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The best way to find morels is by learning about which trees that they like to associate with. Why? Morel mushrooms are saprophytes (and possibly mycorrhizal) which means that they feed on the decaying matter of trees like bark, branches, fruits, leaves, and more. Through understanding which trees morels like best, you can target areas where those trees are present and increase your chances at finding them.
In this guide, we'll help you understand exactly which trees to look out for when hunting morel mushrooms. Let's dive in...
1. Elm Trees
Elm Trees were once extremely abundant in the US, until Dutch Elm Disease came through and killed off a good portion of them. During all of this time that Elms had dominated the land, Morels were growing in association with them and were feeding off of their decaying matter. For that reason (and many others we won't dive into) Morels have a really strong affinity for Elm Trees and you should always start by looking near them, dead or alive (dead is better).
Elms are present in much of the American Midwest and western Appalachian, and some areas of the southeast and northeast.
2. Ash Trees
Ash trees are mostly located on the eastern seaboard, but in some of the pacific northwest as well. Like with Elm Trees, morels have an affinity for Ash due to its excess of decaying matter and "tree litter" that serves as fuel for the morel.
Looking near Ash Trees is a great place to start, but doesn't feel as much like a "cheat code" as the Elms trees do. We've found morels near ash trees a few times, but still, most have nothing near them.
3. Tulip Poplars
Tulip Poplars are a great place to look, especially for people in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Western Maryland. Though we haven't found Poplars to be comparable to Elm, many people claim that morels fruit with ease around these trees. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Tulip Polars are so tall, resulting a lack of undergrowth beneath them. When there is not much undergrowth, the soil is more susceptible to erosion and agitation, ultimately creating more fertile grounds for a morel flush.
4. Apple Trees
Again, morel mushrooms love decaying matter, especially that of trees like branches, bark, fruit, peels, etc. Apple trees, more than most others, are rich with "tree litter". Not only do they shed leaves, branches, and bark, but they drop apples that take a long time to completely decompose. Year after year, the apples and other organic matter decompose to create a rich and fertile soil for morels.
Old apple orchards are a great setting for morels to fruit, but you must be careful. Morels also absorb pesticides and other chemicals that may have been used on the apple trees. Failure to pay attention to this can make you very sick over time.
Other Notable Trees
These trees are less common, but still have been reported to have morels nearby:
- Cottonwood Trees
- Sycamore Trees
Trees To Avoid
These trees are commonly avoided during a morel hunt, as the occurrence of morel fruiting near them is so rare that you should avoid it to save time & effort. There are others, but these are the most common:
- Walnut Trees
- Living Oak Trees
- Completely Dead Ash trees
- Palm Trees
- Desert Willows
We hope that you got some value from this post! Need more help in finding Morels? Check out the Morel Mushroom Map or this beginners guide on finding morels!