Every state has an official state flower—some chosen for beauty, others chosen for hardiness in the location. Find out your state's flower here, and consider incorporating some state pride into your garden design.
We all remember learning about our state symbols in elementary school. Every state in the U.S. has an official state flower. And, as a bonus, even Washington, D.C., has an official flower—the 'American Beauty' rose. The rose is also considered the official flower of the United States. Some flowers were selected for their hardiness in the state, while others were selected for looks alone. However they were picked, state flowers were selected to represent the people and the essence of each individual state. Check out yours and the others in your region.
Northeast
Connecticut: Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Delaware: Peach blossom (Prunus persica)
Maine: White pine cone and tassel (Pinus strobus, linnaeus)
Maryland: Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Massachusetts: Trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens)
New Hampshire: Purple lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
New Jersey: Violet (Viola sororia)
New York: Rose (Rosa)
Rhode Island: Violet (Viola)
Vermont: Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
Washington, D.C.: 'American Beauty' rose (Rosa)
Southeast
Alabama: Camellia (Camellia)
Arkansas: Apple blossom (Pyrus coronaria)
Florida: Orange blossom (Citrus sinensis)
Georgia: Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata)
Kentucky: Goldenrod (Solidago altissima)
Louisiana: Magnolia (Magnolia)
Mississippi: Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
North Carolina: American dogwood (Cornus florida)
South Carolina: Yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
Tennessee: Iris (Iridaceae)
Virginia: American dogwood (Cornus florida)
West Virginia: Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)
Midwest
Illinois: Purple violet (Viola)
Indiana: Peony (Peony)
Iowa: Wild prairie rose (Rosa pratincola)
Kansas: Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Michigan: Apple blossom (Pyrus coronaria)
Minnesota: Pink and white lady's-slipper (Cypripedium reginae)
Missouri: Hawthorn (Crataegus)
Nebraska: Goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)
North Dakota: Wild prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)
Ohio: Scarlet carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
South Dakota: Pasque flower (Pulsatilla hirsutissima)
Wisconsin: Wood violet (Viola papilionacea)
Mountain West
Colorado: Rocky Mountain columbine (Aquilegia caerules)
Idaho: Mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii)
Montana: Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva)
Nevada: Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
Utah: Sego lily (Calochortus gunnisonii)
Wyoming: Indian paintbrush (Castilleja linariaefolia)
Pacific Northwest
California: California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)
Oregon: Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium)
Washington: Coast rhododendron (Rhododendrum macrophyllum)
Southwest
Arizona: Saguaro cactus blossom (Carnegiea gigantea)
New Mexico: Yucca flower (Yucca glauca)
Oklahoma: Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)
Texas: Bluebonnet (Lupinus)
Noncontiguous
Alaska: Forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris)
Hawaii: Pua aloalo (Hibiscus brackenridgei)