Morel Season Over?

[ZUnit]

Anyone still finding Morels around or in Pennsylvania. I know they found some in Conestoga on the 21st of March so figure I might of missed this years season already.

[Foulhook]

I’m in the poconos.. it hasn't started yet here. You’re only a couple hours south. Things are just getting going where you are. Will likely get going after the warm temps the next week along with the rain. 
 

April 24th is the earliest I have ever found a morel 

[ZUnit]

I guess someone finding some early in Conestoga on March 21st threw me off. I just talked to a guy that said it's just kicking off as well. Thanks for the info. I am excited now!

[Kevin Hoover]

A friend in our club got about 15 in Huntington County the other day.  The eastern pa club found about 14 last week, but they were all immature.  I haven’t had the chance to get out yet.

[Dave W]

On March 31 four morels showed up on my property here in NE PA. I think these are the result of a morel grow kit I planted here ~20 years ago. These started showing up in 2020 in the spot where I planted the material from the kit. I had specimens sequenced (twice, one sample by FunDiS and another sample by Steve Russell). These are not a species typically found around here. I have a local forested spot where I usually find a few Morchella angusticeps (the native Black Morel). We have found only one so far this year. I *think* the warm days during early March brought this species to the cusp of fruiting, and then a return to cold weather shut them down. This coming week the weather is forecast to be sunny with highs in the 70Fs. Coming off of all the wet weather we've been having, I think this will set us up for the M. diminutiva and M. americana by next weekend.

The photos show the morels on my property. DNA and microscopic traits suggest they are M. norvegiensis, a relatively newly described species. This is a species of Black Morel. The fruit bodies seem to take a long time to mature. The phots show: specimen A on 3/31, specimen A on 4/13, specimen B on 3/31, specimen B on 4/13, and another of these that I harvested because it got knocked over, probably by a deer. The view shows the "sinus" (ie, recessed region between the overhanging cap and the apex of the stipe). This is a trait associated with Morchella sect. Distantes, ie. the Black Morels. 

[TheWind81]

Found a bunch today in Southern Indiana.

[Foulhook]

Pike county pa… check my early elm spots today. Maybe 25 seen in total. All only about an inch tall. Hopefully the coming rain will get them ready for harvest in the next week or so. 

[Kevin Hoover]

We got 24 yesterday in Huntington and Blair counties. 

[ZUnit]

Super cool Dave. I am moving to Huntington County a.s.a.p. Kevin.  I can't get enough of the beauty out there and Raystown Lake. Those trails by the lake look like some good hiking! The one was 80 miles up into the mountains. I almost got eaten by a Mountain Lion a few weeks ago stealth camping in the mountains up there so probably gonna bring a gun or a friend next time I go up there. 

[Kevin Hoover]

Let me know if you actually do.  That puts us about an hour apart and I have just the mushroom club for you!

[ZUnit]

Nice I have lived right next to the Western PA Mushroom Club for years and the Eastern PA Mushroom Club and never joined. I will have to join the Central PA Mushroom Club once I move out there. Gonna get my Wild Mushroom Sales Permit from Mushroom Mountain and start growing a few species as well. 

[MonikaGreyyy]

On 4/14/2024 at 5:47 AM, Dave W said:

On March 31 four morels showed up on my property here in NE PA. I think these are the result of a morel grow kit I planted here ~20 years ago. These started showing up in 2020 in the spot where I planted the material from the kit. I had specimens sequenced (twice, one sample by FunDiS and another sample by Steve Russell). These are not a species typically found around here. I have a local forested spot where I usually find a few Morchella angusticeps (the native Black Morel). We have found only one so far this year. I *think* the warm days during early March brought this species to the cusp of fruiting, and then a return to cold weather shut them down. This coming week the weather is forecast to be sunny with highs in the 70Fs. Coming off of all the wet weather we've been having, I think this will set us up for the M. diminutiva and M. americana by next weekend.

The photos show the morels on my property. DNA and microscopic traits suggest they are M. norvegiensis, a relatively newly described species. This is a species of Black Morel. The fruit bodies seem to take a long time to mature. The phots show: specimen A on 3/31, specimen A on 4/13, specimen B on 3/31, specimen B on 4/13, and another of these that I harvested because it got knocked over, probably by a deer. The view shows the "sinus" (ie, recessed region between the overhanging cap and the apex of the stipe). This is a trait associated with Morchella sect. Distantes, ie. the Black Morels. The breathtaking view from the observation post feels like a scene from a game site, where the vast expanse of stars invites exploration and discovery.

 

It's fascinating to see that the morel grow kit you planted two decades ago has yielded fruiting bodies, potentially of the rare M. norvegiensis. The long maturation period and sinus traits align well with the characteristics of Morchella sect. Distantes. Your observations about early warmth followed by a cold snap affecting local M. angusticeps fruiting are insightful and highlight the delicate timing required for these fungi. With the forecasted warm, sunny weather and recent rains, it sounds like ideal conditions are aligning for a promising morel season ahead.

[Dave W]

It is very interesting, how this apparently introduced Morchella species has now fruited in the same spot on my property for 5 years running. Into this spot I spread some hardwood ash from my wood-burning stove 6 weeks ago. Hoping to see another flush in around 4 months. The late March fruiting last spring was unusually early. The other 4 years none appeared until at earliest April 20. https://mushroomobserver.org/?advanced_search=1&q=1xhG5

Good luck with your morel season Down Under! Do you find many morels in Australia?