980s. That was my introduction to foraging.
The most common morel on the 100 acre is black morel, possibly because that area was disturbed by logging. The logging occurred over 50 years ago. I often find them growing with the wild leek, both a popular forage in the area.
On the one acre I get a random white morel here and there. I have noticed them near my apple trees. There’s a long list of places to look for morels including apple orchards. Many tree species are noted including dead or dying elm, or near oak, ash, black cherry and cottonwood trees. Of course Haliburton is dotted with all the above.
These beloved mushrooms pop up when the temps starts hitting over 50F. Each species seems to have a prime time, and the waves happen on different days each year.
White (Morchella americana), black (Morchella elata) then half-free (Morchella punctipes) are the most common true (and edible) morels in Ontario. Black and white are pictured and labelled below. Half-free morel is edible but not hollow throughout like white and black (and the yellow morels to the south), hence the “half free”.
None of the true morels are poisonous. And their toxic to poisonous lookalikes are in the false morel family.
You’ll end up hearing from more advanced foragers that wrinkled thimble (Verpa bohemica) is “edible for some”, because only some people become ill after eating it. And it’s not the only false morel people dare to eat. I would question the long-term effects. Note, it’s harder to distinguish wrinkle thimble from the half-free morel. So for beginners, look for a fully hollow morel!
Edible Uses of True Morels
With some familiarity true morels are one of the easier fungi to identify correctly with their distinct wrinkles and hollow insides. They are edible cooked, and deliciously mushroom-y. I’ve always prepared them the same way my grandparents and parents did: clean, and fry in butter!
Pick morels that are free of decay, and avoid places where insecticide may have been used; you’ll often see apple trees mentioned as a spot to look, but keep in mind older orchids may have toxic soil from previous insecticide use.
Avoid consuming alcohol with morels, and note morels aren’t the only species that don’t go with alcohol. In morels case it can cause upset stomach.
You can saute and freeze or dry morels them to preserve for later. Drying may even enhance the flavour, so it’s yummy to dry for soups first.
Growing Morchella SPP.
Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by the god of Fantastic Fungi, Paul Stamets, documents success at growing black morel, and some limited white morel attempts. He gets into details about the spawn, temps, and really everything to give it a go. He’s not the only one that’s had success. If you have mushroom growing dreams, it’s a great resource.
On the ground you can also help them grow. Wherever you pick, using mesh bags can help spread the spores.
WARNINGS
To the left is an example of a poisonous “false morel”. With a little study, becoming proficient at identifying various species of morels and false morels is easy.
And the Usual Cautions:
1) Most medicinal herbs, if edible, are meant to be eaten in moderation, even sparingly. Some require extra preparation. Tannins are toxic if consumed in excess. Before taking any new supplements, you should consult with a healthcare professional.
2) A vast amount of these herbs are diuretic. (See the Medicinal tags above to check if this featured herb is one of them!) Diuretics are generally safe, but they can be risky for people with other medical conditions or who take certain medications. Please consult your doctor if you have any health conditions.
3) People can be allergic or sensitive to nearly any plant; try new herbs one at a time at your own risk. For instance, saponins commonly cause stomach upset.
4) For serious medicinal use, I must recommend receiving a diagnosis and working with a reputed health care provider. I generally do not post specific treatments and dosages because I think that is best between you and your health care provider, and ideally monitored.
5) Anyone pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription drugs should talk to a health care professional before adding new food items to their diet.
6) Many plants have look-a-likes, and sometimes they are poisonous.
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REFERENCES
Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms
Stalking The Wild Asparagus (Field Guide Edition).
The Scout’s Guide to Wild Edibles: Learn How To Forage, Prepare & Eat 40 Wild Foods
The Forager’s Calendar: A Seasonal Guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests
North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi