Louisiana and neighboring Mississippi both chose the magnolia as their state flower in 1900. Louisiana made its flower official on August 1, 1900. It has reigned peacefully ever since, except for a challenge in 1950.
The Louisiana Iris Society decided it was time for a change. They introduced a bill to name the iris as the Louisiana state flower. But they also arranged for another bill naming the magnolia the state tree. They thought that might appease magnolia fans. But it didn’t.
State Flower Battle
A great state flower debate ensued. Magnolia buffs were fortunate in that magnolias, not irises, were currently in bloom. It was noted that the State Capitol building “has all kinds of trimmings with the magnolia in bronze.”
One woman disparaged the iris as a plant that grows in swamps. She added, “Lots of people already think that everyone in Louisiana lives in houses on stilts in swamplands and keeps an alligator as a watchdog.”
But iris fans countered that irises can be grown anywhere. They also noted that magnolias grow throughout the South. They claimed the Louisiana blue iris was unique to Louisiana.
There was also some interest in adopting the fleur-de-lis, or stylized lily. It is a symbol of France, to which many Louisianans trace their roots.
A Southern Superstar
But the magnolia hung on to its crown. In fact, the magnolia and iris both had their cake and ate it, too: The magnolia is both the state flower and tree of Mississippi, and Louisiana later adopted the Louisiana iris as its state wildflower.
Louisiana later adopted an iris as its official wildflower.
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