Finding Morels in Conifer Forests

Morels Are Excellent At Hiding

All morels have +6 to stealth but the ones that grow with conifers are elite. Their pitted caps act like camouflage, and their shape mimics exactly a pine cone fallen jauntily on end. Many people are discouraged by how difficult they are to pick out of the messy forest floor with your eyes, and mentors frequently get newbies within a couple feet of one and refuse to let them leave until their eyes have adjusted to it. My advice? 1. Train your eyes! Look at as many pictures of morels in their natural habitat as you can get your hands on (see my favorite books and online resources or Wikimedia) and 2. learn how to seek out their favorite environments.

Morels Found in Healthy Forests East and West Sides of the Cascades

On the Western slopes of the Cascades I have better luck finding morels in riparian zones, a topic I covered in detail in the first article of this mini series.

That said, morels also grow on both sides of the Cascades in a few different conifer loving habitats.

1. In the West first morels of the year are Morchella tridentina which grows in the needle & leaf litter of coastal conifer and Madrone forests. Look for these mushrooms when the first delicate green shoots of spring break ground. The photo below is from San Jan Island, but the lucky among us find them all along the Puget Sound.

   
   

   

   Probably Morchella tridentina. Photo by Allyzilla.

   
   

   Madrone trees are easy to identify by their peeling reddish bark that reveals greenish trunk below. In the Spring these trees are adorned with sprays of small, white, bell shaped flowers. Learn how to identify Madrone and several different local conifers.

   

   Madrone flowers. Photo by Chris Light

   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Natural black morels like Morchella snyderi are more common East of the mountains because they prefer drier climates, but can be found in the West when conditions are right. You'll know the soil temperature is right when the Trillium and Calypso Orchids are in bloom. Seek out disturbed soil in Fir or Pine forests like old logging roads, campgrounds, and last year's fire pits.

Identifying Morels

Morels are extremely easy to identify by their pitted caps, caps that fully connect to the stem, and their hollow cross section, But beginners should still take care, there are similar looking mushrooms that are poisonous or even deadly. See the PNW"s common morels species right next to similar looking mushrooms you might find on my Morel Identification page.

How to Identify a Morel

Morel Look A-likes

Gyromitra mushrooms are an important look a-like to learn before you go hunting, hey prefer to grow in the same habitats as morels and often appear at the same time of year. Gyromitra mushrooms are toxic and their effects can be deadly but they are easy to distinguish from morel because of their lobed or brainy cap (rather than pitted like honeycomb) and their cross section will be filled with folded stem flesh and pith (rather than hollow). The stink horn mushroom can also look similar to a morel in it's youth but their nasty smell and fleshy wrinkle filled stems will make it easy to identify.

Enjoying Morels

Always follow the Safe Eating Process when foraging fungus. Morels especially must always be cooked before eating because they can contain toxins that are neutralized after being exposed to medium-high heat. No matter how tempting, never collect any mushroom from busy roadsides because they can absorb heavy metals and other contaminants that could make you sick. Morchella importuna (aka the landscape morel) often grows in areas I find too risky for foraging like managed parks, neighborhood gardens, and this specimen growing in my gravel driveway.

Probably Morchella importuna. Photo by Allyzilla

This article has focused on the morels you'll find in healthy conifer forests. In my next post we'll explore the morels that only grow in areas affected by fire.

Happy and safe hunting!