representation

Yucca glauca, the state flower of New Mexico. Unusual droopy form, below.


I remember when, on September 23, 1986, the House of Representatives passed a joint resolution naming the rose as the “national floral emblem” of the United States. This choice of the rose as the national flower still strikes me as odd. Although there are native roses in the United States, most of the roses that are grown here have originated from roses that are native to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Of course, roses have such complex ancestries, that it is difficult to say specifically the genetic background of a rose, and American roses do have a minor contribution to the genetic pool of the modern rose. The most common class of rose grown in the US is the hybrid tea, whose repeat flowering characteristics were originally derived from an oriental species. It could be argued, however, that as a country we are similar to the hybrid rose in its multinational background. But I am among those who still believe that the national flower should be a species native to where we live. There have been passionate entreaties to use the marigold, a native species, for example. I don't completely discount the rose as the national flower, but I believe that it should be designated a native species rather than the nationally ambiguous “rose.”

So it is peculiar to me as well, those few states who claim non-native species as their state flower. Certainly, we are a nation composed largely of immigrants, so it is telling which states cling to their immigrant plant life, and those who embrace the plant species that existed in this land before the new arrivals. Yes, I know that these states who claim non-native plants as their state flower are now known by their ability to grow such plants, and sometimes even better than in the plants native land. There may also be historical significance of the plant to the people of the state. But it still doesn’t feel quite right to me.
Plants as listed by 50states.com, please correct me if this is incorrect.

States with non-native plants for their state flower.

Alabama: Camellia Camellia (Asia)
Delaware: Peach Blossom Prunus persica (China)
Florida: Orange Blossom Citrus sinensis (Southeast Asia)
Indiana: Peony Paeonia (Although there are native american peonies, they are mostly from the Western US).
New Hampshire: Purple lilac Syringa vulgaris (Southeastern Europe)
Ohio: Scarlet Carnation Dianthus caryophyllus (Mediterranean)
Vermont: Red Clover Trifolium pratense (Europe, Asia, Africa)

States with native plants for their state flower.
Alaska: Forget Me Not Myosotis alpestris (unclear - some sources say this is an asian species, some say it is native to Alaska).
Arizona: Saguaro Cactus Blossom Carnegiea gigantea
Arkansas: Apple Blossom Pyrus coronaria (aka American crabapple)
California: California Poppy Eschscholtzia californica
Colorado: Rocky Mountain Columbine Aquilegia caerulea
Connecticut: Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia
Georgia: Cherokee Rose Rosa laevigata
Hawaii: Pua Aloalo Hibiscus brackenridgei
Idaho: Syringa - Mock Orange Philadelphus lewisii
Illinois: Purple Violet Viola
Iowa: Wild Prairie Rose Rosa pratincola
Kansas: Sunflower Helianthus annuus
Kentucky: Goldenrod Solidago altissima
Louisiana: Magnolia Magnolia (although I wish they specified a species, such as M. grandiflora)
Maine: White pine cone and tassel Pinus strobus, linnaeus
Maryland: Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta
Massachusetts: Trailing-Arbutus Epigaea regens
Michigan: Apple Blossom Pyrus coronaria
Minnesota: Pink and white lady's-slipper Cypripedium reginae
Mississippi: Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora
Missouri: Hawthorn Crataegus
Montana: Bitterroot Lewisia rediviva
Nebraska: Goldenrod Soldiago gigantea
Nevada: Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata
New Jersey: Violet Viola sororia
New Mexico: Yucca flower Yucca glauca
New York: Rose Rosa (I’m giving some leeway here)
North Carolina: American Dogwood Cornus florida
North Dakota: Wild Prairie Rose Rosa arkansana
Oklahoma: Mistletoe Phoradendron serotinum
Oregon: Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
Pennsylvania: Mountain Laurel Kalmia latiflolia
Rhode Island: Violet Viola (although the most commonly planted Viola odorata, and Viola tricolor are European)
South Carolina: Yellow Jessamine Gelsemium sempervirens
South Dakota: Pasque Flower Pulsatilla hirsutissima
Tennessee: Iris Iridaceae (another vague choice, I wish they chose a species native to the state).
Texas: Bluebonnet Lupinus
Utah Sego lily: Calochortus gunnisonii
Virginia: American Dogwood Cornus florida
Washington: Coast Rhododendron Rhododendron macrophyllum
West Virginia: Rhododendron Rhododendron maximum
Wisconsin: Wood Violet Viola papilionacea
Wyoming: Indian Paintbrush Castilleja linariaefolia