Gov. Pritzker signs law making giant puffball into Illinois state mushroom
CHICAGO (CBS) -- What do the white oak, the northern red cardinal, the white-tailed deer, the eastern tiger salamander, the violent, the painted turtle, the mineral fluorite, the bluegill fish, big bluestem prairie grass, the monarch butterfly, and the giant puffball mushroom have in common?
No, this is not an exercise in free association, nor a game of 20 questions that involves throwing around animals, and vegetables. In point of fact, they are Illinois' official tree, animal (though some classifications of animals have their own categories), amphibian, flower, reptile, mineral, fish, prairie grass, insect, and in the latest addition—mushroom.
Elementary school students from the Prairie School of DuPage in Wheaton led the initiative to add a mushroom to the roster of Illinois state symbols. The initiative became Illinois Senate Bill 3514, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law on Monday.
"Today we celebrate not only a new state symbol, but the hard work and dedication of our state's young leaders," Pritzker said in a news release. "The giant puffball will now stand as a testament to the curiosity and determination of the bright students of Illinois, who have shown us that even the youngest among us can make a difference."
Beginning in November of last year, kids from the Prairie School undertook a project that involved research, data collection, and surveys of more than 100 stakeholders from Illinois to determine what the appropriate mushroom to represent the state should be. The giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea)ultimately won after a schoolwide election. Pritzker's office said.
The youngsters then presented their finding, testified in legislative committee hearings, and gathered public support through witness slips to see their proposal turned into a proposed—and now approved—law.
"Thanks to the passionate advocacy of the Prairie School students, Illinois is deepening our connection to the natural world," Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton said in the release. "Now a cherished state symbol, the giant puffball invites us to marvel at the inherent beauty that exists in and on our land. In recognizing this state mushroom, we are collectively exploring, preserving, and passing on the joy of discovery to future generations."
The giant puffball mushroom can be found in grassy areas around the state, and can sometimes be as large as 20 inches wide. As puffballs mature, their outer layers flake to reveal yellow and green spores.
So as to the other symbols—why a white-tailed deer for the state animal, when the Chicago Bears, not the Chicago Deer, are the pride and joy of Illinois, and particularly with a cardinal on the Illinois list too?
The white-tailed deer is a common sight throughout Illinois despite becoming nearly extinct statewide in the late 19th century, and was selected for state animal by schoolchildren in 1980. As for bears, there are resident black bear populations in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Missouri, but none in Illinois—though black bears are occasionally spotted in the state.
Bears are the state animal of six states where they do not sing, "Bear Down, Chicago Bears"—the black bear for Alabama, Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia, and the grizzly bear for California and Montana. The white-tailed deer is also the state animal or mammal of Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.