Colorado designates new official state mushroom
Colorado governor Jared Polis signs bill designating Agaricus julius as state mushroom, joining iconic Rocky Mountain Columbine.
Colorado joined seven other states in having an official state mushroom.
On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis signed HB25-1091 into law. The bill designates the Agaricus julius mushroom, commonly known as the Emperor mushroom, as the state mushroom for Colorado. The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Jacque Phillips, D-Thornton, and state Sen. Kyle Mullica.
“Today, Agaricus julius, or the Emperor mushroom formerly known as Prince, joins the iconic Rocky Mountain Columbine, Lark Bunting, Bighorn Sheep, Colorado Blue Spruce, and others as a symbol of our beautiful state. Designating a state mushroom helps us celebrate the important and diverse plants and animals that make up and strengthen the lands and ecosystems that make the landscapes of our state so vibrant and inspiring. Our state mushroom has coloring similar to a Portobello, a cherry-almond aroma, and it’s delicious,” Polis said.
After originally being mistaken for its close relative Agaricus augustus, also known as the prince mushroom, Agaricus julius was first identified by scientists in Colorado in 2016. The mushroom is commonly referred to as “the Emperor formerly known as Prince,” according to our partners at the Denver Gazette.
Emperor mushrooms are edible and native to high-elevation spruce-fir forests. They are saprobic, meaning they decompose dead or decaying organic material, recycling nutrients and reducing wildfire fuel loads.
