{"id":454401,"date":"2026-09-05T10:36:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T10:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/454401\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T10:36:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T10:36:14","slug":"america-the-beautiful-one-gorgeous-state-flower-at-a-time-the-oakland-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/454401\/","title":{"rendered":"America, the beautiful, one gorgeous state flower at a time \u2013 The Oakland Press"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Fritz Hahn and Maxine Wallace, The Washington Post<\/p>\n

Every American state has designated an official flower, as have the five inhabited U.S. territories and Washington, D.C. Their choices, whether selected by state legislatures or voted on by schoolchildren, are America in miniature: wildflowers on the Midwestern plains, colorful plants from tropical islands and orchids in Minnesota bogs. Some are sweet-scented blooms that fill the branches of Southern trees.<\/p>\n

This year, as part of its celebrations of America\u2019s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Botanic Garden has opened an exhibition called \u201cAmerica\u2019s State Flowers,\u201d extolling the beauty and variety of these \u201cofficial\u201d plants. The display, indoors and out, is constantly shifting, as flowers \u2013 particularly the outdoor specimens \u2013 come in and out of bloom. But an exhibit case near the entrance to the Conservatory shows re-creations of all 56 official flowers crafted from paper by artist Emily Paluska.<\/p>\n

\"AA display by botanical artist Emily Paluska features all 56 official flowers made out of paper. (Maxine Wallace, The Washington Post)<\/p>\n

As summer wanes, and along with it blooming flower gardens, we celebrate the beautiful blossoms that brighten our forests, yards and homes.<\/p>\n

The Conservatory exhibit is open daily in Washington , D.C. through Oct. 12. For a complete list of state flowers featured in the exhibition, visit usbg.gov.<\/p>\n

American Dogwood<\/p>\n

North Carolina and Virginia<\/p>\n

The dogwood is native to the East Coast of North America and has a long history in Virginia: Thomas Jefferson grew flowering dogwood trees at Monticello and sent seeds to friends in Paris. It became the state flower in 1918 and then the state tree in 1956. North Carolina\u2019s legislature selected it in 1941, calling the plant \u201ca radiantly beautiful flower which grows abundantly in all parts of this State.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe apple blossom was designated Michigan’s state flower in 1897. (Michigan Secretary of State’s office)
\nApple Blossom<\/p>\n

Arkansas and Michigan<\/p>\n

Michigan and Arkansas chose their state flowers within a few years of each other \u2013 1897 and 1901, respectively \u2013 and both decisions reflect the importance of a cash crop. Michigan has long been a center of apple production, ranking second in the United States as recently as 2024, while Arkansas once grew 400 varieties. Still, despite the bottom line, no one can deny the appeal of the plant\u2019s sweet, floral fragrance and delicate white blossom.<\/p>\n

Black-eyed Susan<\/p>\n

Maryland<\/p>\n

The sunny yellow leaves and stumpy black cone of the black-eyed Susan are a familiar sight in Maryland gardens, as the hardy flower is a favorite of butterflies and other pollinators. It\u2019s a popular symbol of the state, since its colors mirror the two black-and-gold fields on the state flag, and during Preakness Stakes weekend, it lends its name to both a horse race and the official cocktail.<\/p>\n

Bluebonnet<\/p>\n

Texas<\/p>\n

The bluebonnet became the state flower of Texas in 1901, beating competitors including the cotton plant and pear cactus. Its soft blue petals are a familiar sight along the Lone Star State\u2019s roadways, thanks to a beautification program established by the Texas Highway Department almost a century ago.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe California Poppy was chosen the state flower in 1903. (Maxine Wallace\/The Washington Post)
\nCalifornia poppy<\/p>\n

California<\/p>\n

Images of the golden poppy greet everyone driving into the Golden State, as the orange flower is featured on \u201cWelcome to California\u201d signs and scenic route markers. It found viral fame in 2019, when a superbloom of poppies in Southern California\u2019s Walker Canyon led to overwhelming crowds of Instagrammers that was dubbed the \u201cpoppy apocalypse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Camellia<\/p>\n

Alabama<\/p>\n

The camellia is actually Alabama\u2019s second state flower. The goldenrod was the state symbol from 1927 to 1959, when a group of camellia growers lobbied to change the state symbol. They argued that the goldenrod \u201cwas a weed,\u201d according to a historic marker outside Alabama\u2019s state capitol, where dozens of colorful camellias are planted. Two varieties of camellias have been named after Alabama governors Lurleen B. Wallace and Kay Ivey.<\/p>\n

Coast rhododendron<\/p>\n

Washington state<\/p>\n

Washington was the first state to designate an official flower. In 1892, the women of Washington voted for the coast rhododendron to be featured in a floral exhibit at the 1893 World\u2019s Fair in Chicago. (The Washington legislature\u2019s website notes that this election took place before women had the right to vote.) The decision was codified by the legislature in 1959.<\/p>\n

Columbine<\/p>\n

Colorado<\/p>\n

Colorado schoolchildren voted to make columbine the state flower in 1899. The blue-and-white wildflower is notable for its distinctive spurs that point backward, away from the stamen and petals.<\/p>\n

Flor de maga<\/p>\n

Puerto Rico<\/p>\n

The flor de maga tree is endemic to Puerto Rico, meaning that it grows naturally nowhere else in the world. Its large, cup-shaped flowers, in striking shades of pink and red, became the national flower of Puerto Rico in 2019, though it has long been a symbol of the island\u2019s character.<\/p>\n

Instead of an example of a flor de maga, the Botanic Garden has a red hibiscus flower on display. The garden tried to acquire a flor de maga for the exhibit, but because it grows on trees, transportation would have been difficult. Instead, says Devin Dotson, the Botanic Gardens\u2019 senior communications specialist, \u201cwe\u2019ve chosen a cousin species. It\u2019s a very good visual representation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flores mayo<\/p>\n

Northern Mariana Islands<\/p>\n

The fragrant flores mayo, or plumeria flowers, are a symbol of the Northern Mariana Islands, featured on the flag of the western Pacific territory and used in head garlands by the islands\u2019 Carolinian people.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Alpine Forget-Me-Not was made the territorial flower in 1917 and affirmed as the state flower in 1959, when Alaska joined the union. (U.S. Forest Service)
\nForget-me-nots<\/p>\n

Alaska<\/p>\n

The familiar blue flowers of the forget-me-not, which was selected as the territory\u2019s floral emblem in 1917, was the inspiration for the blue field of Alaska\u2019s flag, adopted in 1927. The emblem and the flag were used for decades before Alaska became the 49th state in 1959.<\/p>\n

Iris<\/p>\n

Tennessee<\/p>\n

In 1973, when the Tennessee General Assembly named the iris the \u201cofficial state cultivated flower,\u201d they failed to specify a color and species. According to the Tennessee secretary of state\u2019s office, the purple iris is considered the state cultivated flower \u201cby common acceptance.\u201d Schoolchildren selected the passion flower as the state flower in 1919, but the legislature overrode their vote in favor of the iris in 1933. The passion flower was later designated the state wildflower.<\/p>\n

Magnolia<\/p>\n

Louisiana and Mississippi<\/p>\n

The large, showy white flowers of the magnolia tree and their heady perfume have become potent symbols of the South, referenced in films as diverse as \u201cGone With the Wind\u201d and \u201cSteel Magnolias\u201d and appearing in the titles of works by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. The flowers are the official state symbols of Mississippi \u2013 nicknamed \u201cthe Magnolia State\u201d \u2013 and Louisiana, with both states choosing the magnolia in 1900.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Oregon Grape is not a true grape but an evergreen shrub with holly-like leaves. It was designated the state flower in 1899. (U.S. National Park Service)
\nOregon grape<\/p>\n

Oregon<\/p>\n

Sorry, wine lovers, the Oregon grape is not a true grape but an evergreen shrub found in the Pacific Northwest and California. The plant features bright yellow flowers and holly-like leaves. Among its many uses: The blue-black grapes can be made into jelly, and Native Americans produced a decorative yellow dye from its bark and roots.<\/p>\n

American pasqueflower<\/p>\n

South Dakota<\/p>\n

\u201cThe blooming of this lavender flower is one of the first signs of spring in South Dakota,\u201d says the secretary of state\u2019s website. The prairie wildflower\u2019s early growing season is one of the reasons it is also known as the Easter flower and the May Day flower. But although this member of the buttercup family is beautiful to look at, be careful: All parts of the plant are toxic.<\/p>\n

Peony<\/p>\n

Indiana<\/p>\n

The peony replaced the zinnia as the state flower of Indiana in 1957. Although peonies aren\u2019t native to Indiana, the large, fragrant blossoms are cultivated across the state in a variety of colors. (The law did not specify any color or variety as the \u201cofficial\u201d peony.) It is traditionally used to decorate graves on Memorial Day.<\/p>\n

\"FoundFound in bogs and swamps, the orchid can live up to 50 years. It was designated Minnesota’s state flower in 1902. (Minnesota Secretary of State’s office)
\nPink and white lady\u2019s slipper orchid<\/p>\n

Minnesota<\/p>\n

Minnesota is the only state to select an orchid as its state flower, choosing the pink and white lady\u2019s slipper in 1902. Found in bogs, swamps and fens, the plant can live up to 50 years. If you see one in the wild, take nothing but pictures: Minnesota state law makes it illegal to pick flowers or uproot the plants.<\/p>\n

Puti tai nobio<\/p>\n

Guam<\/p>\n

Guam\u2019s flower is also known as the \u201cpaper flower,\u201d because of the crinkled texture of the vibrant pink, purple, red or orange bracts (leaves) that surround the small, delicate white flowers. In the local Chamoru language, it is called \u201cputi tai nobio,\u201d which is translated as \u201cit hurts not to have a boyfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rose<\/p>\n

Iowa, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

While four states and the District of Columbia have claimed the rose as the official flower, each has selected different varieties. Georgia chose the Cherokee Rose; Iowa the Wild Rose, North Dakota the Wild Prairie Rose, Oklahoma the Oklahoma Rose and D.C. the American Beauty Rose. New York kept it simple, naming the rose \u201cin any color or combination of colors common to it\u201d in 1955.<\/p>\n

Scarlet carnation<\/p>\n

Ohio<\/p>\n

President William McKinley was a lover of the fiery red scarlet carnation, wearing one in his lapel for good luck daily throughout his political career, which began in his home state of Ohio. McKinley was shot in Buffalo in September 1901 \u2013 an Ohio historic marker claims it was shortly after giving away his carnation \u201cto a young admirer\u201d \u2013 and died a week later. Ohio named the scarlet carnation the state flower in 1904 \u201cas a token of love and reverence\u201d for the fallen president.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe common, wild native sunflower was designated Kansas’ official flower in 1903. (Kansas State University extension)
\nSunflower<\/p>\n

Kansas<\/p>\n

Kansas is known as the Sunflower State, thanks to fields of the towering flowers filling its prairies, and both its state flag and state banner prominently feature golden sunflower heads. It\u2019s not surprising to learn that Kansas had a state flower \u2013 you guessed it, the sunflower \u2013 more than two decades before it had a state flag.<\/p>\n

Sweetbay magnolia<\/p>\n

Georgia<\/p>\n

When the Georgia legislature approved the Cherokee rose as its state flower in 1916, it was under the impression that the white-and-gold flower was native to Georgia. In fact, it was an invasive species from Southeast Asia. Earlier this year, a bill replaced the Cherokee rose with the white flowers of the sweetbay magnolia, an evergreen tree native to Georgia that, according to the Georgia Native Plant Society, is a host for the Eastern tiger swallowtail (the state butterfly) and other important pollinators.<\/p>\n

Violet<\/p>\n

Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin<\/p>\n

Four states have species of violets as their state flower. Blame schoolchildren, who voted for it in Rhode Island (1897), Illinois (1907) and Wisconsin (1909), though the Rhode Island legislature didn\u2019t formally approve the decision until 1968. New Jersey made the violet its state flower in 1971, though the state says it \u201chas considered the violet as the state flower since 1913.\u201d<\/p>\n

White pine cone and tassel<\/p>\n

Maine<\/p>\n

When it came time for Maine to choose a state flower, the Maine Floral Emblem Society put forward three candidates: The apple blossom, the goldenrod and the white pine cone and tassel. The pine cone and tassel won the popular vote, the Smithsonian notes, \u201cdespite the fact that botanically, the White Pine Cone and Tassel is not a flower.\u201d The legislature approved the result in 1895. The cones and tassels \u2013 a cluster of needles \u2013 grow on the Eastern white pine, the largest conifer in the northeastern United States.<\/p>\n

Yellow elder<\/p>\n

U.S. Virgin Islands<\/p>\n

Known by multiple names, including ginger Thomas and fever bush, the yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers of the yellow elder attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Different parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine.<\/p>\n

Yucca<\/p>\n

New Mexico<\/p>\n

Drought-tolerant yucca plants are a common sight in New Mexico\u2019s deserts. Some species can grow 30 feet tall, crowned with clusters of flowers, while others are closer to the ground with long, swordlike leaves. It had many uses for Native Americans in the region: Ropes and bow strings were made from the fibrous leaves, fruit and flowers were consumed, and roots were turned into soap.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Fritz Hahn and Maxine Wallace, The Washington Post Every American state has designated an official flower, as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":454402,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[181,23,16663,2581,100,143,145,144,420],"class_list":["post-454401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-latest-headlines","tag-local-news","tag-michigan-news","tag-national-news","tag-news","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news","tag-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/454401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=454401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/454401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/454402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=454401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=454401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=454401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}