Indiana has a refreshing paucity of symbols. It is one of ten states (Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia and Wyoming) that have but two plant symbols, a state flower and tree. It is the only state that has but one official animal (a state bird). Indiana is also among the very few states that have no official fish, insect or fossil.
Flag, Nickname & Motto
Indiana has an exceptionally nice state flag. The state motto, The Crossroads of America, recalls an earlier era when the West was still relatively unsettled.
Indiana’s best known symbol may be the nickname Hoosier State. Natives are known as Hoosiers.
Plants
Indiana is the only state that calls the peony its state flower, though Serbia, China and the Japanese prefecture of Shimane have adopted varieties of peonies. The tulip tree is the official tree of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Animals
Indiana is the only state with a single official animal, a state bird. It shares the cardinal with Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
Earth Symbols
Indiana calls limestone its official stone, while Tennessee designated it the state rock. Indiana is one of the few states without a state fossil, though the crinoid has been suggested as a suitable representative.
Miscellaneous Symbols
Indiana has an official poem, titled “Indiana.” The Wabash River is the official river. It complements the state song, On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away. (The only other state with an official river is Nebraska.)
Indiana/Introduction is one of two dozen states that call English their official language.
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