Oklahoma Moves to Make Morel Mushroom State Mushroom

Bill to establish morel as state mushroom passes House Tourism Committee

Mar. 12, 2026 at 4:06pm

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The Oklahoma House Tourism Committee this week passed House Bill 3263 to establish the morel mushroom as the state's official mushroom. The morel, a delicacy that is difficult to cultivate, is a popular springtime foraging item for thousands of Oklahomans. The bill's author, Rep. John George, hopes the legislation will support morel hunters, promote awareness of Oklahoma's mushroom diversity, and attract more mushroom-focused tourism to the state.

Why it matters

Establishing the morel as Oklahoma's state mushroom would help celebrate and preserve the state's foraging traditions, as well as potentially boost tourism and economic opportunities around mushroom hunting and education. Morels are a beloved springtime delicacy, but their finicky growing requirements make them challenging to cultivate, so protecting the wild morel harvest is important.

The details

House Bill 3263 was unanimously passed out of the House Tourism Committee and is now headed to the House Commerce and Economic Development Oversight Committee for further review. If enacted, Oklahoma would join eight other states that have already established official state mushrooms. Rep. John George, the bill's author, is an avid morel hunter himself, reporting that he can pick between 200-300 morels in a good year in his eastern Oklahoma County district.

  • The House Tourism Committee passed HB3263 this week.
  • Morel mushrooms typically grow in Oklahoma from mid-March through early May.

The players

Rep. John George

The Republican state representative from Newalla, Oklahoma who authored HB3263 to make the morel mushroom the official state mushroom.

House Tourism Committee

The Oklahoma state legislative committee that unanimously passed HB3263 to establish the morel as the state mushroom.

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What they’re saying

“I'm one of the thousands of Oklahomans who hunt the tasty morel mushroom each spring. I wanted to run this fun piece of legislation to support these dedicated foragers and maybe attract new interest in Oklahoma's landscape and promote more awareness of Oklahoma's variety of mushrooms. By implementing a state mushroom, we could even expand opportunities for communities across the state to attract tourists and teach about fungi safety.”

— Rep. John George

What’s next

HB3263 is now available for review by the House Commerce and Economic Development Oversight Committee after passing the House Tourism Committee.

The takeaway

Establishing the morel mushroom as Oklahoma's official state mushroom would help celebrate the state's rich foraging traditions, promote mushroom education and tourism, and protect the wild morel harvest - a beloved springtime delicacy that is difficult to cultivate.