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Where Can You Find Morel Mushrooms in West Virginia?

Morel mushrooms grow in many forests in West Virginia. Mushroom hunters find black morels under hickory and poplar trees, while yellow morels often grow under Eastern pines. Mushrooms thrive in damp locations or areas where a fire recently occurred.

  1. True Morel Mushrooms

    • Commonly known as sponge mushrooms and molly moochers, true morel mushrooms have hollow stalks and caps with distinct ridges. Like all mushrooms, true morels are fungi. Their caps contain spores, and when the spores fall to the ground, they germinate and enable reproduction.

    False morels

    • Do not confuse true morel mushrooms with false morels. There are several recognizable differences. False morel mushrooms have brain-like lobes and chambered stalks, and they often grow under white pine trees.

    Warning

    • Before consuming a mushroom, make sure it is not a false morel. False morel mushrooms are poisonous, and eating them may make you very ill or even kill you. Only true morels are edible.