Spring Mushrooms

Eastern Black Morel

EASTERN BLACK MOREL

Morchella angusticeps

Season

Early spring, typically after the spring rains begin in March

Identifying Characteristics

Cap: conical, medium in size, ridges on cap get darker with age
Stalk: tan with small dots and completely hollow throughout
Fertile Surface: located inside of pits
Spore Color: cream or pale yellow
Habitat: often found around black cherry, ash, and tulip poplar
Key Feature: small groove where the cap meets the stalk

COMMON YELLOW MOREL

Morchella americana

Season

Usually appear after black morel season

Identifying Characteristics

Cap: typically yellow or tan, grey in younger specimens, ovoid shaped, ridges do not darken with age
Stalk: white to pale yellow and hollow throughout
Fertile Surface: inside of pits
Spore Color: cream or pale yellow
Habitat: typically around dying/dead apple, tulip poplar, elm, ash, and sycamore trees
Key Feature: No groove present where the cap meets the stalk

Yellow Morel

Half-Free Morel

HALF-FREE MOREL

Morchella punctipes

Season

Typically between eastern black morels and yellow morels

Identifying Characteristics

Cap: conical in shape with vertical ridges and pits that darken with age
Stalk: much larger in relation to the cap, speckled with fine granules, hollow throughout
Fertile Surface: inside of pits
Spore Color: cream or pale yellow
Habitat: typically around elm, tulip poplar, ash, and black cherry trees
Key Feature: a very pronounced groove where the cape hangs half free from the stem

DRYAD'S SADDLE

Cerioporus squamous

Season

Early spring through the end of summer

Identifying Characteristics

Cap: 2 to 12 inches wide, covered in brown scales, darkens with age
Stalk: rarely longer than 2 inches and also becomes darker with age
Fertile Surface: tiny pores under the cap and down the stalk
Spore Print: white
Habitat: grows on wood, particularly elm trees
Key Feature: smells like melon

Dryad’s Saddle

Wine Cap

WINE CAP

Stropharia rugosoannulata

Season

Begins in spring after a few good rains

Identifying Characteristics

Cap: 1.5 to 6 inches across, bell-shaped, red in young mushrooms and fades with age
Stalk: 3 to 6 inches tall, bulbous with a distinct ring
Fertile Surface: Closely spaced gills attached to stem, gills are white and darken with age
Spore Print: purple/black
Habitat: grows singly or in small groups, usually in mulch or wood chips

COMMON OYSTER

Pleurotus ostreatus

Season

Early spring/late fall

Identifying Characteristics

Cap: usually grey or brown with a smooth surface, 3 to 8 inches wide
Stalk: short and off center, often absent
Fertile Surface: Gills are decurrent (they run down the stem), cream colored at first and yellow over time
Spore Print: white to pale purple
Habitat: typically grows on hardwood in clusters

Common Oyster

Summer Oyster

SUMMER OYSTER

Pleurotus pulmonarius

Season

Late spring, after rain into fall

Identifying Characteristics

Cap: white, darkens with age, convex, 3 to 10 cm across
Stalk: 1 to 4 cm, lateral or eccentric, more defined than that of the common oyster
Fertile Surface: white gills, yellow with age, decurrent
Spore Print: Pale purple/white
Habitat: Almost always grows on hardwood