Morchella populiphila

Western half-free morel

One of three half-free morels, found with black cottonwood on dried-out riverbeds in western North America. It fruits early in spring, just after Verpa. It is thought to be both saprobic and mycorrhizal at different stages, and there is no established cultivation method.

Morchella populiphila — Photo: fewteeth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry

Light Dappled lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal rest

Where it grows wild

Sandy, dried-out riverbeds and floodplains under black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa).

Recorded elevations span 7–1356 m, median 723 m (6 records).

North America

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 3.0 licence, unmodified.