Ideal Conditions for Morel Mushrooms in West Virginia

Timeframe

• Springtime mushroom hunting starts just after the cold winter has subsided and dying tree limbs lay scattered, with the delectable morel being found before other wild varieties come into season. Late April and May are the best months in West Virginia to find morels.

Habitat

• Dead and dying apple orchards and places where forest fire has burned trees support the heaviest concentrations of morels, especially if limestone is exposed above ground in these areas. They can be hidden in deep leaf litter of poplar, maples, ash, oak, pine, cottonwood and aspen trees and grow best under dead elm logs.

Soils

• Morels favor sandy soil with a bit of limestone. You will not find them in wet areas, although a rain can trigger fruiting.