The Matsutake Mushroom
A Washington State Treasure
The history of state symbols and why this is important
The origin of state symbols dates back to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair when a congress of women made a proposal calling for each U.S. state and territory to select a flower to represent their region. Washington State has the honor and distinction of being the first state ever to name an official symbol, the Pacific Rhododendron.
Today, all U.S. states have official flowers, trees, birds, fish, and more. While the plant and animal kingdoms are well represented, the fungal kingdom is woefully underrepresented, with only eight states designating an official mushroom, fungal microbe, or lichen. Matsutake, also known as the Pine Mushroom or Tricholoma murrillianum, was first proposed as a state mushroom in 2016 by a group of students at The Evergreen State College in Olympia. Rep Laurie Dolan sponsored a bill in the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions. Unfortunately, that bill failed to pass, but recently, some of us here in Washington have decided to renew those efforts!
Why Matsutake?
Western Matsutake mushrooms (Tricholoma murrillianum) are endemic to the Pacific Northwest of North America, thriving in our region and nowhere else in the world.
The Matsutake is a beautiful and charismatic mushroom, making it a prime candidate to represent Washington state. It’s an excellent mascot to raise awareness about the vital role fungi play in our delicate ecosystem.
Matsutake mushrooms are mycorrhizal, meaning they form mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships with host trees, particularly conifers. This unique relationship is also why they cannot be cultivated; they can only be found in the forests where they naturally grow alongside our famous towering evergreens. The Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), which is the official state tree of Washington, is their most common host tree, and the two depend on each other for nutrient exchange and overall health. Matsutake grow throughout Washington state and in addition to Hemlock, can also form connections with Ponderosa Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Shore Pine, Jack Pine, Douglas-Fir, and True Firs. This is why they are also often called Pine Mushrooms.
Matsutake mushrooms hold an important ecological role in maintaining the health of our evergreen forests, but they also contribute to our state’s economy. By supporting our magnificent conifer trees, they also support our logging industry. They also have high commercial value. Known for their exquisite scent and flavor, these gourmet mushrooms are commercially picked and sold to restaurants, specialty markets, and exported across the world.
Our mission is supported by following organizations:
