The brown cup mushroom (Peziza phyllogena) will never win a prize for appearance or for taste, as it is a decidedly bland tasting fungus. But it is an important harbinger of spring, often appearing several weeks before the more famous, and tasty, yellow and black morels do.
Photo Above: Brown cup mushrooms growing in a Botetourt County, VA woodlot. ©Bruce Ingram.
Brown cups look just like their name, as they are brown inside and out and their cup-like structure is usually just a few inches across and high. On our Southwest Virginia land, they often appear in our mixed pine/cedar/hardwood forest, growing near or above rotten wood.
The sides of this mushroom are quite fragile and are often seen in a caved-in type state. Also known as pig’s ears, they must be stir fried for several minutes before eating. As is typical of many mushrooms, it can be a nice addition to any soup or egg entrée. So look for the brown cup this spring and be assured that it won’t be long before morels start to burst forth.
Bruce and Elaine Ingram will profile a different wild edible every month. For more information on their book Living the Locavore Lifestyle, contact them at bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com.
