Photo by Bill Reynolds
Yellow Morel (Morchella esculenta) may be the most widely recognized mushroom in eastern North America. It is found in a wide variety of habitats and may appear alone, scattered, or clustered. In Minnesota they appear mostly in May but may also pop up later in the growing season.
Morel hunters are traditionally known to misinform those who ask where to find the mushrooms. Look for them emerging through leaf litter in hardwood forests at the base of hardwood trees, especially dead or dying elm trees.