Are the first spring mushrooms in the Moscow region morels or lines known as stripes in common speech?
In this area, the first fungal arrivals are mostly lines, with true morels and their caps appearing much more rarely. Morels tend to be a southern phenomenon for the Moscow region, while the nearest suburbs often show the first lines earlier. The first specimens that show up are typically large, with the most conspicuous feature being the line mushroom in its giant form.
“That sounds risky—are they safe to eat?”
Most lines found in the Moscow region are large, tasty, and considered safe for consumption. They do not require pre-boiling in many cases. However, when soils are dry and sandy, ordinary lines can appear and these are not edible. Although lines can be mildly poisonous in some situations, there have been no reports of serious poisoning from them locally. The safest place to harvest is the south and west where warmer conditions can lead to higher toxin accumulation. Still, the two main spring mushrooms in this area are the giant line and the ordinary line.
– What happens if one mixes giant and ordinary lines?
For safety, if distinguishing them is uncertain, many pickers boil the mushrooms before cooking. Boiling typically lasts up to ten minutes, then the broth is poured off and the mushrooms are rinsed before proceeding with any dish.
But can they be told apart visually?
Visually, yes, with careful observation. In this region, ordinary lines tend to grow in pine-dominated, sandy habitats such as roadside clearings and quarries. They are often associated with pine trees. The giant line, by contrast, favors birch stands, especially trees growing near decaying trunks. The giant line is noticeably lighter in color, a pale beige, while the ordinary line bears a reddish-brown hue.
The Moscow region lacks extensive dry forests in many areas; true dry forests begin farther south in places like Serpukhov and Kashira. There, ordinary lines frequently proliferate in dry, sandy soils.
Geographically, the trend mirrors the westward zone to Zvenigorod and beyond. Yet the giant line dominates across the Moscow region as a whole. Elk Island and the Bitsevsky Park region show strong growth, and within the city limits the ordinary line remains a rarity.
– Are there mushrooms among the early spring species in the Moscow forests that pose real danger?
Generally, no. If ordinary lines are eaten without boiling, the risk remains low for this latitude, because toxins are uncommon. A visiting toxicologist from Italy collaborated on a study at Moscow State University with local researchers and confirmed that the giant line shows no toxins, while the ordinary line may contain trace toxins, albeit at very low levels. In practice, the ordinary line is not considered dangerous either.
– So, do mushroom foragers around Moscow have to fear anything during the spring?
Occasional warnings apply to the second wave of spring fungi that appear before the arrival of summer. Those who chase exotic finds might encounter species that demand caution, such as tiny mushrooms growing on pine or spruce cones. Some species, with slender stalks and small hats, can carry toxic compounds that cause unpleasant symptoms if eaten. But those cases are rare, and in general the period before the first summer surge is free of unusually dangerous species in this region. Responsible foragers know to avoid uncertain picks and to prioritize widely recognized edible lines when gathering in the forests near Moscow.