Morel mushrooms inspire more passion than almost any other type of fungi.
Resembling something out of science fiction, these mushrooms are the subject of many clubs, websites, books, and tall tales around the campfire. Every spring, numerous mushroom hunters flock to the woods in hopes of finding some of these elusive treats.
Yes, morels are edible and are considered a prized delicacy. They require very specific growing conditions that are not easily duplicated. Thus finding them has grown into a sport and a culture.
This page gives you an overview of both the science and uses of morels. Click on the links to learn more, and maybe soon you’ll be finding some of your own!
Go to this in-depth article to learn about the 18 species of Morels that occur in North America.
Jump to:
Morel Mushrooms Information
How to Identify Morel Mushrooms
Identification is the first thing to know before you begin mushroom hunting. There are poisonous false morel species, so review how to distinguish the good from the bad before you go into the woods.
Hunting Tips and Techniques
Once you really know what they look like it’s time to learn the practice and culture and start hunting for morels. I’ll also provide some hunting tips to get you started on where and when to look.
How to Grow
Want to try your hand at growing? Patience is a virtue in this hobby, as it may take years to see results. Here are some step-by-step growing instructions and here you can learn about how they grow. More knowledge increases your success rate!
Delicious Recipes
Once you find or grow morels it’s time to reap your reward, eating them! Here’s a collection of morel recipes and some cooking instructions for both your fresh and dried morels.
Up Close and Personal
Want more morel madness? Below are picture galleries containing photos of morels taken by myself and others. Click on the links below the pictures to see more. (Guaranteed to make you want to go outside, or at least make you hungry!)
Happy hunting!
Debbie says
My father hunting the morel mushroom in Minnesota. He has passed and left me huge glass air tight jars of them from as far back as 2005 I was wondering if they are still edible? What is the shelf life of a morel?
Jenny says
So sorry for the loss of your father. But oh my goodness, I have no idea! I’m not sure anyone’s tested the shelf life of an 18 year old dried morel. I’d “guess” they’re okay as long as they were dried properly and they’ve been stored well. Not sure of how they’d taste, though. It’s likely the flavor degrades over time. I can’t advise you to eat them but if it was me, I’d try a few 🙂