|
     
|
|  |
Know Your State Flowers
by Wendy Aiton
http://www.flowerwa.com
Most schoolchildren can name the official emblems of their
state. Can you? Here's a quick quiz to see how much you
know about the state flowers of the fifty states of the
United States.
1. One common spring flower represents four states. Can you
name the state flower of Wisconsin, New Jersey, Rhode
Island and Illinois?
The Massachusetts mayflower is on the endangered species
list, which grants it particular restrictions against being
picked or destroyed. It shares that with the state flower
of Colorado - the white and lavender columbine. In 1925,
the state's General Assembly passed a law making it the
duty of all citizens to protect the columbine. Further, it
is against the law to dig up any columbine on public land
or to pick more than 25 columbine flowers per day.
The shy violet, for all its unassuming ways, is a popular
favorite. Four states - Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island
and Wisconsin - have chosen the woodland flower to
represent their state. Interestingly, in three of those
states it was schoolchildren who made the final choice.
The violet isn't the only flower that has been chosen by
more than one state. The dainty apple blossom is the state
flower of both Arkansas and Michigan. It's one of four
fruit blossoms to be named official state flower. The
others are the peach blossom, official state flower of
Delawae, the orange blossom, the state flower of Florida,
and the Oregon grape, which represents Oregon.
Violet - and blue - are popular colors for state flowers.
The official state flowers include four that name violets,
as well as New Hampshire's purple lilac, and Tennesee's
iris.
Of the other states that have changed their official flower
the record holder has got to be Indiana. The legislators of
the Hoosier state chose no less than four different flowers
to represent their state. Originally, the carnation was the
state flower of Indiana. In 1931, the state legislature
chose to recognize the zinnia instead. That lasted nearly
a quarter of a century. In 1957, the legislators changed
the state flower twice - first to the dogwood blossom, and
finally, to the flowers that represent the state to this
day - the peony.
Yellow flowers also take their place among the state
flowers. Hawaii's state flower is specifically the yellow
hibiscus, the sunflower represents Kansas. Both Nebraska
and Kentucky choose the goldenrod, once also the state
blossom of Mississippi. State legislators replaced it with
the far more Southern magnolia to escape the goldenrod's
mistaken reputation for causing allergies.
While some states protect their flowers with legislation,
Minnesota goes further than most. It's illegal to pick
the showy lady's slipper, which isn't that unusual. What is
different is the fact that in 1990, the governor of
Minnesota named an 81 mile length of highway 11 a
'wildflower route', and the state's highway department
resolved to only expand the road to the south to preserve
the plants on the northern side of the road.
The entire list of state flowers, along with full color
pictures and interesting facts can be found at
www.50states.com
Submit An Article
|
©
COPYRIGHT 2005 ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED abusinessfix.com
|
Get Exposure For Your Site! Advertise with us.
Click
Here For Details
on a Great Deal! |
|
|
Would you like
more information on business?
Sign up here for our mailing list. You will get great information
before it becomes available on our website!
|
|
