3 Types of TRUE Morels...

There are three types of True morels:

• Black (1st type of morel of the season)
• Half Free(2nd and 3rd type of morel of the season)

• Yellow(3rd type of morel of the season)

All three are hollow with off-white colored stems.

Black Morels http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_black.html

Of the three, Black morels sprout earliest. The Black morel’s common names include Early morels and Grey morels. Some people also call them Burn-Over morel, Narrow-Capped morel, Witch’s Cap or Johnny Jump-Up. (We won’t bore you with the scientific names!) Black morels can be gray when they first sprout, and they grow to be from one-half inch to more than one foot tall. Black morels cause allergic reactions more often than the other two types, including an upset stomach and loss of muscle coordination, which is exacerbated by consuming alcohol; first-time eaters should take only a few bites and avoid alcohol.

Yellow Morels http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_yellow.html

Yellow morels are also called White morels, Sponge mushroom, Gray morels or Brain mushrooms. They are also sometimes called Honeycombs, Sponges or Domes. They can range from whitish to yellow to gray to honey brown. Like Black morels, they can also grow to be a foot tall. They sprout last of the three types. They are probably most prized of the three for their flavor and texture. Yellow morels can grow to be huge, with a very thick stem; some experts classify them separately and call them Giant morels, Big Foots or Thick Footed morels. However, some mycologists have concluded that this fungus is simply a larger variety of the common morel.

Half Free Morel http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_half-free.html

Half Free morels are visually distinct from Black and Yellow morels in that their heads are quite small. Also, caps of Blacks and Yellows are attached to the stem at their bottom, whereas the Half Free cap is attached at about the middle. In other words, if you slice one in half lengthwise, you’ll see that the attachment of the cap to the stem leaves about half of the cap hanging, or “half free.” Half Free morels are also called Peckerheads or Cows Heads. Half Free mushrooms sprout after the Blacks appear and continue into Yellow season.