Morels (Morchella) - a genus of mushrooms in the morel family, which belong to the class of marsupials or ascomycetes. A porous-body mushroom is important to distinguish from lines that are poisonous. About the features of appearance, about how to distinguish morels from other mushrooms, about the benefits and harms, as well as how to use and grow them, later in the article.
The appearance of the mushroom
Morel cap ovoid in round shape, with yellow-brown color. The main feature of the appearance of the hat is the honeycomb structure, the hat seems to be covered with a wire mesh, as well as the fact that it is hollow inside. The bottom of the hat is attached to the leg. The leg is cylindrical, slightly expanded to the bottom, the color can vary from a yellowish brown to white. Morel flesh is fragile, white in color, with a persistent mushroom aroma and pleasant taste.
How to distinguish morel from a line?
Outwardly, mushrooms are very similar, only by examining in detail individual instances can we see the differences. The stitches are darker in color, their hat is irregular in shape, covered with numerous messy folds, outwardly it is similar to a walnut shell. Their leg is short, it can not always be seen from under the hat, inside the mushrooms are not hollow. Their appearance is a little awkward.
A line is a deadly mushroom!
Varieties of mushroom: description and when to collect
The most common in nature are two species:
- morel (Morchella esculenta);
- morel conic (Morchella conica).
Morel present
It is easily recognizable by the wrinkled hat, which resembles in appearance cured dried fruit or crumpled parchment paper. It is covered with diverse cells and delimited by deep partitions resembling honeycombs. Often in the cells find a variety of small animals - snails, ants and worms, as well as natural litter. Therefore, before use, the hat must be thoroughly washed.
The shape of the hat of a real morel has the shape of an elongated egg, reaching a diameter of 3-8 cm. It is painted in a brown, ocher-brownish or gray-whitish color. The hat is hollow inside. Its edges are tightly fused with the leg.
The leg has a cylindrical shape. It is smooth and slightly covered with “folds”, hollow inside. In young mushrooms, it is white, but eventually acquires a yellowish tint. The height of the legs is from 3 to 10 cm, and the diameter is 3-5 cm. The pulp is white and brittle. Depending on the collection time of morels, they have a different smell. If you collect them in April, the mushrooms are watery and smell like melt water, in May they become strong and acquire a pleasant mushroom aroma and taste.
Morel grows real in broad-leaved, mixed forests, at the edges, in mossy and sandy areas, clear-cutting. Experienced mushroom pickers will surely look at the old burnt places, look for them at the roots of fallen birches and hollow willows, on the southern slopes of steep ravines.
Conical morel
The mushroom differs from the real form of the hat. It has a conical shape with a diameter of 3-5 cm and a height of 3-6 cm. The olive-brown or red-brown hat has a cellular-mesh surface. Its edges also fuse with a leg, which is covered with longitudinal grooves. The leg is waxy, hollow inside, the flesh is thin and brittle.
Conical morel is a medicinal plant that grows throughout the forest zone, including the tundra and mountains. He prefers to settle on sandy soil. Often found in felling and among shrubs. Like other representatives of morels, it bears fruit in the spring, from early April to mid-May.
Morel morels
More rare varieties include:
Morellefoot (Morchella crassipes)
The largest representative of the morel family. The leg is hilly, can reach a height of 17 cm and a diameter of 8 cm. If you measure the height of the mushroom with a hat, it is about 23 cm. The giant has a gray-yellow hat and a pale yellow leg.
The hat in shape can be in the form of a cylinder, or it can be oval; in adult mushrooms, the edges of the cap can grow to the stem. Some experts believe that this is a kind of common morel, only large.
It grows in forests that are “populated” with poplars, hornbeams and ash trees. The first fruits can be found already in early spring, depending on the weather, in early April or May. They grow in groups, but can be found in a single copy.
Steppe Morel (Morchella steppicola)
Grows in the dry steppes. He has a spherical hat of gray-brown color with a diameter of 2-15 cm and a miniature leg, not exceeding a height of 2 cm. There are also mushrooms of this species, in which the leg is completely absent. But by weight, it can reach 2 kg.
The pulp is light, even white, quite elastic. It occurs in wormwood steppes, begins to bear fruit in April, you can meet it even in June. It is recommended to cut such mushrooms with a knife to save the mycelium.
Morel half-free (Morchella semilibera)
Has a conical hat, but it does not grow to the leg. The yellow-gray-brown hat has a honeycomb surface, cells in the form of rhombuses. The pulp of the fruiting body is hollow, with an unpleasant aroma, yellowish or white. The mushroom can reach a height of 15 cm, but small specimens, 4-6 cm, are more common.
The mushroom grows in tall grass, nettles and in the forest, where birch, linden, aspen and oak grow. Active fruiting occurs in May. But this species is extremely rare.
Morel high (Morchella elata)
The most rare species. The hat is elongated, painted in olive brown. With age, it becomes darker. The cells are triangular, pronounced. The height of the hat is 4–10 cm. In young mushrooms, the leg is white, in adults it is yellowish. Outwardly, it is very similar to conical morels, but it is darker and much larger, it can reach up to 30 cm.
Usually found in the mountains, but sometimes grows in mixed forests. Fruits in April-May, sometimes found in June.
All of them belong to conditionally edible mushrooms of the third category, that is, before use, they must be thermally processed - boiled in several waters or scalded.
What is it for? Morel contains a poisonous substance - gyromitrin, the concentration of which depends on the place of growth of the mushrooms and weather conditions. This toxin dissolves quickly in hot water, and mushrooms become safe. When drying, it also collapses, so for the future they are harvested only this way. Dried morels are ready for use in 3 months.
The third category includes mushrooms that have low nutritional value and are inferior in taste to the mushrooms of the first and second categories.
The nutritional value of morels
The nutritional value of morels is only 20 kcal per 100 g.
Fresh mushroom (100 g) contains:
- 2.9 g of protein;
- 2 g of carbohydrate;
- 0.4 g of fat.
The main share is water - 92 g, it also contains dietary fiber - 0.7 g. Of the minerals it contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, iron and vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, D.
Morels are the first spring mushrooms that are harvested in April - May.
What is valuable mushroom for mushroom grower?
This mushroom is quite profitable to collect in the forest or grow not only for yourself, but also for marketing. They are well redeemed to create drugs and dietary supplements. Mushrooms contain the FD4 polysaccharide, which affects the lens, prevents it from becoming cloudy, and improves vision. Pharmacists have created more medicines based on morel. And also mushrooms perfectly cleanse blood and lymph. Their intake is effective for diseases of the blood and immune system. Therefore, morels have such an important value.
Harm
When used properly cooked morels, they can not harm the body. All varieties of morel must be boiled, then the broth is drained and not used for food. Inexperienced mushroom pickers can easily be confused with morels with lines that belong to the poisonous representatives of the mushroom kingdom, as they contain toxins.
How to collect morels?
Having found the morel, do not rush to tear it completely out of the soil. So that next year the mycelium continued to grow, at this place it is necessary to leave part of the leg. Therefore, the leg of the fungus is cut off at ground level.
Can morels be grown at home?
Morels are delicious mushrooms that are considered a delicacy in European countries. Therefore, more than once attempts were made to plant mushrooms at home.
German mushroom pickers suggested simply sowing pieces of morels into the ground and cover them with ash. In autumn, a place on top is covered with straw or leaves, and in spring mushrooms are already found. And it was also noticed that morels grow well in those places where fallen rotting apples remain. Therefore, the French make beds on which pieces of mushrooms are scattered. In autumn, the earth is watered with apple pomace. Harvest in the spring.
Morel mycelium can be purchased at a specialty store and planted on a garden plot. Morels are planted in the spring. To do this, they pick up a "mushroom" place near deciduous trees. It should be darkened. In the selected area, 15 cm of the upper layer is removed.
Prepare the soil mixture:
- 3 parts of sawdust;
- 1 part of the leaves;
- 1 part of wood ash;
- 6 pieces of garden land.
All components are mixed and poured into the prepared recess, watered. From above, the mycelium is laid out on the soil and covered with ground. Water again, cover the bed with leaves. In summer, they take care of it, do not allow the earth to dry out and fertilize it with wood ash. In the fall they cover with natural material - straw, branches, leaves. In the spring, after melting snow, they remove the shelter. The first mushrooms appear in 2 weeks. The mycelium bears fruit for 3-5 years.
Application and processing
Mushroom powder is made from dried morels, which is a natural flavor. It is added to various dishes. Dried mushrooms quickly absorb moisture, so they are stored in paper bags or cardboard boxes in a dry place, otherwise they will be covered with mold. They are not salted or pickled.
Morel Handling:
- mushrooms are cleaned, washed thoroughly;
- soaked in water for 1 hour;
- boil in water - 30 minutes;
- washed with hot water;
- the mushroom is ready for use or consumption.
Morels are the first spring mushrooms, which, despite their low nutritional value, are very tasty. They should not be used by people who have individual intolerance, children under 12 years old, pregnant and lactating women, as well as people with severe cardiovascular diseases.