More on Morels..

Morchella spp.

Morels are found on the ground in a variety of habitats, including moist woodlands and in river bottoms. They are delicious and thus are cultivated for economic reasons.

The surface of a morel is covered with definite pits and ridges. It is about 2" to 12" tall. There are three common species of morels:

Find out about Morel's Life Cycle

• The common morel (Morchella esculenta): When young, this species has white ridges and dark brown pits and is known as the "white morel." As it ages, both the ridges and the pits turn yellowish brown, and it becomes a "yellow morel".

• The black morel (Morchella elata): The ridges are gray or tan when young, but darken with age until nearly black. The pits are brown and elongated. These morels are best when picked young; discard any that are shrunken or have completely black heads.

• The half-free morel (Morchella semilibera): This is the exception to the rule that morels have the bottom of the cap attached directly to the stem. The cap of the half-free morel is attached at about the middle. These morels have small caps and long bulbous stems.

Although morels are quite distinctive, it is still possible to confuse them with false morels. Some of these false morels are actually poisonous!

Can you tell which is the false morel in these two pictures?

Click on the picture of your choice to find out if your answer is correct.

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