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. Firefighters have a much greater exposure to these chemicals than a typical forager. So far there…
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, have been eaten safely after specific preparation techniques. The determination of a mushroom’s safety for consumption varies from mushroom…
April 2023 was a month of the false morel known as Verpa. These are among the first of the mushrooms to show up in the spring. They begin fruiting with cottonwoods at low elevations and then move into the foothills as the season progresses. — Learn more about Verpa bohemica here — Apr 1-2 My…
A replay from 4 Apr 2023 seminar for the VanDusen Botanical Garden. Replays are viewable for all Intro and Full-level accounts
Morels and Related Mushrooms Learn more about Pacific Northwest morels here
Finding Morels in Washington Where, when, and how to hunt the Pacific Northwest’s most prized spring mushroom Morels are the mushroom that gets Pacific Northwest foragers out of winter hibernation. From landscape woodchips in March to high-elevation burn sites in July, morel season in Washington stretches across four months and multiple distinct habitats. This guide…
Someone recently asked about harvesting mushrooms near a quarry and wondered if I had any specific guidelines surrounding this. I asked a friend and soil scientist for his feelings on this. Here are some of the things he had to say about it What was quarried? Usually quarries are for stone or sand, so there…
I just finished the first version of a PNW Boletes illustration. These are organized into general groups by Genus which should help to simplify things. Beginners intersted in edible boletes should focus on the Boletus genus first since these are more common, tasty, and easier to identify. Aureoboletus mirabilis known commonly as the Admirable Bolete…
I have had some of the best luck finding summer mushrooms in the Olympics and along the Straight of Juan de Fuca on Vancouver Island. If I could choose anywhere right now, I would pick coastal Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Still, I managed to find a Bears Head (Hericium) last weekend in the western…
Soil conditions, morel timing, and foraging tips delivered to your inbox.
✓ You're subscribed to seasonal updates
Mushroom foraging tools, guides, and education for the Pacific Northwest.
Guided forays, ID workshops, and private mushroom tours across the PNW.
View Events Book a private tour