Am I the first? (morcella esculenta)

Belly77 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 07:35 AM

Was working in Acton yesterday when I popped outside of the brand new unit I was working in to make a call. Was busy chatting away when I just happened to glance down into some newly laid woodchip and look what caught my eye. I've only ever found the false variety so was very surprised by what I found. There were quite a few more but most of them had dried up or gone mouldy.

Has anyone else found them this year? not logged on here for a while.

pdnash · #2 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 07:57 AM

That seems pretty early to me, I have only ever found them in April, so I would say yes. But I am no expert...yet

Do you know how long the woodchip mulch has been laid down for?

I reckon a spot of hunting is in order today.

Belly77 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 08:41 AM

Well the studio is only 6 months old so not very long by the looks of it.

There was a frost yesterday morning as well, that may have had something to do with it?

mushruman · #4 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 08:51 AM

Nice

Hoping to find some of those this year myself. Time to brush off my hunting cap.

fungi2bwith · #5 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 10:22 AM

Would these not be Morchella Elata rather than Esculenta?

Belly77 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 11:23 AM

I did wonder if they were the Black Morel but my books kept telling me how rare they are so I presumed they must be the common species.

FungiJohn · #7 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 12:31 PM

These are M. elata and quite normal to see in March.

M. esulenta usually starts to appear towards the end of march until Early June

John

mollisia · #8 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 01:00 PM

Hello,

yes, I second Johns words. Morchella esculenta can grow on wood chips, but quite rarely and presumably only on wood chips from broadleafed trees.

best regards,
Andreas

Belly77 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 02:39 PM

I know you don't like to mention the eating side of things on here but out of interest is there any difference in taste between the Etala and Esculenta?

I usually buy my Morels dried when I visit family in Brussels and I'm sure they are Etala. Don't think I've ever tried Esculenta.

Sorry about the large image John. I've just switched to MAC and thought I had reduced the file sufficiently.

fungi2bwith · #10 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belly77

I did wonder if they were the Black Morel but my books kept telling me how rare they are so I presumed they must be the common species.

Old books will say they are rare, because they probably were. However, in recent years the increased use of bark/wood chippings seems to have been linked to them being more common.

They are certainly more common than esculenta in my experience, I have yet to find this fungus. They do seem to be more common in certain parts of the country though.