Description

Black Morel spores from Morchella angusticeps collected in the spring of 2014.  Spores collected from Black Morels growing in wilds of the Southern Mountains near Knoxville, Tennessee.  These spores are not sterile from contaminants.  Black Morel “mycelium out-races most competitors and can easily be isolated from contaminants”  (Staments 2000, Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms)

For best results broadcast spores onto sterile nutrient (malt extract or potato dextrose) agar or broth.  Incubate at 70°F until mycellium is visible, then transfer to grain or other growing medium. Morel mycelium grows extremely fast and fine.  It is nearly invisible at first.  It should outrace most contaminates.  You always want to move mycelium to a new plate for isolation and never try to remove tiny spots of contaminates from an existing plate.  In a good black morel culture sclerotia will form and the mycelium tends to stain the agar as it ages.

Cultivation Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Type: Edible
Substrate: Hardwood sawdust and paper products
Colonization Temperatures: 70-75F

For more information on growing mushrooms from spore prints check out the following titles from our Mushroom Bookstore:

• Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, Third Edition by Paul Stamets
• Mycelium Running : How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World by Paul Stamets