Is this fungus what I think it is? A morel??

14 days ago

Found growing in the pot with a small fruit tree. Looks like photos that I've seen of the mushroom but I am aware that there is a "false morel" although I don't know if that grows in this area. This doesn't look to me like the photos of false morel that I've seen.

Assuming that it is a safely edible morel, what do I need to do to encourage it to reappear in the future? Leave this solitary one alone?

Featured Answer

Sigrid

6 days ago

You can easily find on line how to distinguish a morel from a look-alike. The first rule of mushrooms is don't eat it unless you have positively identified it. That means knowing all the signs and comparing it to the non-edible look-alikes. It's worth noting that "poisonous" mushrooms range from fatal to will give you a mild stomach upset for a day or two. You should alway keep a piece of the mushroom for ID if you get sick, which is unlikely to happen if you stick to mushrooms you know.

There are lots of different types of morels. Some only show up after fires. For example, there's one type that only shows up a year after there's been a forest fire in the autumn. You can try to propagate them, but your luck will depend on whether your morel suits your environment. The othe thing is the mushroom you see is basically like the flower, most of the plant is underground, so your spores may be growing underground, and like some flowers grown from seed, not actually produce the "flower" (ie visible mushroom) for a few years.

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Comments (8)

bengz6westmd
14 days ago
Looks similar to a morel, but I wouldn't eat it. I just safely buy mushrooms at the grocery store... :)
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rosegarden586
13 days ago
That looks like a morel, especially if it is hollow in the middle. It is the right time of year for them to grow.

I’ve heard some people grind up morels, mix them with molasses and spread them in spots that are ideal for morels as a method of propogating them. I’ve never tried it though.
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio thanked rosegarden586
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Olychick
7 days ago
Contact a local mycological society for help with ID. They exist everywhere mushrooms might grow. Maybe FB groups.
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio thanked Olychick
beesneeds
7 days ago
Is it an apple tree by any chance? Just curious. Anywho, morels tend to prefer a decaying woody rich growing medium/environment, shady. An easy slurry is made by submerging the morel in water and allowing to soak for several hours to release their spores. An addition of a bit of molasses (or other things) can be used as a feed. Sometimes a pinch of salt is added. Let bucket sit in a warm spot for a day or two to colonize. Dump bucket in your new growing area. This is a quick and dirty version. You might also grow other stuff with your morel. Mushroom growing can get seriously specific, with sterile growing containers, medium, slices of mushroom, and so on. This can result in being more likely to get just morels, and you can target plant a bit better. There's also things like making mushroom bombs or scatters for more wild sowing, if that's what you are looking to get into. There's an interesting mushroom guy on Youtube that does a lot of it with various mushrooms.

Most mushroom cultivation is pretty similar. Fast and dirty works, and can work great in outdoor growing. More sterile cultivation can increase your chances of the mushroom you want, and less oops or other in the grow.

But do get that mushroom checked in person by someone knowledgable first. Better safe than sorry.
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio thanked beesneeds
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
Original Author
6 days ago
last modified: 6 days ago
Beesneeds - It grew in a pot at the foot of a mystery stone fruit potted some 5 years ago (supposedly a nectarine, but no fruit yet). I do mix up spent mulch, chopped leaves, and other organic stuff with some potting soil for my potted trees. I am not sure that otherwise I have a good spot for it, but I will look for local experts - thanks for that suggestion, Olychick!
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beesneeds
6 days ago
5 years? Are you getting good blossoms on the tree? If you aren't your tree isn't happy. If you are, your tree might not be self-fertile and need a pollenator tree.
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio thanked beesneeds
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
Original Author
6 days ago
last modified: 6 days ago
Beesneeds, it grows vigorously, and blossoms but too early - late April freezes. This past month we had 4 nights (not in a row) of nearly all night hard freezes - unusual number for this location and time of year. Even if I tilt the pot over and cover the tree, it usually loses the flower bud and blossoms. I really should just give it away to someone who can have it in a more protected spot. The tag has disappeared so I can't double check what it is!

My peach usually does better with that freeze protection, and I get fruit - that is, until the fat racoon gets them despite netting (and breaks branches on the way up) - but this year I lost all of the blossoms on that tree too, and even on one of my apples which was barely expanding the buds - I generally never have to worry about the apples.
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