The State Flowers of the United States

I first heard of the Dogwood in a Michael Douglas movie as he inquired what the state flower was. Apparently it was only an allusion the Dogwood is the state flower of North Carolina.  It’s grows thickly across the state but still fought against the Goldenrod, the flame azalea and can you believe, the Venus Flytrap?

As previously mentioned, there are apparently many types of Roses. North Dakota chose another wild variety, Rosa blanda or Rosa arkansana otherwise known as Wild Prairie Rose, as the State’s choice way back in 1907.

Ohio’s story is quite special. Home to former US President William McKinley, he began to wear the Scarlett Carnation in his lapel during his election to the house of Representatives which eventually led him all the way to the White House. By 1904, this was enacted in Memoriam to the man.

Oklahoma boasts of another special instance as it is actually represented by three flowers: a floral emblem, state wild flower and the state flower. These are the Mistletoe, Indian Blanket and lastly, the Hybrid Tea Rose - also called the Oklahoma Rose.

It took 4 years for Oregon to decide which flower to nominate among the Bearded Gaillardia, Washington lily, wake-robin, Madrone and the Oregon grape. The favor for the Oregan Grape was finalized into only recently in 1999. Pennsylvania also took many years in deliberation.  Many petitions were heard and put forth to support choices starting from the Tulip tree, Eastern Hemlock, Pink Azalea or the Mountain Laurel. Two bills were finally written for the two final candidates and its was up to the Governor to decide in 1933.  Being known as probably the first professionally trained forester of the US, it was of interest find out that the final decision was still left to a higher authority. The Mountain Laurel stood tall and holds out today as the official state flower with the help of none other, than his wife.

The Rhode Island state took over seventy years to decide. Although through the common practice of having schoolchildren elect the best blossom of choice, they arrived at the top four, namely, the Violet, the Rose, the Pansy and Pink. They were one of the last of the states to declare an official flower or floral emblem and it finally reached the finish line with the Violet in 1968.

The Yellow Jessamine was the overwhelming favorite for South Carolina when deliberations started in 1906 since it grew lushly in all the counties.  As the gears of politics move ever so slowly as probably a universal rule, they were able to justify its choice of the Jessamine by 1924 partnering it with the omnipresent Goldenrod as the state wild flower.

South Dakota’s original inhabitants as well as its early European long felt great admiration to the area’s natural beauty and splendor.  Spring is always a very welcome season and the appreciation for the first spring blossoms were passed on from generation to generation.  The American Pasque Flower was also referred to as the natives as “child’s navel” and notably, it continued to be revered during the season that it was known further by 13 other names. This was finalized in early in the century on 1919.

Garden clubs flourished well in Tennessee as its school children promoted the passionflower in elections back in 1919. But as flower gardening clubs grew in number, so did their admiration for the Iris over the passionflower. When 1931 came around they found themselves already having both of these as their state flowers, which soon elicited an uproar from opposing clubs. It took 24 years to resolve this by having the state relegating the Iris as the state cultivated flower and the other as the state wild flower.