False Morel Warning

[sgt.porter]

As our friends in the south are just getting into morel season, and the rest of us are drooling in anticipation, I figure this is a good time to introduce new shroomers to the false morel:

The false morel is identified by it's bright white stem and red - burgundy waxy looking head. The unmistakable warped and twisted look of this mushroom gives it the appearance of something you would think to find growing close to a nuclear reactor.
Honestly, I don't see how, but some people have been known to mistake this mushroom for a morel (hence the name false morel). If ever in doubt, slice the mushroom lengthwise. Morels have a hollow stem, false morel stems are tightly packed with warped and twisted cells.
The false morel should not be considered a food source. While some people can successfully eat them, others experience a poisonous effect.
Prolonged contact with this mushroom, ingesting this mushroom, even inhaling the fumes from cooking this mushroom has been known to cause diarrhea, headaches, vomiting, nausea, extreme dizziness, and even death.
I purposefully have prepared and eaten a small portion of false morels. Although none of the effects were severe, I will never do so again. If your will to survive drives you to to find out if you can eat this mushroom, you do so on your own accord. I will not provide you with any help.
IF YOU SPOT A FALSE MOREL, LEAVE IT BE AND MOVE ON!!!!
IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF A MUSHROOM YOU HAVE ALREADY COLLECTED, THROW IT OUT IMMEDIATELY!

 

[shibumiseeker]

Always a good reminder this time of year. I have never encountered one, it's an evil looking shroom!

I figure another week or so before my reliable patches in my woods start to come up.

 

[DocBoCook]

picture of an actual morel for us Non Mushroom hunters

 

[slacker]

Real

Fake

 

[Scutter01]

They both look nasty if you ask me.

 

[slacker]

They both look nasty if you ask me.

Fry them up in some bacon grease and they might be alright

Based on looks, it makes you wonder why anyone would ever try eating either one.

 

[Scutter01]

Fry them up in some bacon grease and they might be alright

Based on looks, it makes you wonder why anyone would ever try eating either one.

My daughter loves mushrooms but I just can't bring myself to eat them. Granted, she's never had anything but grocery store white mushrooms and portabellas.

 

[Deadly Z Driver]

Yummy... lol

 

[samot]

Yummy... lol

uhmm ? what kind are those ? edible?

 

[Deadly Z Driver]

Not sure but I hear they are magical...

 

[TheLoneRaider]

I refuse to eat fungus!

 

[evansvillethompsongunner]

As our friends in the south are just getting into morel season, and the rest of us are drooling in anticipation, I figure this is a good time to introduce new shroomers to the false morel:

The false morel is identified by it's bright white stem and red - burgundy waxy looking head. The unmistakable warped and twisted look of this mushroom gives it the appearance of something you would think to find growing close to a nuclear reactor.
Honestly, I don't see how, but some people have been known to mistake this mushroom for a morel (hence the name false morel). If ever in doubt, slice the mushroom lengthwise. Morels have a hollow stem, false morel stems are tightly packed with warped and twisted cells.
The false morel should not be considered a food source. While some people can successfully eat them, others experience a poisonous effect.
Prolonged contact with this mushroom, ingesting this mushroom, even inhaling the fumes from cooking this mushroom has been known to cause diarrhea, headaches, vomiting, nausea, extreme dizziness, and even death.
I purposefully have prepared and eaten a small portion of false morels. Although none of the effects were severe, I will never do so again. If your will to survive drives you to to find out if you can eat this mushroom, you do so on your own accord. I will not provide you with any help.
IF YOU SPOT A FALSE MOREL, LEAVE IT BE AND MOVE ON!!!!
IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF A MUSHROOM YOU HAVE ALREADY COLLECTED, THROW IT OUT IMMEDIATELY!

I appreciate the advice, but that doesn't look anything like a morel.

 

[evansvillethompsongunner]

uhmm ? what kind are those ? edible?

"Magic" mushrooms a.k.a. psilocybin mushrooms.
Illegal and dangerous both.

 

[Deadly Z Driver]

"Magic" mushrooms a.k.a. psilocybin mushrooms.
Illegal and dangerous both.

Why do you have to take all the fun out of it?

 

[UncleMike]

They both look nasty if you ask me.

HERETIC!!!
BLASPHEMER!!!
Burning at the stake is too good for you!!!

Just kidding.
They may look nasty but then again so do Lobsters and Crabs.
ALL ARE DELICIOUS!!!
Mike

 

[seamusalaska]

Morels are great eating. Fry lightly in butter with a little salt and pepper. Om nom nom!

 

[samot]

"Magic" mushrooms a.k.a. psilocybin mushrooms.
Illegal and dangerous both.

no wonder i didnt recognize them.
they wearnt all dried up & in a baggie

illeagal-YES

Dangerous- um, only if u consider sitting on the ground & laughing yourself silly dangerous
I think a human would have to eat literal POUNDS of "majic mushrooms" to do harm to themselves.. But, hey what do i know, i learned everything i know about them in the library

 

[sgt.porter]

I appreciate the advice, but that doesn't look anything like a morel.

I would assume that the false morels reputation comes from poorly informed newcomers to mushrooming going into the woods and this being the first thing they find so they assume it's a morel. It's fine for veterans to sit and laugh about it, but there very well may be someone here who needs to know.

 

[sgt.porter]

Here's an interesting false morel I found while foraging on Friday.

 

[dtkw]

I will never pick any mushroom off the ground to cook or eat. If I wanted to eat mushroom, I'd just order some from a good restaurant deep fried with some special sauce.