Did you know that every U.S. state has its own state flower? From apple blossoms to white pine cones, every state in the country has chosen a flower that it feels best represents the area or people. While some states have the same official flower as others, all have put great care into choosing the best flower for their state.
The TitleMax team put together a graphic visualizing all of the state flowers in the country. Check it out to learn more about your state’s official flower!
How Do States Choose Their Official Flowers?
There are many different reasons why people in a state may choose a flower to represent them. Sometimes, the flower is native to the region. Other times, states choose flowers with meanings that represent their people or values. Flowers may also be chosen based on a popular vote or due to the work of an individual who lobbies to make a particular flower officially the state flower.
The First State to Choose a Flower
The first U.S. state to choose a state flower was Washington. In 1892, Washington chose the coast rhododendron as its state flower. Women in Washington chose the coast rhododendron as the state flower in order to enter the floral exhibit at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. However, the Washington legislature did not officially make the coast rhododendron the state flower until 1959.
The Last State to Choose a Flower
Oklahoma did not officially designate a state flower until 2004. The Oklahoma rose is a beautiful hybrid rose that was first created by Herbert Swim and O. L. Weeks in 1964. Oklahoma resident Dottie Weissenberger lobbied for years to make the Oklahoma rose the official flower, and it was finally adopted in 2004.
What is the U.S. National Flower?
The rose is the official flower of the United States. President Ronald Reagan officially made the rose the national flower in 1986. The rose is seen to be a symbol of love, beauty, and devotion, making it a great choice for the United States national flower. Different rose variations are also the state flowers of Georgia, Iowa, New York, North Dakota, and Oklahoma.
The Complete State Flowers List
The following is each state’s flower, the flower’s scientific name, and the year it was officially adopted by the state.
| State | Common Name | Scientific Name | Year Adopted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Camellia | Camellia japonica | 1959 |
| Alaska | Forget-me-not | Myosotis alpestris | 1917 |
| Arizona | Saguaro cactus blossom | Carnegiea gigantea | 1931 |
| Arkansas | Apple blossom | Malus | 1901 |
| California | California poppy | Eschscholzia californica | 1903 |
| Colorado | Rocky Mountain columbine | Aquilegia coerulea | 1899 |
| Connecticut | Mountain laurel | Kalmia latifolia | 1907 |
| Delaware | Peach blossom | Prunus persica | 1953 |
| Florida | Orange blossom | Citrus sinensis | 1909 |
| Georgia | Cherokee rose | Rosa laevigata | 1916 |
| Hawaii | Hawaiian hibiscus | Hibiscus brackenridgei | 1988 |
| Idaho | Syringa | Philadelphus lewisii | 1931 |
| Illinois | Violet | Viola | 1907 |
| Indiana | Peony | Paeonia | 1957 |
| Iowa | Wild rose | Rosa arkansana | 1897 |
| Kansas | Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | 1903 |
| Kentucky | Goldenrod | Solidago gigantea | 1926 |
| Louisiana | Magnolia | Magnolia | 1900 |
| Maine | White pine cone | Pinus strobus | 1895 |
| Maryland | Black-eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta | 1918 |
| Massachusetts | Mayflower | Epigaea repens | 1918 |
| Michigan | Apple blossom | Malus | 1897 |
| Minnesota | Pink and white lady’s slipper | Cypripedium reginae | 1902 (enacted 1967) |
| Mississippi | Magnolia | Magnolia | 1900 (enacted 1952) |
| Missouri | Hawthorn | Crataegus | 1923 |
| Montana | Bitterroot | Lewisia rediviva | 1894 |
| Nebraska | Goldenrod | Solidago gigantea | 1895 |
| Nevada | Sagebrush | Artemisia tridentata | 1967 |
| New Hampshire | Purple lilac | Syringa vulgaris | 1919 |
| New Jersey | Violet | Viola sororia | 1971 |
| New Mexico | Yucca flower | Yucca | 1927 |
| New York | Rose | Rosa | 1955 |
| North Carolina | Flowering dogwood | Cornus florida | 1941 |
| North Dakota | Wild prairie rose | Rosa blanda | 1907 |
| Ohio | Scarlet carnation | Dianthus caryophyllus | 1953 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma rose | Rosa | 2004 |
| Oregon | Oregon grape | Mahonia aquifolium | 1899 |
| Pennsylvania | Mountain laurel | Kalmia latifolia | 1933 |
| Rhode Island | Violet | Viola | 1968 |
| South Carolina | Yellow jessamine | Gelsemium sempervirens | 1924 |
| South Dakota | Pasque flower | Pulsatilla hirsutissima | 1903 |
| Tennessee | Iris | Iris | 1933 |
| Texas | Bluebonnet | Lupinus sp. | 1901 |
| Utah | Sego lily | Calochortus nuttallii | 1911 |
| Vermont | Red clover | Trifolium pratense | 1894 |
| Virginia | American dogwood | Cornus florida | 1918 |
| Washington | Coast rhododendron | Rhododendron macrophyllum | 1892 (officially 1959) |
| West Virginia | Rhododendron | Rhododendron maximum | 1903 |
| Wisconsin | Wood violet | Viola papilionacea | 1909 |
| Wyoming | Indian paintbrush | Castilleja linariifolia | 1917 |
Creative Commons Photos Used:
- Maine: Flickr users Forest and Kim Starr (CC BY 2.0) — https://www.flickr.com/photos/starr-environmental/25130438132/
- Minnesota: Flickr user Malcolm Manners (CC BY 2.0) — https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmmavocado/3757131366/
- Nevada: Flickr user Andrey Zharkikh (CC BY 2.0) — https://www.flickr.com/photos/zharkikh/7150646559/
- Oklahoma: Flickr user Yoko Nekonomania (CC BY 2.0) — https://www.flickr.com/photos/50093642@N03/4696972407
- South Carolina: Flickr user Bob Peterson (CC BY 2.0) — https://www.flickr.com/photos/pondapple/51885810151/
- Washington: Flickr user John Game (CC BY 2.0) — https://www.flickr.com/photos/47945928@N02/35233437320/
Information about Creative Commons licensing can be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/.