Morels are highly valued edible mushrooms due to their ecological and nutraceutical importance. However, nutritional studies in South America are still scarce. This study evaluated the mineral, nutritional, and bioactive properties of Morchella eximia, M. importuna, M. tridentina, and the endemic M. andinensis, which naturally fruits in forest plantations (FPs) and native forests (NFs) in south-central Chile. Soils differed significantly, indicating varied fertility levels across morel habitats. Ascocarps from all species exhibited significant accumulation of K and P, with moderate accumulation of Ni and Zn. Cd and Pb remained within internationally accepted safe limits, while As was undetectable. The determination of the translocation factor, performed only on M. andinensis and M. tridentina, indicated a preferential translocation of K and P to the pileus. Differences were observed among the species in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant activity. A proximate analysis revealed that Chilean morels had elevated levels of protein and fiber, similar to those reported in morels from other latitudes. An exploratory multivariate analysis suggested that the observed variation in mineral composition and bioactive and nutritional properties of Chilean morels likely reflects the combined influence of soil characteristics, forest environment, and genotype traits. These preliminary results are the first to describe traits related to the nutritional quality of Morchella spp. from south-central Chile.

True morels (Morchella spp.) in South America are poorly documented, despite their high gastronomic and ecological value. In this study, morel ascomata were collected from various environments in south-central Chile, and their in vitro physiological performance was characterized. The endemic species Morchella andinensis, along with the transcontinental M. tridentina, M. eximia, and M. importuna, were identified, pure isolates obtained and then cultivated under various conditions. The carbon supplements had a significant effect on mycelial performance, with mannose and pectin yielding high growth rates (~13 mm·day⁻¹) and biomass production (~100 mg·plate⁻¹). Carboxymethylcellulose consistently reduced growth across all strains. Depending on the strain, organic nitrogen supplements such as peptone and amino acids promoted growth more than inorganic nitrogen such as ammonium sulfate. Most strains demonstrated higher performance at pH 7.2–8.5 and 24 °C, and sclerotia formation was strongly strain-dependent. An exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) descriptively summarized the standardized physiological response profiles of the eight selected strains. In this analysis, M. importuna strains were associated with generally higher growth responses, while M. tridentina T140 and M. eximia E87 showed comparatively lower responses. The M. andinensis strains occupied intermediate positions in the multivariate space. The results indicate significant physiological differences among Morchella strains. This underscores the importance of strain-level evaluation as a preliminary step for future studies on strain preservation, artificial cultivation trials, and biotechnological investigations of morels in Chile.