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Common Misconceptions About Morels
Morels are one of the most commonly foraged mushrooms in the United States, and likely one of the most popular around the world. They are broadly distributed globally, are very recognizable, and are relatively safe for a beginner to identify. The popularity of morels...
2024 Overview of Washington Burn Morel Spots
The best place to find burn morels are forests that burned in 2023. I have made a few tools and reference pages for those interested in finding burn morels in 2024. Western Washington Burn Summaries 2024 Supporting members and those enrolled in the Spring Intro Series...
A Guide to Picking Fire Mushrooms in British Columbia
This is an excellent page addressing picking fire mushrooms (burn morels) in BC. Fire Mushrooms - BC Much of this content is useful for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and beyond.
Identifying Cottonwood Trees
One of the key habitats for early-season mushroom finding in the Pacific Northwest is with cottonwood trees. Western Washinton has fewer deciduous trees than the east coast, so identification is easier. Our cottonwood species is Populus trichocarpa. To find black...
Snohomish County Mushroom Foray
We're inching into spring mushroom season with low-elevation areas showing the most progress. This Saturday we will scout river bottom areas around Snohomish County in search of verpa and oysters near cottonwoods. I'm sure we will find plenty of other common spring...
Morels are edible and poisonous
It comes as a surprise to many when I say that the edibility of mushrooms is on a spectrum. Poisonous mushrooms can often be eaten when prepared in sometimes quite elaborate ways. For instance, there is a method for preparing the classic Amanita muscaria in a way that...
Spring Foraging – Stinging Nettles
Before most edible spring mushrooms start flushing here in the Pacific Northwest we start to see stinging nettles. In fact, one of my most anticipated signs of spring are the nettles popping up in the green spaces around our home in NW Seattle. The deep emerald color...
Fire Retardant and Burn Morels
Trent recently posted about the safety of eating morels that are foraged in burn zones due to the use of fire retardants in the area. You can find the original post here. Here my key takeaways from the article. There is very limited research on morels and fire...
Toxicity of Morels and False Morels in the Pacific Northwest
Introduction Navigating the spectrum of mushroom edibility and toxicity presents a complex challenge. Even widely accepted edible mushrooms can cause adverse effects in some individuals, while certain mushrooms known for their toxicity, such as Gyromitra esculenta,...
Mushroom Conditions Seattle Jan 23 2024
How are the current conditions for mushrooms in the Seattle area right now? After a recent cold snap, the region has returned to more typical temperature ranges with highs in the 50s and lows above freezing. Some might think that these conditions would be quite...
Salish Sea Mushrooms was founded to help grow our region's knowledge and appreciation for mushrooms and the ecosystems they inhabit.
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FROM OUR BLOG
Common Misconceptions About Morels
Morels are one of the most commonly foraged mushrooms in the United States, and likely one of the...
2024 Overview of Washington Burn Morel Spots
The best place to find burn morels are forests that burned in 2023. I have made a few tools and...