Did you ever ponder if mushrooms belonged to the plant kingdom?Mushrooms do not have leaves, roots, or seeds, though they look like miniature plants. They are not actual vegetables, but they are rich in nutrition.Mushrooms are fungi and not vegetables, which makes them unique in the produce section. Also called a toadstool, mushrooms are fleshy, spore-bearing fruit bodies of a fungus. They do not contain chlorophyll and do not need sunlight to grow, and are typically grown in soil above the ground. Morels are a distinctive form of fungi, which have a honeycomb appearance of its ridges and pits, forming cap structures. There are 14,000 species of mushrooms! It is interesting that some mushrooms even have 36,000 sexes to mate, whereas humans have only two. The name mushroom originated from the French word ‘mousseron,’ which refers to moss.The structure of mushrooms we eat is composed of a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae). The spores are located inside the cap, the honeycomb structure of the fruiting body within a morel mushroom. Some types of mushrooms, also called bioluminescent mushrooms, glow in the dark.A mushroom may be poisonous, edible, or even unpalatable. The difference is not very clear. Raw mushrooms are more than 90% water and are a rich source of B vitamins like niacin and riboflavin. They strengthen bones, are very good for the heart, and slow down the brain’s aging process. When mushrooms are exposed to sunlight, they become filled with significant amounts of vitamin D.Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms are the healthiest of all categories. The most popular species of mushrooms is Agaricus bisporus. Another species, Armillaria ostoyae, is called a Honey mushroom. The most poisonous variety is the Deadly dapperling or Lepiota brunneoincarnata. This can result in severe liver toxicity, which can be lethal if not treated on time.Collecting mushrooms for consumption is called mushroom hunting or mushrooming. It is challenging to identify the toxic varieties visually. Hence, standard advice in mushroom hunting is only to collect known species and leave the uncommon and unknown varieties.Morels are considered prized by gourmet cooks, especially in French cuisine. Morel hunting is an exciting activity done during the spring season. Enthusiasts go on hunt after heavy rain into the woods.If you want to know more fun facts like where do kiwis grow? And where do huckleberries grow? You can check them out here on Kidadl.What are morel mushrooms and where do morel mushrooms grow?If you’re wondering what are morel mushrooms and where do they grow? Read on to learn more about these fascinating mushrooms.Morels are most commonly found in woods or woody edges. Morels grow under or around decaying trees like elm, ash, and apple trees. Other preferred sites include slopes, burned forests, or logged woodlands and disturbed areas. The morel mushroom is of high commercial value and difficult to cultivate. Commercial harvesting of wild morels is a multi-million dollar business, mainly done in the temperate northern hemisphere. They are abundantly found in Turkey, China, Himalayas, India, and North America.Morel mushrooms, also called Morchella, are a variant of edible mushrooms that are prized due to their rich flavor and rarity. Unlike many other kinds of mushrooms, they are foraged and not farmed. Morels are harvested in forests where the temperature is moderate and not too high. Morchella is a genus consisting of about 70 species of morels, with slight variations in appearance and flavor. They have a unique value in dishes like pasta, soups, and meats, due to their distinct earthy taste. They can also be used as a simple side dish when sautéed in butter and garnished with salt and pepper. A primary motivating factor to go on a mushroom hunt into the woods!Can morels pop up overnight?Morel Mushrooms have several health benefits. They are loaded with antioxidants and play a vital role in scavenging free radicals. They help in fighting cancer cells, promote liver health, boost immunity, and fight infections efficiently.Morel mushrooms are typically found near trees like elm, ash and hickory, preferably decaying trees in forests. It’s often said that they appear to develop overnight. One explanation for this is that they blend in with their surroundings, making them harder to detect.Morel Mushrooms appear to pop up after heavy rain, which is when Morel mushroom hunting is most effective. Morels grow fast in the night as the fruit-bearing body above the ground shoots up in darkness rather than sunlight. The morel hunters have to meticulously search for them in the dark when they come up. It will be a delight if a hunter finds a mother-load, with about 20-50 morels around it. Morels prefer lower temperatures of the night compared to other mushrooms.Where do morel mushrooms grow in wild?The morel mushroom season starts in the spring, around March. Based on the location, the land and temperature, they start to crop up. They often grow together. If a hunter finds one or two in a spot, they may likely find more around the same place, in clusters around dying trees. While hunting, it is important not to pull the stem entirely from the ground. This damages the root of the mushroom and deters further growth in the same land. For mushroom hunters, it is essential to find morel mushrooms and avoid false morels. A false morel appears similar to a morel but can be distinguished by color, cap, and stem variation. False morel is dangerous and toxic.Certain species tend to grow on the ground near dead trees in forest fire areas on the edges of burnt places. They prefer plant debris, tree trunks like ash, oak, and elm in the forest, moist weather, and low temperatures. Morel mushrooms cannot grow everywhere. About 10-15 days are required for the mushroom to grow to maturity before being harvested. After a heavy rain event, the morel mushrooms grow to full size in three days, above the soil. Morel mushroom hunters can plan their harvest 2-4 days after heavy rain. Several commercial kits are available to encourage morel mushroom growth or culture. Morels cannot grow indoors, so the spores obtained from a slurry of caps are seeded in moist soil near the debris of decaying leaves and plants; a dying tree is even better in an area that is dark and humid. It takes a couple of years to develop a good harvest, which is why they are prized.Where in the United States do morel mushrooms grow?Morels are found to be growing in small or large groups. At the onset of spring, when the snow melts and makes the soil moist, it is ideal for the morel spores to crop up. Since they thrive in humid and heavy rain conditions, they tend to grow in the same place again if the weather conditions repeat. It is almost impossible to grow mushrooms indoors because it is not possible to simulate the same weather conditions.The mushrooms crop in from March in Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Tennessee. They move to wooded states like Kentucky, the Carolinas, and Indiana by the end of the month. By early April, they are found moving towards northern California, Oregon, and coastal Washington. By May, the soil of Missouri, and Illinois in the midwest start seeing morels. In New York, they are mostly found in old abandoned orchards near the Hudson Valley river, mostly in moist regions on dead elm, and ash trees.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for interesting mushroom facts for kids, where do morel mushrooms grow? Then why not take a look at curious kid’s facts, where do flies go at night? Do Flies Sleep? Or what do beets tas
Did you ever ponder if mushrooms belonged to the plant kingdom?
