One of our fungi fanatics found something in their yard – please see message below and comment on the post if you have any ideas!
“Hi mushroom enthusiasts of Alberta
My husband and I have noticed mushrooms popping up in our yard. They are dark brown. They seem to occur in either as a solitary mushroom or in groups, underneath our dwarf conifer plants. We are in Edmonton by the river valley. They are growing in a mulched garden bed, near a rocky border. There are about a dozen of them so far.
We have children and toddlers in the neighborhood, and were wondering if there is any possibility these are poisonous, and if so, how poisonous? Any assistance you can provide in identifying these mushrooms would be greatly appreciated. Thank you”
Definitely are the highly coveted morels! Choice edible. All mushrooms, however, should be cooked before consumption to be safe. Morels are not the mushrooms that cause GI upset with alcohol. You are thinking of inky caps, shaggy manes, and Tipler’s bane. That being said, there are individuals with sensitivities who will react adversely to eating mushrooms, regardless. Always “test out” a mushroom (half a cap) if trying for the first time…and ONLY after identifying it 100% as edible. If in doubt, throw it out!
How Exciting! I wish we had these around our yard. These are morel mushrooms (morchella elata) and they are edible. You can saute them in some butter or add them to a pasta or an omlette. They say, when eaten raw or with alcohol, it can cause GI distress.