Colorado Officially Has a State Mushroom

The topic of mushrooms seems to be a very polarizing topic. You either love them or loathe them. I am in the latter, as I think they are a culinary abomination. Don't get me wrong, the taste of mushrooms is great. It is the consistency that gets me.

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That spongy texture is something that I would just rather not eat. My wife loves mushrooms and I will happily saute them for her any time she asks me to, but I refuse to eat them.

Colorado's Mushroom Fascination

From photogenic to edible and even psychedelic, Coloradans love their mushrooms. A house bill was submitted to start 2025 with an act to designate an official mushroom for the state of Colorado.

Colorado House Bill 25-1091 was introduced on January 23, 2025, and on March 31, 2025, the bill was officially signed by Colorado's Governor, Jared Polis.

Colorado's Official State Mushroom

The official mushroom of the state of Colorado is the Agaricus julius, also known as the Emperor Mushroom. This special mushroom was classified as a distinct species in 2016 after being mistaken for its close relative, the Agaricus augustus, more commonly known as the Prince Mushroom.

The Emperor Mushroom plays an important role in maintaining the health and ecosystem in the high elevation of Colorado's mountains by decomposing dead organic material and recycling nutrients back into the earth.

The Emperor Mushroom is also edible. Which is great for those who like mushrooms, unlike me. While I do find mushrooms fascinating, I will stick with taking photos of them and helping my friends forage for them in the mountains of Colorado. You won't catch me eating one any time soon, or ever, for that matter.