Complete Guide to Foraging Morels in British Columbia
Morels are one of the most popular wild mushrooms, but identification of separate species is difficult. This guide has information on how to find, identify, and prepare morels for British Columbia.
The common name “morel” is used to refer to fungi in the genus Morchella. These are known as the “true” morels.
Morel mushrooms are distinctive and quite “alien” looking compared to most mushrooms. However, even with this distinctive look, morel identification should be approached with caution.
Morels have both poisonous lookalikes and some toxic characteristics of their own. Morels are also highly variable, and even the experts disagree on the classification and naming of various species. Furthermore, many recognized species of morel are virtually indistinguishable from each other.
To complicate matters further, morels are possibly both saprobic (feeding on dead organic matter) and mycorrhizal (developing symbiotic relationships with certain plants). Ultimately, this characteristic could vary between species, habitats, or even within a single individual’s lifetime.
Here we will refer to some broad “types” of morels, like fire morels, blonde or yellow morels, and garden morels. We will also attempt to make claims which apply as generally as possible to these types, as they occur in Vancouver Island and British Columbia.
How to Identify Morels
Morels can be identified by their blunt, cone-shaped caps which
are covered in deep pits (not lobes, folds, or wrinkles). Sometimes
those pits extend up the length of the mushroom.
Morel stalks are usually a white or pale cream colour, with a rough
grainy exterior and completely hollow interior.
Cap colours range from pale brown to grey to black. Some morels
are covered in a fine, velvety fur.
The entire length of a morel cap is joined to the stem.
As with many mushroom, individual morels can vary a lot in shape,
size, and colour.
How do you tell true morels from false morels? Keep reading to
find out.
Where to find Morels in British Columbia
Given the wide variety of morel species, you can find morels growing in many different habitats.
“Natural” morels are those which appear unprompted by events like forest fires. In British Columbia, some of these morel species are associated with cottonwood, ornamental ash, or old fruit trees.
Burn morels (AKA fire morels) grow in areas that were burned during the previous year’s summer. Fire morels are also known to grow in large numbers, which is why so many people seek out burn sites to look for and harvest them.
Morchela importuna grows in landscaped areas, like wood chips and even gravel. These morels have long, elongated pits that can run the length of their caps (see below).
The wide variety of morel types and habitats explains why some people spend years searching the back country for morels only to one day find them growing in their own backyard.
As the saying goes: “Morels are everywhere, and impossible to find”
Landscape & Garden Morels
Morchella importuna is a relatively common variety of morel that tends to grow in gardens
and other landscaped areas in British Columbia. It can be found growing from stones,
gravel, lawns, and wood chips.
Appearance:
Tall and slender shape.
Extended pits with internal ridges, like ladders climbing the length of the mushroom.
Pits have darker ridges and are often quite rough.
When to Find Morels in BC
Morel-picking season:
Morels are a spring mushroom. April is peak season in lower British Columbia for most species.
However, morels can appear from March until June, depending on local conditions and that year’s weather.
Follow morels uphill as the weather becomes warmer, staying on drier sun-facing slopes.
Blossoming trees, like dogwoods, are a good indicator for the start of morel season.
As with most mushrooms, a good rain followed by week or so of sunshine probably indicates a good time to go picking.
Morels grow slowly, so the picking season for morels can be up to 2 months long in the spring.
Morel Growing Temperature
There are varying recommendations regarding the optimal ground temperature for morel growing. These will likely vary by place, and the specific variety of morel being hunted. However, for general benchmarks, you can regard anything below 10°C as too cold, and a consistent average ground and air temperature above 10°C as a good time to start hunting.
To measure ground temperature, use an ordinary baking thermometer. Place it in the ground in a shady spot and wait a few seconds for it to adjust. For accurate results, take care to control for variables like time of day, location, moisture, and so on.