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The Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) was designated the official mushroom of the state of Oregon in 1999. Unique to the Pacific Northwest, this wild, edible fungi has high culinary value. More than 500,000 pounds of the Pacific golden chanterelles are harvested annually in Oregon.
The Pacific golden chanterelle is recognized as a separate species from the golden chanterelle mushroom. It forms a mycorrhizal association with conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest (western hemlock, Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce), and live oaks in California.
Photo of a Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius), the most well-known of the many species of mushrooms in the Cantharellus genus known as "chanterelles." Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org
The golden Pacific chanterelle's physical appearance is distinguished from other chanterelle mushrooms by a long, graceful stem tapering to the base, tiny dark scales on the cap surface, pinkish orange-yellow cap colors, and a pinkish hue in the false gills. However, the scales and pinkish colors are sometimes absent in wet conditions (frequent in Oregon), which has resulted in the mushroom being labeled mistakenly as "Cantharellus cibarius" by amateurs and mycologists alike (see above photo of Cantharellus cibarius).
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