Morel Season is Right Around the Corner! Are You Ready?

March 2, 2026

Every year, Iowans anticipate the harbingers of spring- spring ephemeral flowers, migratory bird watching, leaves on trees, and more. For many, the most exciting show of spring comes from fungi- particularly morels (Fig. 1).

wrinkly-capped mushrooms growing amidst small white flowers and clovers, and moss on the forest floor — (Fig. 1) Black morels (*Morchella angusticeps*), growing up out of the forest floor among spring vegetation.

Hunting Morels

image a. showing a twig from an elm tree with leaves and seeds, image b. showing a twig from a tulip poplar with seeds attached Of course, finding morels is most of the battle. Mushroom foragers are quite secretive about their prime hunting spots, many of which are on privately owned land. Unless you have explicit permission from the landowner, morel hunting on public lands is most accessible.

Some things to consider when looking for morels include soil temperature and tree species nearby. Often, morels can be found associated with elms and tulip poplars. Of course, the trees are without leaves yet during morel season, so looking on the ground for any elm or tulip poplar seeds (Fig. 2), along with bark and tree morphology, could help clue you into the trees you’re looking at. Morels can be found around other types of trees, including sycamore and apple. However, be conscious of the area you’re harvesting from and consider food safety concerns associated with the environment (pesticide use, chemical runoff, etc.).

Become a Certified Wild-Harvested Identification Expert

In Iowa, to legally sell eight types of wild-harvested mushrooms, persons must become a Certified Wild-Harvested Identification Expert. Iowa State University Extension & Outreach offers wild-harvested mushroom certification courses each spring, with multiple offerings to accommodate schedules.

One portion of the workshop is available remotely, with the final portion requiring in-person attendance on campus in Ames for two hours on a Saturday. This includes hands-on identification in the lab and the certification exam. Attendees who pass the exam with 80% or higher walk away with a certificate that permits them to legally sell the eight specified mushrooms in Iowa. The 2026 workshops are on the following dates:

Pre-registration is required to attend one of these workshops, and registration closes for each session one week prior to the workshop. If you have questions about the certification, email pidc@iastate.edu.

graphic art reading "iowa widl-harvested mushroom certification" depicting a chanterelle

Useful links

Safe Mushroom Foraging Program

Mushroom Foraging in Iowa, Mushroom Calendar

Safe Mushroom Foraging Book